Forums

Has anyone figured out how the Japanese SMS handles region detection? I was mulling over the schematics that Esrael posted last year and I'm trying to understand how it does region detection since the TH pins are actually connected to the 315-5297.

http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection

I've looked at that page and it's not all that clear when it comes to the Japanese SMS, it says it uses register $3F for region detection but then the page about port $3F says that functionality isn't present on the Japanese SMS? It's more confusing considering the Japanese SMS seems to have the TH signals present...

The reason why I ask about all this is I'd like to experiment with adding a region switch to my Japanese SMS.

The Japanese SMS doesn't allow you to use port 3F to output to the controllers. The region detection is checking if the functionality is present.

This is an example, in Blade Eagle 3D, it detects JAP or non JAP SMS, game stores in $C001,

IF $C001=$00 THEN SMS JAP, show Sega MARK III logo
IF $C001=$FF THEN SMS Non JAP, show no logo

;)

MS JAP-EXPORT Detection.png (15.77 KB)

That's similar to the detection code on the dev wiki.

Author	Message
ApolloBoy Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 314 Location: San Jose, CA	Region detection on JP SMS Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 1:29 am
	Has anyone figured out how the Japanese SMS handles region detection? I was mulling over the schematics that Esrael posted last year and I'm trying to understand how it does region detection since the TH pins are actually connected to the 315-5297.

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14744 Location: London	Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 4:42 am
	http://www.smspower.org/Development/RegionDetection

ApolloBoy Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 314 Location: San Jose, CA	Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 5:45 am
	I've looked at that page and it's not all that clear when it comes to the Japanese SMS, it says it uses register $3F for region detection but then the page about port $3F says that functionality isn't present on the Japanese SMS? It's more confusing considering the Japanese SMS seems to have the TH signals present... The reason why I ask about all this is I'd like to experiment with adding a region switch to my Japanese SMS.

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14744 Location: London	Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 5:57 am
	The Japanese SMS doesn't allow you to use port 3F to output to the controllers. The region detection is checking if the functionality is present.

BcnAbel76 Joined: 28 Feb 2016 Posts: 503 Location: Barcelona	Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 9:07 pm
	This is an example, in Blade Eagle 3D, it detects JAP or non JAP SMS, game stores in $C001, IF $C001=$00 THEN SMS JAP, show Sega MARK III logo IF $C001=$FF THEN SMS Non JAP, show no logo ;) MS JAP-EXPORT Detection.png (15.77 KB)

Maxim Site Admin Joined: 19 Oct 1999 Posts: 14744 Location: London	Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 11:10 am
	That's similar to the detection code on the dev wiki.

Forums

View topic - Region detection on JP SMS