Sega Mega-Tech Restoration
- Thread starter mourix
- Start date
ChrisBEANS
Active member
Brilliant stuff!
It’ll be fun to see some of the more ‘arcadey’ stuff on there, Like Gunstar Heroes, or Twinkle Tale, maybe Battle Mania
Looking forward to the updates. Thread of the year contender
It’ll be fun to see some of the more ‘arcadey’ stuff on there, Like Gunstar Heroes, or Twinkle Tale, maybe Battle Mania
Looking forward to the updates. Thread of the year contender
Just placed an order for the 4 shown PCB designs on JLCPCB. Let the two weeks of impatience begin 
I also found the source of the audio issue: one speaker was wired in reverse polarity...
I'll still replace the speakers but at least it now sounds basic instead of rediculous.
I also found the source of the audio issue: one speaker was wired in reverse polarity...
I'll still replace the speakers but at least it now sounds basic instead of rediculous.
How to make replacement back door, the legit way.
Like seriously, guys. Why does everyone use painted MDF? Late 80's+ machines are pretty much all dual side laminated chipboard for good reasons. /rant
So for the Mega-Tech you need:
Assemble it like this:
Be in awe at the legitness:
And then push your machine back to the wall and never look at it again
Like seriously, guys. Why does everyone use painted MDF? Late 80's+ machines are pretty much all dual side laminated chipboard for good reasons. /rant
So for the Mega-Tech you need:
- 30mm length cam lock.
- 40x60x2mm steel connecting plates.
- 18mm black laminate chipboard, cut to 59,7x52cm.
- Authentic finger prints all over as black laminate does..
Assemble it like this:
Be in awe at the legitness:
And then push your machine back to the wall and never look at it again
I'm so with you on not using MDF! I think for me I'd use black laminated plywood... because... plywood!How to make replacement back door, the legit way.
Like seriously, guys. Why does everyone use painted MDF? Late 80's+ machines are pretty much all dual side laminated chipboard for good reasons. /rant
So for the Mega-Tech you need:
- 30mm length cam lock.
- 40x60x2mm steel connecting plates.
- 18mm black laminate chipboard, cut to 59,7x52cm.
- Authentic finger prints all over as black laminate does..
Assemble it like this:
Be in awe at the legitness:
And then push your machine back to the wall and never look at it again
Defo awesome to see an authentic style replacement panel though
Thanks. It fits standard tubular cam locks:
- 23mm length for metal coin door.
- 33mm length for the rest. (30mm fits too if you bend the lockplate just a bit)
Thank you as well! It's mostly the finish of painted MDF which looks so off to me. Anything Melamine or Formica finished does the jobI'm so with you on not using MDF! I think for me I'd use black laminated plywood... because... plywood!
Defo awesome to see an authentic style replacement panel though
PCBs came in
Starting with the (to be open sourced) Mega Drive converter!
Before I start I have to give full credit to Nipedley. This person has done an incredible amount of research back in the ~2010 era and used to have his own site that is linked to on several blog posts of the time. Anyway, he posted his magnum opus on this random forum post from 2017 and then seemingly disappeared from the face of the internet.
He went out with a bang, though. Turns out that this random Mega file of the pre covid era contained gold. It has recreated artwork, scans, manuals, info for making custom menu roms, and a complete reverse engineered pinout of the Mega-Tech cart slot with full comparison to the Mega Drive and even instructions to get an Everdrive going.
So I fired up Altium and designed a board to his spec:
I then fired it up and magic happened:
My bonus reverse engineering efforts for icons in the menu paid off too:
I then got overconfident and tried my Master System converter, but that one unfortunately needs debugging I will get to in a future update...
Starting with the (to be open sourced) Mega Drive converter!
Before I start I have to give full credit to Nipedley. This person has done an incredible amount of research back in the ~2010 era and used to have his own site that is linked to on several blog posts of the time. Anyway, he posted his magnum opus on this random forum post from 2017 and then seemingly disappeared from the face of the internet.
He went out with a bang, though. Turns out that this random Mega file of the pre covid era contained gold. It has recreated artwork, scans, manuals, info for making custom menu roms, and a complete reverse engineered pinout of the Mega-Tech cart slot with full comparison to the Mega Drive and even instructions to get an Everdrive going.
So I fired up Altium and designed a board to his spec:
I then fired it up and magic happened:
My bonus reverse engineering efforts for icons in the menu paid off too:
I then got overconfident and tried my Master System converter, but that one unfortunately needs debugging I will get to in a future update...
Compilation carts.
So turns out Sega made a bunch of 3-6 game compilation carts near the end of the Mega Drive's life cycle. Let's find the best combination:
After which, I made python script to generate menus for many custom carts:
For the next step, get scammed on Aliexpress by getting 1 27C322 instead of 10:
After getting a refund and getting more, make these carts:
And suddenly the menu is on the Mega-Tech:
And Gunstar Heroes plays
With these 1mm longer Redux carts, the fake shells are fine.
So turns out Sega made a bunch of 3-6 game compilation carts near the end of the Mega Drive's life cycle. Let's find the best combination:
After which, I made python script to generate menus for many custom carts:
For the next step, get scammed on Aliexpress by getting 1 27C322 instead of 10:
After getting a refund and getting more, make these carts:
And suddenly the menu is on the Mega-Tech:
And Gunstar Heroes plays
With these 1mm longer Redux carts, the fake shells are fine.
ChrisBEANS
Active member
This is beautiful stuffGot the master system roms permanently transplanted to the redux PCBs too.
Legit bootleggery here
If you don’t mind a suggestion or two (forgive me):-
A couple of lesser known (probably fairly well known here to be fair) shooters that would suit this cab are ‘Battle Mania’ (1&2), and Twinkle Tale.
Try them out on an emulator maybe before you invest the time and effort into carts, but I think they’d be great on a proper Sega cab.
Your resto is a thing of legit beauty. Thanks for sharing!
ChrisBEANS
Active member
Oh! And Cloud Master if your doing Master Systemery
Update to my Megatech issues.Very interesting watch.Looks like it's finally fixed
