The video out chip on the Sega Genesis supports S-Video, but Sega never officially had it wired it to output S-Video. And so, unfortunately the only way to get S-Video is by modding the console. This is a much easier mod however, than say modding for RGB output. Those HD Component cables you can buy just convert the Genesis's composite video into component video, they don't really acquire RGB directly from the console itself. Now, despite all these efforts to surpass the flaws of composite video, some believe the Genesis looks best (on a tube television, anyway) through composite video. The developers were designing their games to be viewed through composite after all, RF modulation being a form of composite video. And indeed some color blending and translucency effects requiring composite video (and an analog TV) to work do exist within some Genesis games. The color stream in the NTSC composite video on the Genesis is very weak. In fact, some televisions have a hard time locking onto the signal for this reason. This blurry color is believed by some to be made poor on purpose by Sega to enable those intermediate color blending and translucency effects. Much like what model Genesis sounds the best, so is the best way for viewing the Genesis greatly debated.
I agree - it oftentimes seems to be forgotten that developers weren't using HDTVs when creating these consoles & games. As we move further into HDTVs today many are dropping the composite input standard so RF or component cables may be required, even though not all HDTVs will support 240p. In general, I try to avoid gatekeeping to push a certain output over another but I do like to highlight options available. In this video, despite a momentary focus on video, the major push here was to show that by using composite video we can utilize the stereo sound output of the console instead of the mono offered by RF or the composite cable alone 👍 Thanks for watching and for your excellent breakdown 😊🙌
I don't mean to "Erm actually 🤓" you, but the Genesis does have native RGB, and that is what the HD Retrovision component cables tap into. Also, only some Genesises (ones with the CXA1645 video encoder) have a chip with near-native support for s-video. Most do not (like the CXA1145 video encoder, which is on all model 1s and some model 2s), and usually require more than just a resistor. Some video encoders (like the KA2915) cannot be s-video modded at all.
Svenny, thank you SO much for making this detailed video! I still remember how happy I was as a little kid, when my dad brought home a Genesis, with the OG Sonic of course. I sadly let it go, as I got a Playstation years later. I now, am looking to buy a Model 1 to relive my childhood. I love that you showed how to connect everything, and did side by side comparisons of the different audio and video qualities. Thanks again. 💕
You're very welcome! Thank you for sharing your memories too 😊 That nostalgia is why I do these little videos as I have a fondness for these systems from my childhood too. Sonic on the Genesis is simply amazing and I hope you are able to enjoy some of your favourite memories soon. Thanks for watching! 🙌
Thank you so much for this video!! On a related note, I own an original Sega Model 2 and also one of those cheap AtGames Sega Plug and Play clones. Although visually they look about identical they really couldn’t replicate the sound chip well at all. Just due to the off pitch sound, I ended up just sticking with the actual hardware.
I have a composite output AtGames Sega Genesis and it definitely isn't anything special, though my friend has the HDMI version with the 2.4 gHz controllers and thought that was done well (even if the audio isn't great). I was fortunate to find this early Model 1 for sure 😊
Aside from adding extra dimensionality to the music by the way instruments are distributed, the most noticeable difference in using stereo audio for Sonic is that the game is programmed to alternate the sound effect for every ring you pick up to left, right, left, right, left, right... As a casual viewer watching this on youtube, unless you use stereo microphones placed centrally in front of your TV there will be practically no percieveable difference in what we're hearing because you're just capturing mono audio either way.
Very cool! I dig what you're saying and yes, it'd be more noticeable with dual mics to pick up. Maybe I'll circle back to it in the future. Thanks for watching 🎮
The rf output is very clean! I ordered a scart cable from Ali express because my rf cable was old and lost contact some times and, tbh, image quality increased just a bit but sound was way better!
I see you have the tell tale “High Definition Graphics” message, that’s the true OG Sega. I have version 2 of the Model 1 and it looks Close but not quite. Visuals are the same but they said the audio degradation was supposed to be more noticeable
That's the claim. I have a few Model 1s but this boxed one really stood out with that extra port on the back too. Sounds great! But I'm not enough of an audiophile to make a video differentiation
Well it worked for me just now!!!! I had wanted the older television that's a Toshiba and I had did what you said would not work and use that cable thingy on the back of the Sega Genesis model the RF channel box.. picture qualities coming through pretty good!! It's pretty good to me there's no snow everything is coming out clear!! I would love to thank you for sharing that information with me.. I plugged mine in wrong the first time because I plugged the Coaxal Cable in to the TV set and plug the other part of the coaxal cable the picture would come out very very very snowy it would barely come through. We're supposed to take the RF box that Sega came with and you still shorter in to put in the TV the other parts going into the Sega game.. now the newer TVs you would have to have a adapter for the picture to come through. The other one Joe the older versions you wouldn't need a special adapter because Sega provides it.
