'What the hell is a Sega CD



The Sega CD FAQ Table of Contents:

1. “What the hell is a Sega CD?”

“What are its drawbacks?”

“Can you cite which companies made good games?”

“What was the competition’s initial and long term reaction?”

“What was the customer’s reaction?”

“How would it’s success be measured?”

“Was Sega the only manufacturer of this system?”

“What is CD-G?”

“Is it possible to copy Sega CD games?”

“Is there an emulator available?”

“Where can I find a Sega CD for myself?”

“What should I do to maintain it?”

“What about saving games?”

“What if my Sega CD is broken?”

Written by Kip “Reinhart” Wells.

Contact: LASERNUT32@

First version written June 25, 2002.

Second revision: June 25, 2002.

This document is available for the public domain. Distribution is granted provided that the original author is fully credited for this document and that document is available free of charge.

IF YOU’VE PAID FOR THIS DOCUMENT, YOU’VE BEEN HAD!

“What the hell is a Sega CD?”

The Sega CD is a CD-ROM drive expansion with hardware enhancements for the Sega Genesis system. The hardware enhancements included a real-time (1x) CD-ROM drive, a second M68000 CPU, a custom graphics ASIC, an eight channel PCM music synthesizer, and more RAM. The M68000 in the Sega CD works in tandem with the M68000 in the Genesis. The custom graphics ASIC added hardware-based graphics scaling and rotation effects akin to the famed MODE-7 used in the Super Nintendo. And the eight channel PCM music synthesizer complemented the Genesis sound set for more versatility in the music and sound department. Redbook CD audio playback during certain modes of gameplay was also possible, further expanding the sound capabilities for the Sega CD. However, the Sega CD is still 16-bit. It also was not the first system to provide a console with CD-ROM options. The TurboCD was.

Turbo Technologies Inc., the company that continued the TurboGrafx 16 and TurboDuo marketing and distribution in North America after NEC, made a real misguided advertising campaign that put words in Sega’s mouth, as well as resorting to childish and insulting advertising tactics, notably through their “Johnny Turbo” advertising comics, but that’s another story.

“What are its drawbacks?”

Load times! The Sega CD had some very slow load times no thanks to the 1x CD-ROM drive in the console. Certain games dealt with the problems in a way to where it wasn’t a big deal, while other games, like “Willy Beamish”, were downright unbearable due to constant loads required during actual game play. Another drawback was that the majority of software available for the Sega CD were mediocre FMV games, mainly stuff from “Digital Pictures”, “Sega Tru-Video”, and “Stargate Software”. A few games from “Rocket Science” also earned a reputation of being pretty bad. There were exceptions, but the majority of FMV games from these companies were not very good. “ReadySoft” and “Renovation” were the only ones with FMV games that were all worth buying.

“Can you cite which companies made good games?”

“JVC Musical Industries” released some interesting games, including “Keio: Flying Squadron”, “The Secret of Monkey Island”, “Star Wars: Rebel Assault”, and “Samurai Showdown” to name a few. “Data East” released one interesting game “Panic!”. “Dynamix” released a few good titles, notably “Rise of the Dragon” and “Willy Beamish”. “Novatrade” released an excellent world domination strategy “World War Three”. There are others worth mentioning, but I don’t want to make the FAQ too long.

Two of the best companies for the Sega CD platform would be “Konami”, mainly for “Snatcher”, and “Working Designs” for all of their RPG releases for the USA from Japanese companies “Game Arts”, “Falcom”, and “Sims”.

Pioneer made available unique Sega CD spec LD games. The “Mega LD” games are playable only on the Pioneer CLD-A100 LaserActive with the Sega Genesis/Sega CD expansion module.

“What was the competition’s initial and long term reaction?”

Nintendo was in the process of developing a competing CD-ROM expansion for their Super Nintendo in cooperation with Sony Corporation. Sony became involved because they also designed the sound chip for the Super Nintendo, and Sony had an interest in entering the video game business. Ultimately, the Sega CD wasn’t the success that Sega hoped it would be, which convinced Nintendo that a CD-ROM add-on was not such a profitable venture, after all. Nintendo stopped development, but not before triggering a conflict between themselves and Sony due to a contract dispute and an unfair agreement that Nintendo later made with Philips for them to develop the SuperCD expansion instead of Sony. This would convince Sony to go against Nintendo in their own market, so now you know how the PlayStation came to be.

NEC’s reaction was more or less. They simply proceeded with their business. They knew that they were the first to introduce a CD-ROM add-on to a game console, but they were not prosperous in selling the TurboGrafx to the public. When TTi took over for NEC, they decided to take an aggressive approach to their marketing strategy to help gain more market share.

