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HI! first time writng here. I'm been in the shadows for years following the awesome work that's done by this community and, finally, I decided to join the forums to share my love for the SMS.

Having said that, maybe someone can clear up some doubts I have about modding a SMS. I've searched the forums and internet in general, but with little or no luck.

- Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II?
- What's the best option for an audio/video output mod for the same model?. Right now, if I want to record or stream some SMS gameplay I have to use an everdrive in a MegaDrive model 1.
- Any good software for composing music combining FM+PSG?.

Thank you!.

Welcome.

Quote

- Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II?

I believe there’s a version of Viletim's FM board that’s compatible with the SMS II. It’s called "solder version", if I recall correctly.

Quote

- Any good software for composing music combining FM+PSG?

Composing is not the problem here. You can use either Deflemask or Furnace for that. The problem is that there’s no way to play the resulting song data on real hardware, as a replayer doesn’t exist.

If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.)

Chewrafa wrote

Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II?

Viletim's FM board works with the SMS II but it normally requires a bunch of wires in order to connect it. However, Consoles Unleashed sells a cheap adapter board that lets you connect the FM board like on a model 1: https://www.consolesunleashed.com/product/sega-master-system-model-2-fm-sound-module-adapter/

Chewrafa wrote

What's the best option for an audio/video output mod for the same model?

Pretty much every SMS II can be modded for RGB, S-video or composite output. Probably the easiest way to get RGB is to remove the RF modulator, solder a 9-pin mini-DIN connector (same as used in the Mega Drive II) upside down in its place, and then wire it up using the same pinout as the Mega Drive II. RGB requires just three wires and then composite only needs one (plus two more for audio).

Quote

If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.)

Yep that's exactly what I did, although I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone and trying to use this method to use both chips in different ways would be very difficult and time consuming, as it takes a little while to actually be able to test the 2 at the same time.

Louis The SEGA Nerd wrote

I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone

IMO, that’s the only way to do it, really, as you never know the setup your game is going to be played on and you certainly don’t want your user to end up with half a soundtrack.

Kagesan wrote

Louis The SEGA Nerd wrote

I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone

IMO, that’s the only way to do it, really, as you never know the setup your game is going to be played on and you certainly don’t want your user to end up with half a soundtrack.

True, but if you went absolutely all out you could possibly even have 3 soundtracks. One for FM, one for PSG, and one for both FM + PSG but done from the ground up for that specific configuration. Of course, this would use up a lot more memory and is probably more effort than it's worth, but still theoretically possible I guess :)

Kagesan wrote

Welcome.

Thank you!

Kagesan wrote

Quote

- Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II?

I believe there’s a version of Viletim's FM board that’s compatible with the SMS II. It’s called "solder version", if I recall correctly.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Kagesan wrote

Quote

- Any good software for composing music combining FM+PSG?

Composing is not the problem here. You can use either Deflemask or Furnace for that. The problem is that there’s no way to play the resulting song data on real hardware, as a replayer doesn’t exist.

If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.)

I only want to try and compose something. I've been using OpenMPT (and ModPlug Tracker previously) for a long time but I couldn't find anything to emulate SMS FM (I think I have some VST for the PSG). Just want to make something like "what it could have been".

ApolloBoy wrote

Chewrafa wrote

Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II?

Viletim's FM board works with the SMS II but it normally requires a bunch of wires in order to connect it. However, Consoles Unleashed sells a cheap adapter board that lets you connect the FM board like on a model

Chewrafa wrote

What's the best option for an audio/video output mod for the same model?

Pretty much every SMS II can be modded for RGB, S-video or composite output. Probably the easiest way to get RGB is to remove the RF modulator, solder a 9-pin mini-DIN connector (same as used in the Mega Drive II) upside down in its place, and then wire it up using the same pinout as the Mega Drive II. RGB requires just three wires and then composite only needs one (plus two more for audio).

Thank you for the link and the output reference. Since I have two model II SMS I want to try and modify one of them, but I have no idea what to put in so your info is appreciated.

Louis The SEGA Nerd wrote

Quote

If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.)

Yep that's exactly what I did, although I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone and trying to use this method to use both chips in different ways would be very difficult and time consuming, as it takes a little while to actually be able to test the 2 at the same time.

Hi Louis, I've been following you for a time, your music videos are delicious, specially the FM+PSG mashups!.

Chewrafa wrote

Hi Louis, I've been following you for a time, your music videos are delicious, specially the FM+PSG mashups!.

:D

Author	Message
Chewrafa Joined: 28 Sep 2023 Posts: 9 Location: Castelló, Spain	HI! and some doubts about SMS mods Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 12:57 pm
	HI! first time writng here. I'm been in the shadows for years following the awesome work that's done by this community and, finally, I decided to join the forums to share my love for the SMS. Having said that, maybe someone can clear up some doubts I have about modding a SMS. I've searched the forums and internet in general, but with little or no luck. - Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II? - What's the best option for an audio/video output mod for the same model?. Right now, if I want to record or stream some SMS gameplay I have to use an everdrive in a MegaDrive model 1. - Any good software for composing music combining FM+PSG?. Thank you!.

