Problems with using the Radica Genesis

[SgtBowhack]

I know everyone thinks the Radica Genesis is a gift from above, and I suppose it is to an extent.

1) It doesn't support battery backup games! How sucky would it be to want to take Phantasy Star on the go and then not be able to save? Maybe they'll release one with some battery-backup games and through some light tweaking we can get that support too.
2) Compatibility is "somewhat" lacking (and we have yet to hear of anyone successfully improving it, though there are many theories as to how to do so)
3) It would likely cost more than a Nomad to get the whole thing up and running probably. And no matter what anyone says about the Nomad, it had fairly good compatibility and a fairly nice case (with 6 button support!) - unless you can get in on one of the PSone screen deals mentioned elsewhere

Anyway, until at least one of the first two (and both would definitely be nice) is resolved, I'm a bit dubious about using it and calling it a replacement for the Nomad. Just my two cents on the thing.

[Sparkfist]

Say SgtBowhack? Exactly how long as that thing been out, yeah? Not long. Given some time I'm sure that many of these problems will be solved. Rome wasnt built in a day, ya know.

[SgtBowhack]

You see, some of those problems likely cannot be solved with the Radica.
- Battery back-up is done through address pins on the cartridge. If there was no need to have battery back-up in the Radica (and there wasn't), they probably didn't add support for it in. So it is unlikely we will ever get support for this added into it.
- Likewise, there are theories about the compatibility issues, and possible solutions. Yet very few seem to be actively attempting to see if those solutions work. I am somewhat optimistic that this can be fixed through a Mega Key or Nitro adapter, if not through a Game Genie or similar device.

I am not saying that the Radica Genesis is worthless. I think it is a great little doohickey. I am simply warning people that it is not the be-all-end-all of Genesis portability. I don't want people to go out and buy it thinking they'll be able to play game X and then be really disappointed when it doesn't work, or doesn't work completely. I always have mixed feelings when I read about someone going out and buying the Radica because Ben got it working. I'm glad that people are supporting the device, but I'm worried that not all of them have looked deeply enough into the subject to know its pros and cons. I do not mean to denounce it in any way-- it is fantastic, perfect at what it's made for. Just trying to give people a heads up (and perhaps create more awareness about its problems so that we can find solutions for them).

BTW- it's been out for awhile, at least in Japan, just no one's been tinkering with it

[Sparkfist]

Then for the most part it has replaced the Genesis 3, many people on this board and the new one wanted to make a Nomad and saided they would use the Genesis 3. That has all the problems the new Radica has, and so what if they cant play *insert game* there are hundreds more to pick from. As for people activly persuing the Radica to make it work as good as the Nomad, yes there are not that many. Most people will make the perchuse and think its great and not do anymore the few that do go and open it as the very least can help if they know, but then there are even few.

When someone finds the Mega Key or Nitro thing then we can work to make it better in the mean time be happy you can mod it to play most games. Its better then the standard 6 on the built in rom.

[SgtBowhack]

Errr, no, no, no. The Genesis 3's problems have been GREATLY exaggerated by some people. Genesis 3 has about 99% compatibility, a set region, and support for battery backup games. It is fairly similar to the Nomad in capabilities, actually. The Genesis 3 has SOME of the same problems of the Radica (i.e. it probably doesn't accurately generate sound and stuff in all games), and it can't be hooked to a Sega CD or 32x.

It is assumed that the problem with the Radica is that the region is not set and that this can be overridden by region-hacking carts such as these. It makes a lot of sense that this is the case. However(!), there could be something more deeply wrong with the Radica as well, and these may not work on it. This is something that will need to be investigated in the future.

Most people will make the perchuse and think its great and not do anymore the few that do go and open it as the very least can help if they know, but then there are even few.

I am not sure what you meant here at all...
Regardless, my point is that it is not perfect- it is not a replacement for a real Genesis... yet (though I doubt it ever will be quite as good as we hope). Yes, you can play other games than the six built-in ones, and that is absolutely wonderful. I am simply trying to inform people of its limitations and get rid of misinformation about the topic (such as the Genesis 3 problems that seem to have been blown out of proportion).

[jaytee]

yea, the Genesis3 has better compatibility than the Nomad... The Gen3 is only completely incompatible with one game that I know of (some racing game? i can't remember), whereas i believe the nomad is incompatible with that game, as well as about 5 others just not working, not to mention any games that require a special controller to be plugged in to port 1 (light gun or something). i've heard of a few problems that then gen3 had in producing some sound (and i've heard most of that here at these forums, which seem to hate the gen3), but it certainly ran the games well enough.

basically, it seems as though untill someone is ready to try a gamegenie or something, the genesis3 is a better solution to building a portable genesis than a radica (unless you feel the need for as tiny a case as possible, since with the radica you have... a chip.)

[SgtBowhack]

I believe that game is Virtua Racing, because it had the Genesis equivalent of a SuperFX chip in it (I don't remember what it's called). But yeah, the Genesis 3 is nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be.
Plus it is still pretty tiny Too bad that it looks like the Genesis 3 board takes up like the entire case...
Anyway, yeah. I guess the answer is- if you want compatibility, get a Genesis 3 board (or a pirate Genesis, they do exist!) If you want size, get a Radica.

