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Sega Mega-CD5555555
The '''Sega Mega-CD''' ([[Japanese language|Japanese]]: &#12513;&#12460;CD) is an add-on device for the [[Sega Megad Drive]] released in [[Europe]], [[Australia]] and [[Japan]]. The [[North America|North American]] version is called the '''Sega CD'''.

The device will allow the user to both play CD audio discs and specially designed game CDs.   It can also play [[CD plus G|CD+G]] discs.

The development of the Mega-CD   was top secret; game programmers didn't know what they were designing for until the   Mega-CD was finally revealed at Tokyo Toy Show in Japan.   The Sega Mega-CD in Japan was designed to compete with the [[PC Engine]], which had a separate CD-ROM drive.

The Sega Mega-CD was not meant to compete with the [[Super Famicom]] ([[Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] outside Japan).

At first, the Mega-CD was a CD tray unit that sat under the console. The Sega Mega-CD 2 was a smaller, cheaper top loading drive that plugged next to the Sega Megad Drive.

==Markets==

===Japan===
The Sega Mega-CD was released first in Japan in [[1st December]] [[1991]]. Its retail price was about &yen;49,800. Initially, it was a great success because of the inherent advantages of CDs (high storage capacibility and the low cost of media). The fact that it had a nice [[Role-playing game|RPG]] catalog also helped. 

The system sold 100,000 units during the first year of release in Japan. However, cost issues prevented more units from being sold. 
(contracted; show full)

For all this chain of events, the downhill path started in [[1993]], and ended with the console's death in [[1996]].

===Europe===
In Europe the 
  Mega-CD was overpriced. It was released in [[April]] [[1993]] in the [[United Kingdom]] for £270 (over €400 now  ). Only 4% of European Megad Drive owners bought a Mega-CD because of its price.
Unlike The [[Megad Drive]], which was a very successful console in Europe, only 60,000 of the 70,000 Mega-CD's shipped to Europe were sold by August 1993. 

Some European countries ([[Spain]] for instance), wouldn't get the original Mega-CD, but the Mega CD 2,   which also slowed sales. 

===Australia===
The [[Australia|Australians]] got their Mega-CD on [[19 April]], [[1993]].

==Models==
The following models were released:
*Sega Mega-CD I (Sega CD I in North America).
*Sega Mega-CD II (Sega CD II in North America). Designed for the Mega  Drive/Genesis II and to reduce manufacturing costs..
*JVC Wondermega ([[Xeye]] in North American release, never released in Europe), was a all-in one Genisis /Sega CD unit.
*Sega Multimega (called Sega CDX in North America). A portable CD player that plays both Mega  Drive and Mega-CD games.
*Pioneer LaserActive Sega CD module, an add-on device you could add to a Laseractive Pioneer [[Laserdisc]] player.

==Specifications==

===CPU===
Main CPU: [[Motorola 68000]] 16 bit processor running at 12.5 MHz

<i>(Same as the Megad Drive/Genesis. Acts as a coprocessor along with the Genesis CPU. One must note that the Genesis clock speed is slower (7.9 MHz)).</i>

===Graphics===
* Graphics Processor: Custom ASIC
* Number of simultaneous colours on screen:64. (Using programming tricks, this limit is increased to   128 colours via HAM "Hold and Modify").
* Colours available in Cinepak and TruVideo modes: 128 to 256 colours
* Video size from 1/4 to full screen.
* Advanced compression scheme
* Software-based upgrade

===RAM===
* Main RAM: 6 Mbit 
* PCM samples: 512 Kbit 
* CD-ROM data cache: 128 Kbit 
* 64 Kbit Internal Backup RAM

The Mega CD also features sprite enhancement effects such as scaling and rotation, similar to that of the [[Super Famicom]]/[[SNES]] Mode 7.

===Storage===
* 500 MB CD-ROM discs (equivalent to 62 min of audio data  )
* 1/4 screen B/W footage video: 1.5 to 4 hours
* 1/4 screen color footage: 45 minutes
* CD-ROM drive transfer rate: 150 kbytes/s (1X)
<i>(Above specs prior to compression)</i>

===Bios===
* sSize: 1 Mb
* Used for Games, cd player, cd+g and karaoke.
* Access time: 800 ms

<table border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0">
<caption>'''Bios Revisions'''</caption>

<tr><td>Bios Version <td> Machine</td></tr>
<tr><td>1.00<td> Original Mega CD</td></tr>      
<tr><td>2.00<td> Mega CD2 (Sega CD2 in North America)</td></tr>      
<tr><td>2.05<td> Mega CD2</td></tr>      
<tr><td>2.10<td> Mega CD2</td></tr>      
<tr><td>2.21<td>   Sega Mega LD (Japan), Sega Multimega (Europe), (CDX in (North America)</td></tr>      
</table>


===Audio===
<i>The Mega cd adds 10 extra sound channels to the existing Megad Drive Z80 [[SPU]].</i>

* Sound format: Stereo PCM.
* Sound channels: 8
* Maximum sample rate:32 KHz (44.1khz for CD-DA).
* 16 Bit [[DAC]]
* 8X internal over-sampling digital filter
* Frequency Range: 20Hz - 20 KHz
* Signal-to-Noise Ratio: > 900dB @ 1K
* Channel Separation: >900 dBvchgghc
* Output: RCA stereo Pin Jack x2 (L/R) / SCART cable

===Other===
Dimensions: 301mm x 212.5 x 112.5
Weight: 1.4 kg (3.1 lbs)

==External Links==
*[http://www.consoledatabase.com/consoleinfo/segamegacd/index.html Console Database] - Sega Mega CD/Sega CD

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[[Category:Video game consoles]]
[[Category:Sega]]