I’ve been looking at my Sega Genesis Model 1 sitting on it’s shelf and wondered how difficult it would be for me to upgrade the video output. I’d like to be able to play it on our LCD T.V., like all the other consoles I have in the media cabinet. So, I set out to learn how to make my own composite A/V cable.
I found some instructions on how to make an A/V cable, which plugs into the 8-pin DIN port on the back of the Genesis, on the Web. It didn’t look like it was all that difficult to make, but it did involve some soldering. I’m not very good at soldering, but I thought I’d give it a try anyway. Luckily, I had some 8-pin DIN plugs on hand, as they’re also used on the Commodore 64 and 128.
The task didn’t take too long to finish and, it turns out that I was able to solder the wires to the DIN plug without making too much of a mess. To my surprise, the cable worked the first time I tried it, plugged into the T.V.
I have to say that the picture is so much better, coming from the video plug, rather than the RF cable. There’s also no more background “humm” that I could hear when using the R.F. connection. It’s a fantastic feeling to have the Genesis connected to our LCD T.V. with the nicer picture and now better sound. I spent the next few hours revisiting the half dozen or so game cartridges I have for the console.
Here are my results!
Of all of the home video game consoles that have come and went, to me, the one that has the best looking design of them all is this model of the Sega Genesis. With the combination of angular edges surrounding the circular cartridge port, the Genesis looks more like a piece of high fidelity stereo equipment, rather than a gaming console.
The combination of the matte black finish of the chassis, along with the high gloss black accents, really seem to resonate with me. Maybe it’s from all of those years, during my teens, watching T.V. shows like Knight Rider, Street Hawk, and Airwolf. Speaking of Airwolf, if you watch the opening credits of the show, you may see some graphics that look very familiar to those found on the Genesis’ packaging. It just looks to me like the styling of the Genesis drew heavily from popular 80s T.V. shows, like the ones I mentioned.
I found it interesting that, once I looked into who designed the look of the Genesis, I found this (from Wikipedia):
“The appearance of the Mega Drive was designed by a team lead by Mitsushige Shiraiwa that drew inspiration from audiophile equipment and automobiles.”
I’d say that they were successful, as this is exactly how it appeared to me. It looked so nice, and seemed right at home, sitting next to my Pioneer Pro-Logic surround sound processor and Laserdisc player. It brought my home entertainment system up that extra notch, making my living room one of the more popular ones among my group of friends.
It was also a design that was supposed to help make the Genesis appear as a more mature gaming system, unlike the NES, which was geared more towards children. Again, from the Wikipedia page:
“Shiraiwa said this more mature look helped to target the Mega Drive to all ages, unlike the Famicom, which was aimed primarily at children.”
I think this approach was very successful (along with some very creative television commercials). I was in my 20s back then and my friends either did their gaming on a PC, Commodore systems (like the C64 and Amiga), or Sega Genesis. I think one co-worker of mine had a Turbo Grafix16. But no one in my “circle” were interested in the NES or later SNES, as they were considered more as children’s consoles. Sega’s marketing plan worked, as far as I was concerned.
My second favorite game console design is that of the Mattel Intellivision. However, being a child of the 70s, I’ve always had a soft spot for that fake wood finish! :D
[tag]genesis, gaming[/tag]