BTW: Apparently the Game Genie is "incompatible" with the Genesis 3 but no one wants to explain how or why... it may also be a non-issue with the Radica *shrug* I'm guessing the Genesis 3 is missing some pins attached to the cart slot (which, obviously, will also happen with the Radica at the beginning). I really think we need to find the Mega Key adapters and see what they've got. If they're just some circuit without a ROM or an IC, we've got it made (probably). But no one is willing to find out

[Red5]

The chip in Virtua Racing is called the SVP (Sega Virtua Processor?), the tech. specs are unknown... even Sega don't have any docs on it anymore (Steve Snake asked when he was working for them)

The Genesis3 probably is an option if you live in the USA, however it was never released here in the U.K. so that's a non-starter for those of us who live on the wrong side of the pond. It's also incompatible with the Game Genie because some of the required pins aren't connected on the cart slot, the same is likely to be true with the Radica. It may be possible to find the right traces and wire the needed lines to the cart slot, however I've never heard of anyone trying it.

[Sparkfist]

As for why the Game Genie doesnt work with the Genesis 3, its becuase it has a different chip set (or atleast one) from the two that Sega built.

I also find it hard to believe the Nomad has incompatable issues worse than the Genesis 3. The Nomad was built by Sega to be both a portable version and a home console as it supported external controlls.

As for the Genesis 3 and Nomad not linking up to the Sega CD or 32X, I dont think those two would even fit in the cradle for the Genesis so it a mute point to bring up. As for the 32X I though it was a independet system and so didnt have any or very few requirments of the Genesis other than to produce video out.

[Unidentified Assilant]

The Nomad had a very high compatiblity, even though it was an american creation it played 98% of europe games.

[SgtBowhack]

The Genesis 3 was DESIGNED by Sega, it was merely marketed by Majesco. People are really confused about this. Sega just didn't feel that marketing the Genesis after the release of the Saturn was warranted, so they designed it and sent it off to Majesco to be mass-marketed. Everyone makes it out like it's some garbage made by some shady third-party. It's Sega's child, man!
The Nomad and Genesis had pretty much the same incompatibility issues, but the Nomad suffered from having no controller 1 input (as said before) so those games that required things like the Menacer wouldn't work. (Though I'm not sure that could be called an incompatibility issue, if that was all that was wrong with it...)
Sadly, the 32x does use the 68000 in the Genesis for very basic things, even though I'd say it was probably unnecessary, since the processing power of the 32x was actually quite close to Saturn (in fact, the designs are so similar, it really bugs me that they didn't attempt to have Saturn play 32x games and vice-versa).
Anyway, yeah, as I said in the last post: Use the Radica if you're not concerned about the issues brought up before. Use the Genesis 3 is you are. Simple as that.

[Unidentified Assilant]

I use a Genesis 2! It does have a Z80! Just a very small chip containing that and plays all the games the Genesis 1 does really, its just not quite a small as the Genesis 3, but its better.

[jaytee]

As for why the Game Genie doesnt work with the Genesis 3, its becuase it has a different chip set (or atleast one) from the two that Sega built.

I also find it hard to believe the Nomad has incompatable issues worse than the Genesis 3. The Nomad was built by Sega to be both a portable version and a home console as it supported external controlls.

As for the Genesis 3 and Nomad not linking up to the Sega CD or 32X, I dont think those two would even fit in the cradle for the Genesis so it a mute point to bring up. As for the 32X I though it was a independet system and so didnt have any or very few requirments of the Genesis other than to produce video out.

The Nomad only supports a second player controller to be hooked up. You cannot hook a first player controller into it, so any game that requires something besides a standard 6-button controller is incompatible, as well as a select few games that simply don't work and the special hardware for the Nomad.

The Gen3 and Nomad have hardware incompatibilities with the SegaCD and 32X beyond not fitting in the cradle. Neither has an expansion port needed for the CD, and neither has the correct hardware needed to run a 32X.

[SgtBowhack]

I think that, in theory, it is possible for the Genesis 3 or Nomad to run the 32x and Sega CD. If they're compatible enough with the 68000/Z80 to run 99% of games, they're probably compatible enough to communicate with the 32x and Sega CD... but it was poor design on Sega's part that kept them from it. I'm guessing the 32x is incompatible for the same reason Virtua Racing and the Game Genie are- lack of pins.

[Sparkfist]

I seriously wouldnt be suprised if the 32X didnt work. After all it was a rushed product made by Sega of America and the Nomad and (probibly) the Genesis 3 were built by the Japanese divison so why would they support something like it. The Sega CD main of the pin go to either rom or the CPU, so all you'd have to do is trace where the leads on the Genesis 1/2 go for the expansion slot and attach wires to the spots on the Noman or Genesis 3 if you can.

As for the Nomad or Genesis 3 being poor designs, they served there purpose. The Nomad was a portable Genesis with the exact same ablities as the GameGear (save for the software lockout) and the Genesis 3 was just to be something to throw out to keep up sales as far as I am conserned.