Let's Repair eBay Junk - SEGA Genesis Console Repairs - Introduction Part 1 

Console 1 is a VA6.5, which is the good one that doesn’t have HDG printed on top. You can tell without opening because it has TMSS with the old power jack location. An early VA6 still has HDG printed on top and an EXT port. The bad one without HDG printing is VA7 which moves the power jack to the board… like all JP consoles. Unfortunately, that means it’s harder to distinguish with JP consoles. VA7 is basically a Genesis 2 inside a Genesis 1 shell and has the ASIC audio chip replacement. You got lucky though and both of your consoles without HDG printing are VA6.5. Unfortunately, console 1 may yet have a problem. Remember how it booted once but not after you power-cycled? I put a ton of work into a “tested” VA6.5 for someone else then discovered that only cold boots work. Some games will work reliably for hours until you cycle the power and get a black screen. From there it needs a cool-down period proportional to how warm it got before it will work again. I installed a 3BP v2 with Genesis 2-style 9P miniDIN and replaced capacitors for someone before discovering the issue it likely had all along. Very disappointed! I had to do it all over again and give him one of my personal consoles. The exact same thing happened to me with someone’s N64 when I HDMI modded it. Even with my work completely disconnected it would only cold boot. Guess I’m going to have to add a fully-warm power cycle to my testing procedure for any console before I start work. Console 2: I knew it was a VA2-VA5 non-TMSS when you booted a game and didn’t get the trademark security system screen but your dedicated video confirms it is VA3. The sound is actually better on your VA6 and 6.5 consoles but this one is still more-desirable as a so-called “non-TMSS” console. VA3 and VA4 supposedly have too much gain on the pre-amp. Console 3: VA6, which is the exact same board as VA5 but with a different IC4 that contains TMSS. It differs from VA6.5 because there is an EXT port and it has HDG printed on top but it will still have the exact same PCB. Console 4: Was hard to see the ports but it seems to be another VA6.5. Like console 1 it lacked the High Definition Graphics printing on top so you are lucky neither was a VA7! VA7 is the only “stinker” as far as Model 1 consoles go. Console 5: I thought you probably fried it on camera by adapting a reverse polarity MD1 PSU but your dedicated video shows otherwise. Good job! The VA1 has bad sound so that one could use a Triple Bypass V2 in it. Console 6: You can tell it’s VA3 because the left edge of the PCB is shorter and aligns with the left side of the cartridge slot. Even the shielding is shorter and visible through the bottom vents. Though it has the inferior sound chip like Model 1 VA7 and all Model 2s, VA3 has good supporting audio circuitry… unlike console 5 (VA1). I believe VA4 is pretty much the same but made by Majesco after NAFTA. Model 2s usually have good video so a VA3 or VA4 is an excellent choice if you don’t want to mod anything.

i love how the audio in the video is so low and then the ads blow my speakers.

Awesome video, I also bought a lot of 13 Mega Drives last week and found that they all worked with very minor tweaks, nothing needed replacing. Now refurbing and modding them up, it's interesting to see all of the differences between the models like the asian model which doesn't comes with RF shielding and the PCB boards are all different quality and colours.

thanks for the video ! I have a PAL mega drive 2 with damaged power led traces ...is there any other way to solder the power led ?

Hi thanks your video helped fix a original 1989 Sega genesis model 1 high definition graphics system and Sega Genesis model 2 i cleaned both of them I cleaned the motherboards and cartridge slot and they both work excellent

Subscribed These kind of videos are somehow therapeutic to me, watching these in the middle of the night relaxes me, keep them up.

Thanks so much!!! Used alcohol and a q-tip and it works perfectly! My kids are thrilled! (Me too)

Just bought one of these on eBay. This gonna help me if the thing is buried. Thanks.

Hooked Sega Genesis console (which worked at one time) up to CRT TV. Only get white/blue vertical wavy lines on screen. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi.. do you know what causes a genesis to freze when you bump the console?

Nice job saving those Sega genesis systems

hi i just picked up a mega drive mark 2 from ebay untested all seems working sept for the up not working on pad tryed 2 pads both doing the same thing so think it's the console do you know of anything i can try too fix this? thanks

My HDG VA6 Genesis runs fine with Genesis games, however when I try to get a 32X game to work, I just get a black screen. I also have tried my SegaCD2 and it won't power up with the Gen1. My VA3 and VA1 Gen2 models will run the SegaCD2 and 32X with no issues. I have cleaned every console connectors/ribbons, so cleaning is not an issue. I think there is something wrong inside the Gen1 console, but I don't know where to look. Maybe you can help me out?

