WTB Sega CD Model 1

[Desh]

Glad I found this post, I think I can help:
I own all of the Sega CD consoles, the best one for longevity is going to be the model 2.

Sega CDX - if you have the means, this is the sexiest way to play either Genesis or Sega CD games.  I always find it amazing at how much smaller it is than the other combo Sega CD options.  The laser inside is just okay at reading through scratches and errors, probably the weakest of the models, but it is such a nice system to own.  Technical:  I own one (from my thrift store days) never serviced and two others I rescued from the grave with new lasers and pot adjustments (and springs, etc.).  Not that easy to work on, but better than the model 1.  Replacement lasers are easy to find.  A few select games are incompatible, but my 'The Terminator' seemed fine on it.

Model 1 - I just rebuilt one and these are very complicated inside, all related to the CD drawer mechanisms. There are three limit kill switches inside, a belt that needs to be replaced, and generally a lot of failure points.  Technical:  I own two complete units, one never serviced (!) and one with parts from the best of two units.  The parts unit had leaky caps on the main logic board that had eaten through some surface mount traces.  Unless you have the technical urge and parts units, avoid.  A plus:  The lasers are of good quality and can read though scratches and errors above average.  My rebuilt unit still makes an odd noise, related to a dirty limit switch (I think) that is going to take a lot of complex disassembly to even start to diagnose.  It is getting much better with use....use it or lose it I guess.

Model 2 - the most reliable of the units.  I have several, two of them upgraded to boxed, all have never needed service.  The lasers inside are of average quality, about like the Sega CDX.  Average ability to read through errors and scratches.  You might get lucky:  one unit out of many had way above average error correction and was internally very different from the rest.  No one has done a comparison of the internal compoinents inside that I know about.

JVC X'Eye - I have one, and have seen others with weird problems.  The first one I dragged home had some odd graphic glitch in Genesis games, others have lid problems.  My unit has been fine.  Plays imports without modification (hello Super Fantasy Zone!).  JP music in the custom Sega CD bios.  Should come with a JVC branded 3 button controller, custom power supply, custom RF adapter.  Technical:  Loads games faster than any other Sega CD.  At its best, I would say almost a third faster!  Mine is still unserviced, so I suppose if you get a good one...

I hope this helps!  Collecting real Sega CD games has just about driven me mad.  These were never respected, so it was not uncommon for me to go through several expensive discs to find one good one that did not have pinholes of light.  The discs do not hold up to wear at all and should be kept in their cases when not played.  If a scratch or pinhole is in an FMV sequence, the game will often crash.  Pinholes are okay in music sequences, however.  Laser calibration is an issue, since these were all done with pots.  I can have a disc that locks up in a Sega CDX but plays fine in a model 2.  Given all of this, the Sega CD still ranks among my favorite consoles ever.  It was  true luxury good that I only experienced a few times prior to picking one up in 1997 in a local thrift store.  Get to know a shop owner with a good resurfacing machine, it is a must!  I also threw away all of the foam blocks that tend to come with more cared for copies of the games.  The foam has degraded over 20 years and had started to stick to the discs.  Since they are so fragile, better safe than sorry (no damage, thankfully).

Muchos good information here.  Thank you for sharing.  I grew up with a model 2 Genny but my cousin gave me his CDX in the late 90's some time.  I have never had an issue with the CDX and it has the newest Bios for the CD system.

[HailingTheThings]

JVC X' Eye is still best, not only does it buy you a drink first, It totally makes breakfast the morning after. For reals.

[Desh]

JVC X' Eye is still best, not only does it buy you a drink first, It totally makes breakfast the morning after. For reals.

You have no disagreement from me.  I definitely want one.  They are more rare and pricey than even a CDX though.

[esadajr]

@Ifkz thanks for the info, it's been one of the most educated posts I've seen in a while.

Maybe you know what could be the problem with one of my CDXes. The issue happens when the unit tries to switch to a different audio track.

Let's say I pop Batman Returns and start the music player. If I play tracks sequentially, it works fine. If I switch from track 2 to let's say track 8, it struggles then stops reading the disc. If I try to play the game, it lets me move through the menus (with no music) but it will eternally struggle to switch audio tracks when I start the game and the screen stays black. This happens with games heavy on CD audio tracks (most Sega CD games).

If I put in a game with no CD tracks, (like Sewer Shark) and play it for a while, then switch to a different game, sometimes the unit works fine. It's like it needs to get warm before the lens can move and switch tracks.

Thanks.

[ifkz]

One of my repaired units sort of did this same thing:  It would recognize the first few seconds of a song, maybe 15 seconds into it and then it would not read anything.  Sometimes it would not read say...track 3, if I skipped to track 4 and then immediately back to track 3 it would recognize it and play 15 seconds of audio before it went into search mode.

The fix for this was to decase it down to the three boards (Sega CD top, Genesis bottom, and the small power board) and then adjust the pots while it is "live."  As it was going through I marked and adjusted the tracking gain "T. Gain" pot.  My other fixed unit has developed a boot issue that I am sure needs the same treatment.

[xelement5x]

Sega CDX - if you have the means, this is the sexiest way to play either Genesis or Sega CD games.

