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  • Joined: 17 Dec 2005
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UK Master System Demo kiosk/ cabinet
Post Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2019 4:42 pm
This week I got hold of a Master System demo kiosk. It is one of 3 made in a partnership between Sega, Virgin and the manufacturer. These were intended to be used in Virgin Mega Stores but apparently never made it out of the factory. There were a few reasons including poor results from the Sega Control Stick and the imminent UK release of the Mega Drive. A fellow collector managed to secure a deal to buy all 3, one for him, one for me and one for another Sega collector who has a courier business so was able to look after transporting them. Mine arrived yesterday.

The unit is in the style of an arcade cabinet with screen, speaker, amplifier and Master System. There is a Control Stick fixed to the control panel and a perspex window showing the system. The Sega sign at the top also lights up. The electrical testing dates inside show July 1990.

I was able to get inside the unit after quite a bit of effort as no keys were supplied. It was very dirty/ dusty but I have begun cleaning and it is cleaning up nicely.

There was an extra surprise once I managed to get inside.. a Sega Demo Unit II - Model 3087 hidden behind the Master System. I’ve not attached a plug and tested anything yet, I’m waiting until I’ve cleaned it all up.

Here are some photos..

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UK Master System Demo kiosk/ cabinet
Post Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:31 am
Nice.
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Post Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 12:55 pm
cool! if you have an EverDrive, can you try the SMS Test Suite?

it can also identify (and eventually dump) the BIOS...
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  • Joined: 17 Jul 2005
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  • Location: Aylesbury, UK
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Post Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:04 pm
That's beautiful, thanks for sharing the photos! So did the unit come with a Master System AND a demo unit? Does the SMS work?
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Post Posted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 4:56 pm
That is a very nice looking unit.

Though "Earth tested" is some powerful UK English. :)
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Post Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 12:40 am
sverx wrote
cool! if you have an EverDrive, can you try the SMS Test Suite?

it can also identify (and eventually dump) the BIOS...


Yes I will try over the weekend
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Post Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 12:42 am
chewy wrote
That's beautiful, thanks for sharing the photos! So did the unit come with a Master System AND a demo unit? Does the SMS work?


Yes it came with both as shown in the photos. This demo unit (3087) requires a standard Master System to be connected to work, unlike the self contained US PD-W Unit (3011).
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Post Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 2:54 am
james costello wrote
chewy wrote
That's beautiful, thanks for sharing the photos! So did the unit come with a Master System AND a demo unit? Does the SMS work?


Yes it came with both as shown in the photos. This demo unit (3087) requires a standard Master System to be connected to work, unlike the self contained US PD-W Unit (3011).


I assume it plugs into the expansion port on the sms1?
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Post Posted: Fri Nov 15, 2019 11:43 am
wasup wrote
james costello wrote
chewy wrote
That's beautiful, thanks for sharing the photos! So did the unit come with a Master System AND a demo unit? Does the SMS work?


Yes it came with both as shown in the photos. This demo unit (3087) requires a standard Master System to be connected to work, unlike the self contained US PD-W Unit (3011).


I assume it plugs into the expansion port on the sms1?


Yes thats right. I’m going to test it out tomorrow :)
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Post Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 7:14 pm
I’ve tested the Master System and Demo Unit II and all working fine. Not tested the actual cabinet yet as in the screen, amp and speaker. I just need a fit a plug and then I can.

I replaced the broken Control Stick too..

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Post Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:56 pm
It’s up and running now. I really like the light up Sega sign. I need to play around with the display and sound settings a bit more.

I’ve gone with having an Everdrive instead of the Demo Unit II so the cabinet is actually useable rather than just a display. Also hooked up a wireless 8bitdo controller which works great.

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Post Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 7:02 am
this is so cool, saw it on your instagram!
what are the dimensions of it? looks like pretty standard demo cab size?
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Post Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 11:23 am
What a beautiful system
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Post Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:25 pm
harlemshk wrote
this is so cool, saw it on your instagram!
what are the dimensions of it? looks like pretty standard demo cab size?