However, Sega was also playing it aggressively, but they were also playing the game more creatively and intelligently. They didn’t resort to feeble competitive bashing to the level that TTi had sunk to and used a fresh approach to their advertising.

To put it in a more rhetorical perspective, Sega was acting like the exciting informer while TTi was acting like the annoying propaganda spewer.

There are other products that were CD-ROM based, but they weren’t serious competitors or were unable to make it to market. The Philips CD-I was an unimpressive and overpriced system that was plagued with more critical fallacies than the Sega CD. The little known Memorex VIS, or Video Information System, was more geared towards edutainment than actual gameplay, and it’s marketing was highly limited since the product was only available at RadioShack stores. The CD32 platform was the first 32-bit system created, but it never saw the light of day in the USA because Commodore/Amiga had problems with the United States Government which didn’t allow them to conduct business in U.S. territories. The 3DO, the second 32-bit system, met with even more failure than the Sega CD mainly due to the high price of admission.

Then there is the Jaguar CD expansion for the Atari Jaguar, the first 64-bit system created. But Atari made the same mistakes they had made before on both platforms, and adding to that was immense pressure from very powerful and overly superior Japanese competition. The Jaguar was largely ignored by the majority of the gaming community. Also, the Jaguar’s look wasn’t so hot when the CD expansion was installed; it made the Jag look like a black plastic toilet, particularly if a game cartridge was also installed at the same time as the Jaguar CD. The Atari Jaguar, as a whole, simply could not compete.

In essence, the Sega CD practically had its niche all to itself until the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation came along. By about that time, the Sega CD was discontinued.

“What was the customer’s reaction?”

The customer apparently was drawn to what the Sega CD could offer. However, due to the lack of available software upon release and the high price tag, few people saw any reason to invest in it. These same reasons is what would also limit Sega CD’s popularity in Japan, which is called the Mega CD in the land of the rising sun, to only a niche.

“How would it’s success be measured?”

As an overall product, it was a financial failure. However, it remains the most successful console expansion format in the industry. It also has a strong cult following.

“Was Sega the only manufacturer of this system?”

Normally a question never asked, but no. Sega was not the only company to make a Sega CD console. There are seven versions of the Sega CD. Sega designed at least five versions of the Sega CD, while JVC and Pioneer each designed one for themselves.

The first generation Sega CD with the motorised loading tray, BIOS version 1.10, had two versions. The only real difference between the two versions was with the brand of the drive that was used. Some versions used a JVC drive, while others used a Sony drive. BIOS version 1.10 do have compatibility issues with the “Mortal Kombat” Sega CD. Use a power adapter with an output of 9-10 volts DC with an amperage draw rating of 1.2 amperes at negative polarity.

The second generation Sega CD with the pop-top manual door, BIOS version 2.05, was a bit more intensive in terms of internal differences. The mainboard shapes were different, with one version catering to a JVC drive and another catering to a Sony drive. BIOS version 2.05 does not have any compatibility issues with any Sega CD game. Use a power adapter with an output of 9-10 volts DC with an amperage draw rating of 1.2 amperes at negative polarity.

The fifth version is the Sega Genesis CD-X, BIOS version 2.10. The CD-X is a combination Genesis, Sega CD, and portable CD player. I am not clear, but the drive assembly appears to have been manufactured by Sanyo. BIOS version 2.10 has a compatibility issue with the “Jurassic Park” and “The Terminator” Sega CD games. Use a power adapter with an output of 9.5 volts DC with an amperage draw rating of 1.5 amperes at positive polarity.

Two other Sega CD consoles were not made by Sega. The first is the JVC X’Eye, which was a Sega Genesis and Sega CD system in one, similar to the Sega Genesis CD-X but not in a portable package. The music of the X’Eye splash screen is the same that is used in the European and Japanese Sega CD counterparts, which is known as Mega CD in those countries. Compatibility issues are unknown. Adapter requirement is unknown.

The second is the Pioneer CLD-A100 LaserActive LD player with the Sega Genesis/Sega CD expansion module. An expansion module that allowed the play of TurboDuo games was also made for the Pioneer CLD-A100 as well as a LaserKaraoke expansion module. There were also “Mega LD” games that were available exclusively for the CLD-A100 with the Sega expansion that used the LaserDisc as the storage medium instead of a CD, which gave the added benefit of full motion LaserDisc quality video! As with all LD players, the CLD-A100 adheres to the LaserVision standard, so this player will also play movie LDs. In addition, the machine will play Compact Discs, including CD-G discs with the LaserKaraoke expansion module and possibly with the Sega expansion module. And, no, the CLD-A100 will not play DVDs. Compatibility issues are unknown. Power requirement for North American models is 120 volts AC at 60 Hz oscillation. The appliance is polarised.

