Master System:FM Audio Information

ApolloBoy

History

The Sega Mark III was a console launched in Japan in 1985 that was the initial version of the Sega Master System hardware. It was essentially a heavily upgraded SG-1000, featuring a new graphics chip and increased RAM. However, the Mark III still used a derivative of the Texas Instruments SN76489 PSG chip used in that earlier console, which was beginning to show its age by 1985. To rectify this, Sega released an audio expansion in 1987 known as the FM Sound Unit, which connected to the Mark III's expansion port and mixed the console's audio signal via a 5-pin DIN cable. This expansion was based around a Yamaha YM2413 FM synthesizer chip, which was also utilized in several arcade games, consumer-level music keyboards and an MSX audio expansion. Though this chip massively expanded the Mark III's audio capabilities, it was not as sophisticated as the YM2612 later used in the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and was not fully programmable in terms of instrument patches.

Supported Games

A large number of games released from 1987 to 1989 feature FM audio capability, even on Western releases despite the FM Sound Unit never being released or featured in any hardware outside of Japan. This is because Sega used the same ROM file for these games across regions, so the FM audio code remained intact.

Officially Supported

These are games which were released in Japan and explicitly advertised support for the FM Sound Unit. The international versions of these games also still retain FM support with a couple of exceptions.

After Burner	Golvellius: Valley of Doom	R-Type
Alex Kidd: BMX Trial	Great Golf/Masters Golf
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars	Hoshi o Sagashite...	Example
Alien Syndrome	Kenseiden	Example
Aztec Adventure/Nazca '88	Lord of the Sword	Example
Blade Eagle 3D	Maze Hunter 3-D/Maze Walker	Example
Bomber Raid	Megumi Rescue	Example
Captain Silver	Miracle Warriors	Example	-	Cyborg Hunter/Chouon Senshi Borgman	Out Run	Example
Double Dragon	Parlour Games/Family Games	Example
Fantasy Zone II	Penguin Land	Example
Fantasy Zone: The Maze	Phantasy Star (JP only)	Example
Galactic Protector	Power Strike/Aleste

• • Supported Games:**

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After Burner	Game Box Série Esportes Radicais	R-Type
Alex Kidd: BMX Trial	Game Box Série Lutas	Rampage
Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars	Golvellius: Valley of Doom	Rastan
Alien Syndrome	Great Golf	Rescue Mission
Altered Beast	Hoshi o sagashite...	Scramble Spirits
Aztec Adventure	Kenseiden	SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
Blade Eagle 3-D	Lord of the Sword	Shinobi
Bomber Raid	Maze Hunter 3-D	Solomon's Key
California Games	Megumi Rescue	Space Harrier 3-D
Captain Silver	Miracle Warriors: Seal of the Dark Lord	SpellCaster
Casino Games	Mônica no Castelo do Dragão	ThunderBlade
Chōonsenshi Borgman	Out Run 3-D	Turma da Mônica em: O Resgate
Cloud Master	OutRun	Ultima IV
Double Dragon	Parlour Games	Wonder Boy in Monster Land
Fantasy Zone II	Penguin Land	Ys: The Vanished Omens
Fantasy Zone: The Maze	Phantasy Star	Zaxxon 3-D
Galactic Protector	Poseidon Wars 3-D	Zillion 2: Tri Formation
Galaxy Force	Power Strike

• • Examples:**

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• • Play SMS Games with FM Sound**

There are a few methods that allow you to play your SMS games on original hardware with FM sound.  Some require console modifications and others do not:

• • Install an FM Sound chip into an SMS:**

Tim Worthington sells an FM kit that you can install in your SMS.  Installation in an SMS 1 is pretty easy, as it can plug directly into the expansion port in back, requiring only a few wires to be soldered.  A full internal installation (required for an SMS 2) is also available, but a bit more complicated.  There have also been reports of people installing this kit into a Power Base Converter, or even a Genesis itself, but no instructions for that are available:  http://etim.net.au/smsfm/smsfm.html