It’s 180cm tall, 56cm wide and 68cm deep at the deepest point.. thats where the controller area is but there is also a covered section on the back that protrudes a few cm where the back of the monitor is.
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Post Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 10:31 pm
Here are some photos of the Model 3087 - Demo Unit II that came inside the kiosk/ cabinet. Along with the Master System, which is a standard one, albeit brand new.

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Post Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 12:58 pm
Amazing, really lovely unit. Thanks for the info James.
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Post Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 12:11 am
You can briefly see the same cabinets at Virgin Mastertronic's Sega stand at the 1989 PCW Show, which was the main European trade show at the time. So it seems more likely that these were intended for trade shows rather than stores (the low number made would support that too).

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Post Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:34 am
BKK wrote
You can briefly see the same cabinets at Virgin Mastertronic's Sega stand at the 1989 PCW Show, which was the main European trade show at the time. So it seems more likely that these were intended for trade shows rather than stores (the low number made would support that too).


Amazing! Thanks for sharing this. It’s really good to know that these were actually used for something and not just stuck at the factory!
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Post Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:18 pm
Oh look! These did actually end up in stores. The PCW Show ran from 89.09.27-29. This Scottish newspaper article from 89.12.19 shows a cabinet in Glasgow's Virgin Games Centre. It looks a bit strange at first as they're holding another SMS in front of it for the promotional photo, but when you take that into account it looks like the same style of cabinet.

So maybe after the PCW Show they sent these out to flagship Virgin Stores? Or maybe they made more for many stores but only three survived. For what it's worth I got my SMS for Christmas 1989 and very quickly became a bit of a fanatic, I regularly went to the Virgin Games Centre in Bristol from early 1990 onwards and don't remember ever seeing one of these (I do remember that they used to have boxes for all three SMS configurations displayed high up on the wall above the counter ... SMS, SMS+, & Sega Super System), so I suspect it's the former.

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Post Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 5:59 pm
Brilliant, thanks for the info! I did a short video on mine recently so perhaps it now needs a little update!

The guy who sold us these was quite confident that only 3 were ever made.

He still had the 3 original Master System boxes too which he sent along with the cabinets to us. Unfortunately not the sega demo unit boxes.
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Post Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:08 pm
Last edited by BKK on Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:14 pm; edited 1 time in total
Cool, do you have a link to the video? Would love to see it.

Edit:

james costello wrote
The guy who sold us these was quite confident that only 3 were ever made.


As they came from the manufacturer then it's reasonable to assume that they knew how many they made from documentation and that these were only sent to select stores after being used for shows. I guess it's possible that they rotated them through other stores afterwards, but like I said, I never saw one in mine, so probably just used in flagship stores (surely Virgin Megastore in London too).
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Post Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:13 pm
BKK wrote
Cool, do you have a link to the video? Would love to see it.


Sorry I had meant to post it in that message but forgot! It’s just a quick instagram ‘reel’ -

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cgxu7D2o4bV/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
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Post Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 6:28 pm
A longer Youtube style video would be nice if you ever find the time to make one, but I guess it's a small niche that finds these kind of things interesting.
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Post Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:10 pm
BKK wrote
A longer Youtube style video would be nice if you ever find the time to make one, but I guess it's a small niche that finds these kind of things interesting.


I agree on both points! :) in all honesty I have so little spare time that its all I’m worth to do a few instagram posts per week. Demanding day job and 2 young kids.

Having said that if you have any questions about it or want any more specific info/ photos then I’m happy to do that.
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Post Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2022 9:02 pm
james costello wrote
BKK wrote
A longer Youtube style video would be nice if you ever find the time to make one, but I guess it's a small niche that finds these kind of things interesting.


I agree on both points! :) in all honesty I have so little spare time that its all I’m worth to do a few instagram posts per week. Demanding day job and 2 young kids.

Having said that if you have any questions about it or want any more specific info/ photos then I’m happy to do that.


I completely understand! It's cool just sharing your finds anyway. I think my only question would be the serial number of the SMS, but I'm sure it's just a standard one (especially as you said the original retail boxes existed), so don't go out of your way to find it if it's too much effort.
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