For value, the most valuable Sega CD would be the Pioneer CLD-A100 with the Sega expansion module, followed by the JVC X’Eye, and then the Sega Genesis CD-X. In addition, all Sega CD units will work with CD-G subcode if a Compact Disc is so encoded.

“What is CD-G?”

CD-G means Compact Disc - Graphics. It is exactly as the name implies, a CD with video graphics built in. Warner Music made available music with CD-G for the Sega CD with accompanying “atmospheric” graphics, but the graphics for the majority of CD-G discs were mainly song lyrics accompanied with unsung music for karaoke entertainment applications. The CD-G is stored as subcode in the CD audio bitstream, so a CD-G disc will also play without problems on non CD-G equipment. Think of a subcode on a bitstream as a baby piggyback on the mother.

“Is it possible to copy Sega CD games?”

Absolutely, although a few games do not lend themselves too well to copying since the copies don’t seem to work reliably, although these same copies will work with the Sega CD emulator “GENS”. When copying, it is advised that you perform the write to the CD-R at “Disc At Once” mode while writing at the slowest speed possible using the highest quality CD-R available. It is advised that you make a hard disk image of the game you want to copy, and then copy off of the image. For legal purposes, copy only for backing up your Sega CD library to protect your games. Especially important since Sega CD games are not made anymore. Play the copies and keep the originals in a safe place.

The file system for Sega CD games is ISO-9660 Mode 1.

“Is there an emulator available?”

Until recently, no. It is thought that making a Sega CD emulator would be a difficult, if not an impossible, undertaking. The Genesis core must be emulated precisely, then the Sega CD must be emulated fairly accurately, and then both emulation cores must work in perfect synchronisation. You also need a fairly powerful computer to run the emulator as your PC will essentially be emulating two computer systems at the same time and keeping them in synch with each other. Not an easy undertaking, but now someone has succeeded. A fully functioning Genesis/Sega CD emulator for Win95, Win98, Win98SE, Win2000/ME, and WinXP is available at:



For the Sega CD emulation, you must download a ROM image of the Sega CD console. An image of version 1.10 is recommended. ROM images of the BIOS is not available at the GENS website.

This emulator will also work with games from different regions, so you can play those Japanese RPGs that were never released here in the states, but you’d better be able to read and understand Japanese, though. You will also need the ROM images of the foreign BIOSES as well.

“Where can I find a Sega CD for myself?”

First, you’ll need a Genesis. Then it’s off to find that Sega CD, but beware! Most of the time, you will be buying one as-is. Second, places like pawn shops and flea markets may be a good place to start, but don’t be surprised if the gun-packing pawnbroker or the old blue-hair lady at one of those hot flea market booths is charging $60.00 for a Sega CD or $15.00 for a copy of “Sewer Shark”. People who don’t know what an item is either underestimates or overestimates the value of such an item, and the Sega CD is no exception to this occurrence.

Also, look around the online and newspaper classifieds, eBay (but beware of dishonest sellers), friends, and even thrift stores for more possibilities of Sega CD hardware. Who knows, you might luck out and walk away with a Pioneer CLD-A100 with a Sega expansion module all in mint working condition at a hell of a price.

It is possible for a video game store to have a Sega CD, either used, or NOS (New Old Stock) for sale at a low price, but it’s not common.

For pricing, I’d say $35 is the tops for a perfectly working Sega CD with no Genesis and the necessary accessories and no games. Go no higher, or it will be a rip-off. Remember, this is vintage hardware we are talking about, and the Sega CD wasn’t exactly the most popular thing on the planet to begin with.

You are most likely going to buy as-is, so there is no guarantee that it will work or not. To be absolutely sure that you are getting a good working unit, demand that the item be tested. You may have to bring your Genesis, with the AC adapter, A/V or RF connectors, any good CD, and a controller with you, just in case. If the Sega CD turns on successfully, then it passes half of the test. If recognises and plays a CD without trouble, then it passes completely. If the Sega CD doesn’t turn on, then check to see that the Genesis and Sega CD have a good connection between the two. If it still doesn’t turn on, then look elsewhere. If the person selling the Sega CD doesn’t have the adapter, then either find the right one and use it, or look elsewhere for a Sega CD that does have the adapter. If the person will not let you test the Sega CD, then give him a wide berth and take your business elsewhere.

