[INFO] Neo Geo Consoles (MVS and AES)

Post by **Skyone** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:48 am

Both the AES and the MVS had the same specifications, technically, at least.

Neo Geo MVS (Multi Video System)

The Neo Geo MVS is the large multi-game arcade unit that you'll see at your local pizza place or college arcade. Cabinet owners were a able to exchange the game cartridges that were rather large, and sometimes had no case. Although expensive, you can purchase the MVS PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and use it as a home console.

Neo Geo AES (Advanced Entertainment System)

The Neo Geo AES is what you took home from the store. It was the made-for-home version of the very popular MVS.

Technical Specs

CPU

-Main Processor: Motorola 68000 (12 MHz) - Different versions of the Neo Geo used different revisions of the 68000. The most common clone is the TMP68HC000, manufactured by Toshiba. All of the revisions run the same and have the same architecture.

-Secondary Processor: Zilog Z80 (4 MHz) - used for audio processing.

-Sound Chip: Yamaha YM2610

Memory

-Main Memory: 64KB - Used directly by the 68000.

-Video Memory: 68KB

-Sound Memory: 2KB - Used directly by the Z80

Video

-Resolution: 304x224 (320x240 with 8-pixel borders on each side)

-Color Palette: 65,536 Colors

-Maximum Colors On-Screen: 4,096

-Maximum Sprites On-Screen: 380

-Minimum Sprite Size (In Pixels): 1x2

-Maximum Sprite Size (In Pixels): 16x512

-Maximum Planes (Dimensions - in theory): 3

-Aspect ratio: 4:3

-A/V output: RF, Composite, RGB (with separate 21 pin cable FCG-9).

Power Requirements

-Power: 5v DC

-Power Consumption: 5W (1A) Older Systems, 8W (1.6A) Newer Systems.

For more on the Neo Geo Consoles, click here.

Thanks to Wikipedia and Neogeo.com for this collection of information.

Krepticor · Post by **Krepticor** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 11:06 pm

yes do not forget that a converter can be bought for the AES to play MVS games The MVS games were larger in size than the AES so a small conversion was needed

I think it is similar to a family converter in the since that it just relocates certain pins and mabye adds a cap or two and since the AES and MVS were pratically one in the same it makes sense

arfink · Post by **arfink** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:15 am

Actually, one interesting thing to note between the Neo Geo MVS and the AES. The MVS and AES each had a different bios, but there were some other firmware differences too. Apparently each unit has a serial number embedded in the firmware- this comes into play when you use any of the link-up Neo Geo games. Also, I think the MVS is the only system which has full acess to all the Soft Dip settings. Unless I am mistaken (and I probably am) the AES cannot get at these Soft Dip settings even with a UniBios installed.

EDIT: Oh yes, you say the carts do not have a case- that's not true! The carts have a plastic case which encloses 2 individual PBC's. I call that a case. The motherboards also usually had some sort of case or cover as well. See my "inside a neo geo cart" post and you can see what I mean.

Edit again: Also, the power consumption ratings are a little overkill, I find that these figures from SNK are most likely eggadurated. My MV-1B does not use that much power.

Post by **Skyone** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:38 pm

Edited. I've seen a few without cases, PCB only.

robivy64 · Post by **robivy64** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:04 am

Skyone wrote:Edited. I've seen a few without cases, PCB only.

Then those were boots and not legit carts.

Post by **Skyone** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 3:11 am

robivy64 wrote:
Skyone wrote:Edited. I've seen a few without cases, PCB only.
Then those were boots and not legit carts.

Aren't they all?

robivy64 · Post by **robivy64** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:12 pm

Skyone wrote:
robivy64 wrote:
Skyone wrote:Edited. I've seen a few without cases, PCB only.
Then those were boots and not legit carts.
Aren't they all?

No. You might run accross the occasional MVS boot, but it's not too terribly common.

dj-spuddy · Post by **dj-spuddy** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:35 am

I think I have the MVS and AES pinouts somewhere. I could post them if needed.

dudex77 · Post by **dudex77** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:28 pm

Krepticor wrote:yes do not forget that a converter can be bought for the AES to play MVS games The MVS games were larger in size than the AES so a small conversion was needed

I think it is similar to a family converter in the since that it just relocates certain pins and mabye adds a cap or two and since the AES and MVS were pratically one in the same it makes sense

then would an aes emulator run mvs roms? and dj could you post the pinouts?

typamc95 · Post by **typamc95** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 4:32 pm

I would guess since NEs runs famicon roms

arfink · Post by **arfink** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:20 am

One thing, just to prevent confusion: the actual Rom data inside of a Neo Geo MVS cart and a Neo Geo AES cart is identical. The only difference between the two is the size of the cartridge and the pinout. The reason why there are differences between the AES and the MVS units is entirely based upon what Bios your Neo Geo is using. So, if you took the Bios chip from an AES home unit and put it into an MVS arcade unit, then the arcade unit would play just like the home version, and vice versa. So, no, you don't use MVS roms in an AES emulator, the roms are the same. You would just change the Bios that you use in order to get either AES or MVS operation.

That's the idea behind a thing known as the UniBios. It's a bios chip which can replace either the AES or MVS bios, and which can allow you to change instantly between regions (Europe/USA/Asia/Japan) to enable things like blood or between home/arcade version, and which also contains things like a Rom CRC check to make sure you have a legit cart and a GameGenie type of cheat system too.