Tell me about it!!!! Last time did I had a Sega Genesis I believe was late 1996 to early 1997.. awesome sauce!! I ordered mine from eBay recently and mine is yellow and blue... I was told that those are very rare the yellow and blue ones.
I have Amazon links in the description, you'll want to specify model 2 (also works with model 3): Tomee AV Cable for Sega Genesis Models 2 and 3: amzn.to/3FRnYY3
Hi would you say leads such as kaico HDMI make any difference or are they just a way of connecting to a modern TV when people don't have composite connections on TV?
I'm not sure about Kaico specifically but many HDMI adapters simply allow the analog signal to connect via HDMI; they don't upscale to your TV's designated output etc. This may cause some display issues but in general most are okay. Long & short if you want to simply display on an HDTV you're good with an HDMI cable, if you want the classic look on an HDTV you'll be looking at a RetroTINK and mClassic
The games to play on SG are those that have a lot of character and action audio to see if those games got any better. Before it was nightmarish: try SOR series, SF series, MK series, etc. It beat the SNES in a lot of graphic and speed potential, but the SNES was close enough and SG aforementioned audio was so last gen that I'd rather play an SNES over that...
MK specifically had such a guttural sound, especially the title theme song on Genesis. Plus if you're playing with a stock 3-button pad for fighting games it definitely hurts compared to the SNES layout (though the 6-button SG controller is arguably better for fighters)
@@SvennyMcG SG's music was in the same ballpark or maybe even equal with the SNES, but the character and action audio sounded like an older system. They cut on that in SG's development: maybe they figured that kidds wouldn't notice and maybe that was the only group that they had bargained for and/or maybe they capitalized on the time(slide a console out without all of the kinks being worked out so long as the flaws were not critical enough*). They surely did not account for that and many games it can be heard throughout the game. *I was a pre-teen in those days and--if I didn't own an SNES prior and played it constantly--you could have gotten me. But, since I had, I wasn't fooled(I knew the SNES was better). However, if I had owned a SG first, then the only reference point that I would have is the NES. And, SG definitely beats that as far as potential...
Hello! To get both outputs I just utilized both the RF out as well as the composite output on the Sega Genesis console - all I then had to do was flip between the AV input and Channel 3 😊 Here's a video where I did something similar with the NES but connected to two separate CRTs at the same time 📺📺
On my model 2 i don’t know if it comes from the model as such i have noticed for a long time that there is a kind of grainy effect on the image around the sprites and the stage as such in my opinion it should be the same thing on the model 1 what is sure is that the one with the high definition graphics that you have in term of sound quality largely surpasses on this aspect of the fact that i would have liked to find one for a affordable price with the stereo yes i am disgusted with the 2nd model haha but since i come from quebec often the majority of consoles on ebay may not go through custom unfortunalely for stupid reasons whatever happens from time of time but i don’t take any chances but yes the grainy effect i think it’s a problem with the genesis as such because they are known have a poor quality signal compared to the snes.
Hi neighbour (I'm in Ontario)! Which cables are you using on your Sega Genesis Model 2, RF or composite? If you are using composite cables, have you tried others in case it's the cable quality? I'm wondering if that grainy artifacting may be from a poor connection somewhere
The cable will work for Model 1 systems - I'm not aware of any version mof the Model 1 without the AV out. The Model 2 and Model 3 have a different pin out on the back which will support AV but use a different cable
@@SvennyMcGjust out of curiosity since I'm new to this, I just recently bought a Coax only CRT, if I buy the rf converter thing is the picture going to be decent still or should I just look for a CRT with composite support?
@@ColtonBCaseyLook for one with component and S- video, and Av out too... If you are going to keep one around this would make it most worth it. No Hdcrtv's though.
I found an RF modulator box at a thrift store for less than $10 I believe and the quality isn't too bad. I plan on featuring it in an upcoming video for a project, stay tuned 🎮
I can hardly see and hear the difference in your video. Those av cables were expensive back then. I did use my Genesis thru RF and had no complaints. Then I made my own stereo AV cable using radio shack parts . on a Sony tv, you could see the difference !
I was more of an audiophile abd sin e day one , had my Genesis hooked up to my stereo amp thru it's headphone jack while using RF. Like I said, after creating my own av cable , did see a slightly difference. The game I enjoyed the most going thru my amp was super hang on ! Great music and nice motorcycle sound effects!