LA begs to differ. 

Dang, I always forget about the LaserActive.  Curses!  No, I don't own every way to play a Sega CD after all!!   

If you want to go crazy there is the Aiwa Mega CD and the WonderMega as well. 

I'm also a huge fan of the system, though at this point I mainly just play on CDRs as well since if I scratched one of my originals I'd never be able to replace it at today's prices.  I would also second the Model 2 as the most reliable unit out there.

[HailingTheThings]

JVC X' Eye is still best, not only does it buy you a drink first, It totally makes breakfast the morning after. For reals.

You have no disagreement from me.  I definitely want one.  They are more rare and pricey than even a CDX though.

Got mine loose for $85 shipped off amazon over 2 years ago, I believe. The GeneMega Cart slot is iffy, probably dirty idk, 1st player controller port is weird sometimes, like it didn't wish me a happy birthday last year, can you believe that? And the 2nd controller port is icky with weird statue of liberty copper greening corosion or something and I don't even know what that means TeeBeeEhch. Eff. lol I should really get it up to top working order, but it does the jobbes fine...... For nowzers, I suppose, mwahahaha MewMewMew.

[Medic_wheat]

UPDATE

Ended up getting a CDX.


Still looking for a model one sega cd in working order


Got another model one genesis that needs a model one cd to look pimping

[Desh]

JVC X' Eye is still best, not only does it buy you a drink first, It totally makes breakfast the morning after. For reals.

You have no disagreement from me.  I definitely want one.  They are more rare and pricey than even a CDX though.

Got mine loose for $85 shipped off amazon over 2 years ago, I believe. The GeneMega Cart slot is iffy, probably dirty idk, 1st player controller port is weird sometimes, like it didn't wish me a happy birthday last year, can you believe that? And the 2nd controller port is icky with weird statue of liberty copper greening corosion or something and I don't even know what that means TeeBeeEhch. Eff. lol I should really get it up to top working order, but it does the jobbes fine...... For nowzers, I suppose, mwahahaha MewMewMew.

You lucky fur ball.

[toymachine78]

UPDATE

Ended up getting a CDX.


Still looking for a model one sega cd in working order


Got another model one genesis that needs a model one cd to look pimping

    Be patient and watch EBay. Last fall I bought a model 1 Genny with mod 1 CD unit, two controllers, and an arcade stick for $30 + $27 shipping. Great freakin deal.

I sold the CD unit though. I found the games to be very unappealing.

[Medic_wheat]

UPDATE

Ended up getting a CDX.


Still looking for a model one sega cd in working order


Got another model one genesis that needs a model one cd to look pimping

    Be patient and watch EBay. Last fall I bought a model 1 Genny with mod 1 CD unit, two controllers, and an arcade stick for $30 + $27 shipping. Great freakin deal.

I sold the CD unit though. I found the games to be very unappealing.

Can do.  Now that I can play my sega cd games at will

[ifkz]

Great deal!  What do you think about the CDX?  Any issues with it thus far?

OT:  One game with a really surprising soundtrack (and unknown compared to, say, Flashback) I found recently was Pitfall the Mayan Adventure.  Anyhow, have fun!

[VenomMacbeth]

I love my CDX.  Reads discs super quick & looks spiffy to boot. works great with the 32x, too...but doesn't look quite as spiffy.  I am curious about what kind of sound hardware it has, though.  I've yet to compare it to my models 1 or 2.

[xelement5x]

UPDATE

Ended up getting a CDX.


Still looking for a model one sega cd in working order


Got another model one genesis that needs a model one cd to look pimping

    Be patient and watch EBay. Last fall I bought a model 1 Genny with mod 1 CD unit, two controllers, and an arcade stick for $30 + $27 shipping. Great freakin deal.

I sold the CD unit though. I found the games to be very unappealing.

I think you must have been playing the wrong games, there are some awesome ones on the Sega CD.

[Medic_wheat]

41 Sega CD games that would make my library complete. N


Android Assualt
Dark Wizard    
Dungeon Explorer   
Earthworm Jim: Special Edition   
Fatal Fury Special   
Final Fight CD   
Flink   
Heart Of The Alien: Out of this World Parts I and II. 
Hook   
Keio Flying Squadron   
Lethal Enforcers   
Lethal Enforcers II: Gun Fighters
Lords of Thundar 
Lunar II: Eternal Blue   
Lunar: The Silver Star   
Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse
Mortal Kombat   
NBA Jam
Night Trap   
Novastorm   
Pitfall 
Popful Mail: Magical Fantasy Adventure
Prince of Persia    
Revenge of the Ninja   
Road Rash      
Robo Aleste   
Samurai Showdown 
The Secret of Monkey Island   
Shadow of the Beast II 
Shining Force CD 
Silpheed   
Snatcher   
Sol-Feace   
Sonic CD
Soul Star   
The Space Adventure   
Star Wars Chess    
Starblade
The Terminator      
Time Gal   
Vay   


Happy to say I am only missing 18 from my personal recommend list.  Mind you I can trim this down by two more seeing how I have both Neo Geo games listed in their MVS form.