![]() ![]() The back of the model 1 console provides a radio frequency output port (designed for use with antenna and cable systems) and a specialized 8-pin DIN port, both of which provide video and audio output. Most revisions of the original system contain a Yamaha YM2612 FM synthesis chip and a separate YM7101 VDP these two chips were later integrated into a single custom chip for later versions of the console distributed worldwide. The Z80 processor directly controls both sound chips, producing stereo music and sound effects, both synthesized and digitized. The system produces sound by way of an FM synthesizer and a Texas Instruments SN76489 programmable sound generator, the latter of which is integrated with the VDP. The system's games are in ROM cartridge format and are inserted in the top. The system contains 72kB of RAM, as well as 64 kB of video RAM, and can display up to 64 colors at once from a palette of 512. The console also includes a Zilog Z80 sub-processor, which controls the sound hardware and provides backwards compatibility with the Master System. The main microprocessor of the Genesis is a 16/32-bit Motorola 68000 CPU. In 1996, Sega announced it would drop support for the Genesis in favour of the Saturn, ending its manufacturing. Although Sega's version outsold Nintendo's 4 to 1, it was not giving Sega a good image. Not to mention the concern over violence in video games that had began the year before after the release of Mortal Kombat in which the Sega version was true to the arcade version, leaving all of the violence in, while the Nintendo version censored the really violent parts. All of this gave Sega a bad image to gamers and programmers. There were also disputes between Sega of Japan and Sega of America. The development and cost of producing the 32X also helped contribute to this debt. The Mega CD/Sega CD was not selling so well and Sega was now in debt because of it. Sega had not been advertising as much anymore. Things weren't so good by the end of 1994. It was in 1993 that Sega pulled ahead of Nintendo in the North American market share. The Mega CD/Sega CD was also redesigned to fit with the new Mega Drive/Genesis, however, both versions of Mega CD/Sega CD will work on either console. Sega also released a Mega Drive II/Genesis II console that was smaller than the original and did not include a headphones jack or volume control. The Mega CD/Sega CD had been released and so Sega were once again ahead of Nintendo technology-wise. Great games were still being made and more and more third party companies were producing games for the console. All their efforts and advertising had paid off. Sales skyrocketed.ฤก992-93 were Sega's best days. Sonic even became the pack-in game with the console in place of Altered Beast. Sega's marketing campaigns were now all based around speed and aggressive advertising. Speed was the one thing that the Genesis excelled in and the SNES didn't. Not only would this become the "killer app" for the system, but Sega also now had the perfect mascot that emphasized the system's speed. The final decision was Sonic the Hedgehog. These three wishes were granted for Sega when they began accepting applications for mascots. To challenge Nintendo, Sega had everything it needed except for a mascot, a marketing campaign and a killer app. They went with "Genesis" instead, meaning "in the beginning", as Sega was leading the way in the beginning of the next-generation consoles. Sega of America could not use this name as it was already trademarked by another company. "Mega Drive" was finally decided upon by Sega executives, "mega" being a word previously used by Sega when promoting games that were larger and more powerful than others, and "drive" being a word associated with speed and power. The official name given to it in-house was MK-1601, but a more appealing name was needed when marketing to the public. ![]() The last issue was to give the console a name. Sega also made their console backwards compatible with the Sega Master System with an add-on device later named the Power Base Converter. This now meant that any game made for these arcade machines could be almost perfectly ported to their new console. Their final design worked out so well that they used the technology to make three new arcade boards (MegaTech, MegaPlay and System C). Sega began developing their new 16-bit console based on System 16. When Sega's arcade machines using System 16 technology become popular, Sega CEO Hayou Nakayama decided it was time to bring this technology into home video game consoles. ![]()
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