Hey Global Garage, Still have any of these and if so are they for sale?

Great Videos, I've got a couple systems I'll be fixing in the near future (Genesis 2 and SNES), shows some good things to check and fix. If you don't mind me asking, how much did you score 6 broken Genesis shipped from North America for?

Global Garage: *pokes Sonic cartridge on No. 6 No. 6: *D E M O N I C N O I S E S*

My Sega Genesis (model 2) I think has a faulty cartridge slot because when I move it when it plays a game it freezes

My genesis 2 turns on but no image comes on my tv, I just recently kinda pulled a cartridge out kinda hard since it was stuck.

Can u do a PAL SNES troubleshoot video? So my issue is after bringing out the snes in quite a looong time i manage to get it to work but about 90% of the time. It's like it takes 10 mins to 'warm-up' then plays every game perfectly. Almost need to do 1x reset after every cart insert and inadvertently bumping the cart crashes the game. Carts get very loose too im sure its lost some rigidity over time with the snes pin connectors and u touch upon this in another video trying to push them out with a pointed blade to get better connection to the cart edge connectors. Any other advice helps!

wait so the old genises can play other regoins wat about the model 2

G'day, i actually learnt allot from watching this repair series, thanks. There is one issue I've come across which i cant find any info on anywhere. The audio output on of my mega drives has no output at all. There's just a faint buzzing sound. I'm not sure if it could be the slider or bad caps. Is this something you have come across?

Hey. I remember you talking about the 7805 voltage regulator on the MD1 in one of your videos (I tried to find it but can't!), did you by any chance mention that there was a replacement voltage regulator that is newer and runs cooler etc?

My sega genesis (megadrive) gives me just a blank black screen when i turn it on, do u know it could possibly be? It has been in storage for 20 plus years and it used to work fine, any tip u can give me?

This video was quite interesting to watch. I've been trying to get my genesis 2 to work and it seems to work fine aside from the video not showing up on my tv. I've tried using different cartridges and unplugging then replugging all the cords in, but no luck. Do you have any suggestions on what to do next with it?

Hi there. I have a sega 1 model from back in the day .Finally got the cables and a game to test it out ' problem is the color is (red\pink) in my TV when i start the game I'm still able to play it , but gets in the way of enjoying the sage as intended. Its not my TV n its not the game its the system do u have any idea what it could be.? if u could write back that be great. thanks

My génesis model 1 has loose catridge slot

hi mate was wondering if you have any of these consoles left also i have a megadrive 2 im willing to give you as i have 2 others just really want a original one.Cheers im in qld to btw.

Did the person try to check them hell of a deal.

You really know what you're doing here. What advice would you give to someone just getting into console repair?

My Genesis (model 1) turns on but it does not show any image (blank) and the headphone jack has a weird loud static-like sound. Any ideas?

Does the megadrive 1 Have a negative center pin on the power supply and the megadrive 2 have a positive center pin, I'm a bit confused, thanks in advance

Awwwww yeah this was my favourite channel back in the day but I forgot what it was called. Searched for this title and I’m ready to watch some sweet repairs.

Bought an untested Model 2 with no cables for $12 from Mercari and I’m hoping it works when it comes in (fingers crossed)

Hope to see more video from you.

Cool video😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎

Cleaning all the dust off will make those Sega Genesis systems look more nicer

Megadrive 2 takes a different voltage

3:04 wait why does it say EMULATOR, is that a real Sega Genesis or a Retron5 or something?

I bet on the second console they plugged it in and didn't see a light, so they assumed it wasn't getting power. That would be my guess.

I have sega md 25 years ago and when i sell it in 1996 it was in mint condition. It's very rare to find in fine condition those consols when they sell them. They are filty, scratched. I never buy those. I have all those games 800+ in notebook. ;)

there's a glitch in the matrix.. a 80's game console crashes with error message talking about emulator.. the tail is waging the cow much?

Genesis model 2 just looks ugly and cheap...even brand new out of the box. I do like the look of the Genesis model 3, but nothing beats the CDX.