Is my Megadrive True NTSC or not?

[Narenek]

Ok sounds like a stupid question somewhat but it’s not as easy as is it a PAL, US or JP model.

I bought it before the MD was officially released in the UK (as far as I remember) and unfortunately looking on Segaretro the box shows up on both the Japanese and Asian pages. Looking on the bottom it’s a HA-2510 sticker but the console ran at 50Hz when i got it (Same speed as my friends PAL machine. I ended up getting it multi region modded as soon as i heard about it.

My suspicion is it’s a full blown Japanese console that was imported and traces cut to make it 50Hz. I also suspect that it being modded back makes it true NTSC when in that mode rather than the ‘fake’ modded NTSC. I just want to ask if I’m correct in my assumptions.

The reason I ask is I’ve read of sync problems with the OSSC when running ‘fake’ NTSC, and when using my MD through the OSSC i get random alternating periods of a black screen and then perfectly normal.

I do run it with a PAL 32X in it normally but tried without and it does the same.

Edit: Just seen on Sega16.com it’s likely an All Asia NTSC model but the quest about it being modded back to true NTSC stands

[Damn-Deal-Done]

What frequency does OSSC report on the screen when in pal and ntsc modes? Could check my genuine NTSC-J and my genuine PAL. Which matches should be the real region. Pick a game that you can test and I will use the same game.

[Damn-Deal-Done]

Hello.

Genuine PAL Mega Drive 1601-05 is running at 49.69Hz
Genuine NTSC-J Mega Drive HAA-2510 is running at 59.91Hz

[Narenek]

Thanks for that, when i get a chance to check I’ll look at it. I’m pretty sure it’s true NTSC but this will confirm if it is or not 🙂

[Narenek]

Sorry to resurrect the old thread…. but i FINALLY got round to testing and figure it’s better to reply in this thread for context. I blame the split with my ex and putting the consoles away for a while after 🙂

Anyway I did the testing and the results might interest a few people. In the end the damn random black screen appears to be due to the scart switcher… as i’ve not had the problem when setting up the MD straight into the OSSC.

I have 4 of these Asian PAL MD’s, all Model 1 so the best looking version. 2 of them, including my original near launch buy, have HAA-2510 and 2 have 1601-11 on the bottom. The 1601 MD’s say PAL on the bottom as well, the second 2510 has an Ink stamp of PAL-1 on the box, which my original MD didn’t.

Thanks to the OSSC I could check the speeds these all ran at, and the conclusion is the 1601 are true PAL machines but the Asian 2510’s are really hobbled NTSC consoles… likely with the traces cut to make them this way.

The two 1601’s showed a frequency of 49.69 Hz on the OSSC, the un-modded 2510 showed a frequency of 50.15 as did the modded one in PAL mode.
When switched the modded ‘PAL’ console runs at 59.91 Hz, so it’s a true NTSC console when modded. If I stick in a 32x it still runs at 50.15 and 59.91 even though the 32X is a true PAL model. I think even the PAL Mega-CD shows as playing at 50.15 with the 2510 MD’s, though I didn’t write that result down so it’s from memory.

So if you want to mod get one of these Asian ‘PAL’ model 1’s with the HAA-2510 on the bottom. They will mod to true NTSC speeds, looks better than any other MD version and are generally cheaper than buying a ‘true’ NTSC-J machine

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