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Happy new year all!
Let's start 2005 with some nifty unique pieces of Sega Master System history. I recently dumped two new BIOS and they are now available here.

First, we have a Sega Master System Prototype M404 BIOS Image, extracted from a prototype system. M404 is the marking on the EPROM chip holding the BIOS and may stand for Mark 4 version 4, Mark 4 being the codename for the Sega Master System. This BIOS shows a yet unseen booting sequence animation that is way different from the known one. Needless to say, this is unique.

Second, we have a Sega Master System Store Display Unit BIOS Image, extracted from two of those elusive big units that were used to demonstrate the console in US shops. Those units allows to plug up to 19 or 32 games (depending on the model), switchable via a front panel. If you happen to have one of those unit (lucky you), this can serve as a backup in case the BIOS EPROM gets damaged with time. Otherwise, I'm afraid this BIOS has not much interest for most of you: it is meant to run on this dedicated hardware which is not emulated. Emulating this display unit, allowing to switch games, etc., is very possible and may be done someday but it is not of enormous interest.

Don't forget to visit our new forums, full of super people and super knowledge. Did I mention that some genius people on our development forum finally figured out how to build circuitry to extract a proper Game Gear video signal and plug it on a TV?

Author	Message
Bock Site Admin Joined: 08 Jul 2001 Posts: 8652 Location: Paris, France	Sega Master System Prototype & Store Display Unit BIOS Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2005 2:05 pm
	Happy new year all! Let's start 2005 with some nifty unique pieces of Sega Master System history. I recently dumped two new BIOS and they are now available here. First, we have a Sega Master System Prototype M404 BIOS Image, extracted from a prototype system. M404 is the marking on the EPROM chip holding the BIOS and may stand for Mark 4 version 4, Mark 4 being the codename for the Sega Master System. This BIOS shows a yet unseen booting sequence animation that is way different from the known one. Needless to say, this is unique. Second, we have a Sega Master System Store Display Unit BIOS Image, extracted from two of those elusive big units that were used to demonstrate the console in US shops. Those units allows to plug up to 19 or 32 games (depending on the model), switchable via a front panel. If you happen to have one of those unit (lucky you), this can serve as a backup in case the BIOS EPROM gets damaged with time. Otherwise, I'm afraid this BIOS has not much interest for most of you: it is meant to run on this dedicated hardware which is not emulated. Emulating this display unit, allowing to switch games, etc., is very possible and may be done someday but it is not of enormous interest. Don't forget to visit our new forums, full of super people and super knowledge. Did I mention that some genius people on our development forum finally figured out how to build circuitry to extract a proper Game Gear video signal and plug it on a TV?

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