Questions About Sega 32X Video and Audio

I am very inexperienced with the 32X. I don't remember having ever used one. I wasn't going to bother with one until I found out that I have the crappy video encoder in my model 2, and I hear that the 32X has a very video encoder. Is the video encoder in the 32X better or equivalent to the quality I would get if it swapped out the video encoder in my model 2 for a better one?

I was also curious if the 32X uses the audio from the genesis, or if it has its own. Will I still get the nice clarity from the crystal clear audio mod while using a 32X, or will it be bypassed and use audio from the 32X itself?

If the audio would remain at great quality, and only the video be improved, I may consider trying to do a mod of fitting the 32X inside the Model 2 shell (because I hate how the 32X looks like a tumor on the genesis).

Alley_Cat_Jack wrote:

I am very inexperienced with the 32X. I don't remember having ever used one. I wasn't going to bother with one until I found out that I have the crappy video encoder in my model 2, and I hear that the 32X has a very video encoder. Is the video encoder in the 32X better or equivalent to the quality I would get if it swapped out the video encoder in my model 2 for a better one?

I was also curious if the 32X uses the audio from the genesis, or if it has its own. Will I still get the nice clarity from the crystal clear audio mod while using a 32X, or will it be bypassed and use audio from the 32X itself?

If the audio would remain at great quality, and only the video be improved, I may consider trying to do a mod of fitting the 32X inside the Model 2 shell (because I hate how the 32X looks like a tumor on the genesis).

32x you can just get audio from the console 32x doesn't change audio at all. The ccam mixes 32x audio in. The 32x does clean up the video for s-video or composite. I wouldn't recommend building a neptune I think the mod is silly.

What's wrong with making a Neptune? O.o

Alley_Cat_Jack wrote:

What's wrong with making a Neptune? O.o

If something breaks then 2 systems are gone instead of 1.  Also if you do an upgrade to the 32x it's nice to have the ability to plug it into any genesis you want.

Alley_Cat_Jack wrote:

What's wrong with making a Neptune? O.o

I like the idea, but the deal breaker for me was that the 32x causes the Genesis to lose Master System compatibility.

Couldnt you have power base converter and 32x in parallel ( I.E two cart slots? )

MaxWar wrote:

Couldnt you have power base converter and 32x in parallel ( I.E two cart slots? )

I never thought of that. But in all honesty, I would prefer to have a Master System over a Power Base anyway. Plus Master System is a lot more common, in my area at least.

I kind of like the idea of dedicated consoles too but according to Tiido, SMS over genesis overclocks better than pure SMS.
( I have to try this eventually )

Is there a reason for overclocking a sms?

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but it was my understanding that the limitation was not a physical one... can you use an Everdrive MD or Mega Everdrive to play SMS games with a 32x attached? I don't own one.

Drakon wrote:

Is there a reason for overclocking a sms?

Its the same reason why some would Overclock a genesis, remove slowdowns in some games. Many of them being scrolling shooters.
Examples like R-Type and PowerStrike/Aleste.  While powerstrike takes Overclocking pretty well, R-type tends to develop graphical/sound glitches during gameplay.
According to Tiido this could be alleviated by playing it on a genesis with overclocked Z80 instead of on a SMS.
You can use a 4mhz crystal oscillator on a SMS and get reduced slowdown and only minor glitching but to completely remove slowdowns  you need to go a bit higher.
While people in Pal region can use the Pal clock, I could not find anything in between 4 and 4,9 around my parts, and 4,9 is a bit overkill.

I bought a small variable oscillator since and wanted to try it in the SMS bu haven't gotten to do it yet.
http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthread.php?25315-Sega-Master-System-Overclocking

Grambo wrote:

Maybe I'm wrong about this, but it was my understanding that the limitation was not a physical one... can you use an Everdrive MD or Mega Everdrive to play SMS games with a 32x attached? I don't own one.

Nope, doesn't work.  Hence me building this:

https://16bitgamer.canadian-forum.com/t281-sega-master-system-modded

Also it's a royal pain installing master system fm into a genesis.  Master system games without fm is a sin.