Fact checking wiki: which system has most sanctioned variations?

[romanoaj]

Saw this stated in the Sega Genesis entry on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Genesis

"The Mega Drive has received more officially licensed variations than any other console. Each region has its own peculiarities and unique items, while other variations were exercises in reducing costs"

I've always said the PC-Engine has the most variations.  I count 11 officially sanctioned variations of the PC-Engine (including the Sharp Twin X1 ... and 12 if you count the SuperGrafx).

Which is correct: me or the wiki entry?

[SamIAm]

If it's variations of the system, it's probably PCE with the most, but if it's variations of companies making the system, it's probably the Mega Drive.

[spenoza]

I suspect Wikipedia is also talking about hardware revisions, not just different external models. Sega was constantly revising and cheapening the hardware in the Genesis. I'm sure the Genesis has had more actual revisions.

[vestcoat]

Today I discovered that while the Genesis 2 model #1631A may work with my sawed-off Power Base Converter, the plain old Genesis 2 model #1631 does not.

[Black Tiger]

No matter which way you look at it, the Genesis/Mega Drive has more, but the PC Engine is probably second.

[Tatsujin]

But the pce has the way way waaay cooler ones. A very fact too.

[SignOfZeta]

I guess it depends on what you consider a variation. The DC has a SHITLOAD of alternate versions, but they are almost all color variations. The electronics saw very few changes (maybe two versions?).

The Megadrive has seen comparatively few outwardly visible variations, the PCE would have the most...but PCEs rarely (ever?) change internally since they use make a new unit instead of revising the old one.

Obviously the PC-FX would be (tied with other systems, I'm sure) the system with the fewest variations, mostly because they (probably) never sold out of the original shipment and therefore never got a chance to revise it.

[Tatsujin]

But the FX had at least two hardware versions.
The regular and the pc-card version.

[SamIAm]

Obviously the PC-FX would be (tied with other systems, I'm sure) the system with the fewest variations, mostly because they (probably) never sold out of the original shipment and therefore never got a chance to revise it.

I think the author of Mednafen was saying something like there were two versions of the PC-FX BIOS just among ordinary systems, so they probably went through at least two shipments.

It's gotta be one of the lowest nevertheless, though.

[Tatsujin]

[Black Tiger]

I guess it depends on what you consider a variation. The DC has a SHITLOAD of alternate versions, but they are almost all color variations. The electronics saw very few changes (maybe two versions?).

The Megadrive has seen comparatively few outwardly visible variations, the PCE would have the most...but PCEs rarely (ever?) change internally since they use make a new unit instead of revising the old one.

Obviously the PC-FX would be (tied with other systems, I'm sure) the system with the fewest variations, mostly because they (probably) never sold out of the original shipment and therefore never got a chance to revise it.

I've seen this discussion on a couple other forums in the past and in the end, the Mega Drive is close to PCE with official Asian/North American/European physically unique models, but wins worldwide because of Brazil alone.

The Mega Drive/Genesis has at least:

Model 1
Model 2
Model 3
Mega Jet
CDX/Multi Mega
Wondermega
Wondermega 2/X-Eye
Nomad


The PCE has at least:

White PCE
CoreGrafx 1/2
Shuttle
PCE GT/Express
PCE LT
PCE Duo
PCE Duo R/RX
TG-16
Vistar


Both have LaserActive modules and computer hybrids. You could count the SuperGrafx, but maybe the 32X as well. The PC-FX has a SuperGrafx inside of it, kinda like what the Sega Neptune would have been. Tec Toy put out some unique physical variations that I believe still used real hardware before the switch to emulation. If hardware on a chip models are counted, then the Mega Drive/Genesis has all the more official variants.

There are PCE hardware revisions, similar to Mega Drive revisions. The CoreGrafx and SuperGrafx have a bug removed and stronger/louder WSG/PSG sound. If as much study was done to PCE hardware as the Genesis receives, we might find out about more variants.

[SamIAm]

(PCFX and PCFXGA)

I didn't express that well. There was apparently one BIOS revision on the main console, NOT including the PCFXGA boards (of which the DOS and PC98 versions are probably each unique as well).

[romanoaj]

But the pce has the way way waaay cooler ones. A very fact too.

Fact

I've seen this discussion on a couple other forums in the past and in the end, the Mega Drive is close to PCE with official Asian/North American/European physically unique models, but wins worldwide because of Brazil alone.

Ah.  All those TecToy oddities I'll likely never own.  

The Megadrive has seen comparatively few outwardly visible variations, the PCE would have the most...

Well put.  

So, in my revised view, the PC-Engine has more visibly obvious variants than any other console.  

[BlueBMW]

I know working on capacitors in PC-FX consoles, I have see two distintly different capacitor arrangements.  The locations are the same, but the ratings were quite different.  One used a lot of 10v and 16v caps, the other used a lot of 35V caps and even some 50v.

[Joe Redifer]

But the pce has the way way waaay cooler ones. A very fact too.

Oh hell yeah!  That Shuttle is TO DIE FOR!  Best console design EVAR!  Even better looking that the Master System 2, if that's even possible.    But yeah, most of the PC Engine stuff  looks pretty damn cool.

But are we counting variations in the same model?  There are different versions of the Genesis model 1 and different versions of the Genesis model 2, all with their own innards and different visual/audio qualities.  Also, are we counting the handheld stuff with the built-in games or retcons?

I would count the SuperGrafx for sure and all Duos.  I would NOT count the 32X.  I would count the PC equivalents like the Giga/Terra Drive or whatever they were called as well as the LaserActive modules.  I wouldn't count the PC-FX as it cannot play PC Engine games.

Today I discovered that while the Genesis 2 model #1631A may work with my sawed-off Power Base Converter, the plain old Genesis 2 model #1631 does not.

I have a 1631 that works with the Power Base Converter just fine.  I don't hack mine to pieces, though, I either disassemble it or use the Everdrive to run Master System games if I need to on that particular unit.