Kagesan Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 878	Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 2:27 pm
Kagesan Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 878	Welcome. Quote - Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II? I believe there’s a version of Viletim's FM board that’s compatible with the SMS II. It’s called "solder version", if I recall correctly. Quote - Any good software for composing music combining FM+PSG? Composing is not the problem here. You can use either Deflemask or Furnace for that. The problem is that there’s no way to play the resulting song data on real hardware, as a replayer doesn’t exist. If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.)

ApolloBoy Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 317 Location: San Jose, CA	Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 4:50 pm
	Chewrafa wrote Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II? Viletim's FM board works with the SMS II but it normally requires a bunch of wires in order to connect it. However, Consoles Unleashed sells a cheap adapter board that lets you connect the FM board like on a model 1: https://www.consolesunleashed.com/product/sega-master-system-model-2-fm-sound-module-adapter/ Chewrafa wrote What's the best option for an audio/video output mod for the same model? Pretty much every SMS II can be modded for RGB, S-video or composite output. Probably the easiest way to get RGB is to remove the RF modulator, solder a 9-pin mini-DIN connector (same as used in the Mega Drive II) upside down in its place, and then wire it up using the same pinout as the Mega Drive II. RGB requires just three wires and then composite only needs one (plus two more for audio).

Louis The SEGA Nerd Joined: 30 Jan 2023 Posts: 55 Location: Manchester, England	Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2023 9:39 am
	Quote If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.) Yep that's exactly what I did, although I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone and trying to use this method to use both chips in different ways would be very difficult and time consuming, as it takes a little while to actually be able to test the 2 at the same time.

Kagesan Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 878	Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2023 11:32 am
Kagesan Joined: 01 Feb 2014 Posts: 878	Louis The SEGA Nerd wrote I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone IMO, that’s the only way to do it, really, as you never know the setup your game is going to be played on and you certainly don’t want your user to end up with half a soundtrack.

Louis The SEGA Nerd Joined: 30 Jan 2023 Posts: 55 Location: Manchester, England	Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2023 12:02 pm
	Kagesan wrote Louis The SEGA Nerd wrote I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone IMO, that’s the only way to do it, really, as you never know the setup your game is going to be played on and you certainly don’t want your user to end up with half a soundtrack. True, but if you went absolutely all out you could possibly even have 3 soundtracks. One for FM, one for PSG, and one for both FM + PSG but done from the ground up for that specific configuration. Of course, this would use up a lot more memory and is probably more effort than it's worth, but still theoretically possible I guess :)

Chewrafa Joined: 28 Sep 2023 Posts: 9 Location: Castelló, Spain	Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 12:53 pm
	Kagesan wrote Welcome. Thank you! Kagesan wrote Quote - Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II? I believe there’s a version of Viletim's FM board that’s compatible with the SMS II. It’s called "solder version", if I recall correctly. Thanks, I'll check it out. Kagesan wrote Quote - Any good software for composing music combining FM+PSG? Composing is not the problem here. You can use either Deflemask or Furnace for that. The problem is that there’s no way to play the resulting song data on real hardware, as a replayer doesn’t exist. If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.) I only want to try and compose something. I've been using OpenMPT (and ModPlug Tracker previously) for a long time but I couldn't find anything to emulate SMS FM (I think I have some VST for the PSG). Just want to make something like "what it could have been".

Chewrafa Joined: 28 Sep 2023 Posts: 9 Location: Castelló, Spain	Posted: Thu Nov 23, 2023 12:57 pm
	ApolloBoy wrote Chewrafa wrote Is there any FM mod for an european SMS-II? Viletim's FM board works with the SMS II but it normally requires a bunch of wires in order to connect it. However, Consoles Unleashed sells a cheap adapter board that lets you connect the FM board like on a model Chewrafa wrote What's the best option for an audio/video output mod for the same model? Pretty much every SMS II can be modded for RGB, S-video or composite output. Probably the easiest way to get RGB is to remove the RF modulator, solder a 9-pin mini-DIN connector (same as used in the Mega Drive II) upside down in its place, and then wire it up using the same pinout as the Mega Drive II. RGB requires just three wires and then composite only needs one (plus two more for audio). Thank you for the link and the output reference. Since I have two model II SMS I want to try and modify one of them, but I have no idea what to put in so your info is appreciated. Louis The SEGA Nerd wrote Quote If you really want to combine both, even though you’re catering to the niche audience with Japanese SMSs or third party boards exclusively, you will have to create separate soundtracks for FM and PSG and play them at the same time using MBMplay and PSGlib respectively. (I believe Louis did that in his game Monaco Master.) Yep that's exactly what I did, although I should note that both the FM and PSG soundtracks were designed to work standalone and trying to use this method to use both chips in different ways would be very difficult and time consuming, as it takes a little while to actually be able to test the 2 at the same time. Hi Louis, I've been following you for a time, your music videos are delicious, specially the FM+PSG mashups!.

Louis The SEGA Nerd Joined: 30 Jan 2023 Posts: 55 Location: Manchester, England	Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 8:10 am
	Chewrafa wrote Hi Louis, I've been following you for a time, your music videos are delicious, specially the FM+PSG mashups!. :D

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