Remember, NEVER BUY A SEGA CD UNLESS YOU CAN BE SURE THAT IT IS OPERATIONAL. You never know if some dimwitted shmuck tried to use an NES adapter with the Sega CD only to end up frying it.

In the case of eBay, you only have the seller’s word that the item is in good working condition. Check his feedback to be sure he’s telling the truth. A person with a good feedback rating will not intentionally rip you off as that seller has a reputation to maintain in the eBay community. Also, bid on items to where the seller guarantees that the item will not be DOA, or Dead On Arrival. Also, factor in the shipping charge as well as the auction price so you know how much you’d spend total for this thing.

And remember, when you place a bid, you enter into a legally binding contract to where you are obligated by law to buy the item at the agreed upon price. NEVER BID ON AN ITEM IF YOU HAVE NO INTENTION ON PAYING FOR IT. The seller will most likely report you as a deadbeat bidder to eBay’s SafeHarbour, but he can take you to court if you are obligated to pay enough money for the item. Likewise, the seller is obligated by law to sell the item only to you at the agreed upon price. If he doesn’t live up to his agreement, you can report him to SafeHarbour for being a fraudulent seller, or you can even take him to court. I don’t recommend the court thing, though. This is a Sega CD, hardly worth going through the trouble to seek relief through the law.

However, if you pay for the item after you win the auction and the seller won’t send you the item that he has posted for sale, then you must seek legal action. Not only is he ripping you off and breaching his side of the agreement, he’s also using the Postal Service for fraudulent activity, which by itself is a serious felony that can result in civil and criminal penalties allowable by the maximum extent of the law.

“What should I do to maintain it?”

Just keep it clean and don’t do stuff you shouldn’t do with it. Use only the correct adapters and keep the discs in good condition. Don’t use those laser cleaning CD discs, as they use bristles that are supposed to swipe the lens clean, except all the brushes do is knock on the objective lens which can scratch it or cause other damage to the pickup. Also, use and store it in a cool and dry place free of pests and bugs. A Sega CD, like any other piece of electronic equipment, will not stand up well to hot and humid environments with excessive dust and smoke, complete with bugs crapping all over the insides of the unit.

“What about saving games?”

Before you save any games in the Sega CD’s backup RAM, be sure it is formatted first, so the RAM can reliably sustain your saved games.

The internal saved game RAM employs a special rechargeable lithium cell to sustain the RAM’s contents whenever the Sega CD is off. Recharge this battery every month by leaving the Sega CD on overnight. Don’t do this when bad weather is expected, though.

If the battery happens to be depleted and the RAM contents are lost, you will have to recharge the battery, and then reformat the RAM.

If your backup RAM is full, and you don’t want to delete the saves, then you ought to consider finding and buying a Sega CD backup RAM cart. This cart goes into the cartridge port of the Genesis and has several times the capacity of the Sega CD’s internal backup RAM. It’s kind of hard to find, but quite a few are usually available for sale on eBay. Just remember what I said about buying from eBay, though.

Saving a game is done through the game, and managing the saved game files in both the Sega CD and the external RAM cart is done through the Sega CD’s memory manager available in the CD player control screen. Just be sure a Sega CD is loaded, though, as the memory manager will not be available unless a Sega CD is loaded.

“What if my Sega CD is broken?”

If it’s broken by way that it won’t turn on, and you are certain that the Sega CD is getting power and has a fault free connection with the Genesis, then chances are that the problem is either the power adapter, power adapter connector on either the adapter or on the Sega CD, or the Sega CD mainboard is severely damaged. Try a different adapter that you know is working. If it still doesn’t work, then you may want someone who knows how to work on this stuff take a look and cross your fingers that it’s not a mainboard failure. The mainboard is extremely reliable, but damage will be done if someone uses the wrong adapter with it.

If it’s broken by way that it won’t read discs properly, then make sure the disc you are using is in good shape. If it is, then make sure the Sega CD is getting adequate power. If it is, then the CD drive may need work. Something I don’t advise the weekend technician to repair.

If it’s broken by way that the motorised drawer won’t open or load the disc completely, then it’s time to replace the belt in the Sega CD. Something I don’t advise the weekend handyman to tackle.

In any case, if the Sega CD itself requires repair, then refer servicing to qualified personnel or buy a replacement Sega CD.

However, if you want your Sega CD fixed, then I may be of service just so long as the damage is not too extensive. One of my hobbies is rebuilding game consoles, as well as repairing various electronic items, including CD players. Contact me at: LASERNUT32@

Well, that’s it. Happy gaming, and enjoy the Sega CD, particularly “Snatcher” and the Working Designs RPGs, if you can get them if you don’t already have them.

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