• • Original Carts on Original hardware:**

• • • • Power Base FM**** The Power Base FM allows you to play all your FM Sound-compatible SMS games on a Genesis (or Mega Drive) without _any_ modification to your system. This will also work with SMS [romcarts.html ROM Carts], such as the Master Everdrive:  https://stoneagegamer.com/powerbase-mini-fm.html?afmc=retrorgb

• • MK-2000** If you'd like to sue original SMS hardware, you can get a Japanese Master System model MK-2000 (not Mark III). The Japanese Master System had the FM sound chip, as well as the 3D glasses adapter and the rapid fire module built directly into the console!  The only problem is Japanese Master System cartridges are a different size than the ones released in the rest of the world, so you'll need an adapter to play SMS games on them. Luckily, there are a few available and I've tested these two:

**SMS2SG1000** **Pro's:** Uses the top cartridge slot, so no modification needs to be made to the console; Just plug and play. **Con's:** The game cartridges look a little silly sticking that high up above the console. If you're using a Master Everdrive, it's recommended you use OSv7 with this adapter.zip).  As an FYI, after flashing to OSv7,the SD card needs to be re-formatted to FAT32.

**SMS Rear Adapter** **Pro's:** Sits behind the unit, so your console always looks "clean". **Con's:** A small bit of plastic needs to be cut for it to fit properly & if you're using cartridges, it's a pain to go behind the unit each time to switch it out.  Also, there's some compatibility issues with some games and ROM carts.

If you're using an original Master Everdrive, it's recommended you use OSv6 with this adapter.zip).  As an FYI, after flashing to OSv6,the SD card needs to be re-formatted to FAT16.

• • Using a [romcarts.html ROM Cart] that supports FM Audio**

There's a few ROM carts available for the Sega Genesis that use their FPGA chip inside to emulate the SMS' FM audio chip.  There's one ROM cart for the SMS that has the FM chip built in, but it requires a modification to your console and it's confusing to use.  Here's the choices:

Mega Everdrive Pro (includes Sega CD Support):  http://bit.ly/megaedpro Mega SD (also includes Sega CD Support):  https://bit.ly/terraonionmegasd Mega Everdrive x7:  https://stoneagegamer.com/flash/genesis/carts/mega-everdrive-x7/?afmc=retrorgb

The "Neo" ROM carts for both SMS and Genesis support FM audio:

• • Genesis Version =** NEO Myth MD 3in1: http://www.ic2005.com/shop/product.php?productid=33&cat=3&page=1

• • SMS Version =** NEO SEGA MKiii: http://www.ic2005.com/shop/product.php?productid=130&cat=3&page=1 Please note that the SMS version requires you to run the audio output of your SMS AV cable through it, for FM audio to be mixed in.  If you're using RGB, you can try to order (or make) a custom SCART cable with an RCA audio output and input.  Alternatively, you can use a Genesis RGB SCART cable that gets audio from the 3.5mm jack, then wire audio directly from the SMS' multi-out:  http://www.retrorgb.com/smsaudioout.html

While the NeoSD carts do work, I feel I need to warn you about a few things before proceeding:

Using the enhanced menu's is a must, as the stock menu's are terrible: **Genesis cart enhanced menu:** (1st post):  http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index.php/topic,5880.0.html **SMS cart enhanced menu:** http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index.php/topic,7199.0.html

The Neo carts are _not_ plug-and-play like the Everdrives, they actually require software to read and write ROMs.  You can purchase an additional MicroSD card adapter, but it's expensive and you'll still need the software for initial setup (although after setup is complete, you can just read and write ROMs like a normal ROM cart):  http://www.ic2005.com/shop/product.php?productid=33&cat=3&page=1

Support is pretty bad.  I had an issue with mine and it took over a month of exchanging emails with pictures and videos proving my issue before they agreed to a return.

• • Comparison of the above methods:**

I have a few pretty outdated videos demonstrating the differences between the above choices.  I also included an audio analysis section on the Mega Everdrive Pro review, so here's links to all of those: http://www.retrorgb.com/files/MK-2000-FMKit-NeoSMS-NeoMD.wav

https://youtu.be/ayKxnrYCpPI

https://youtu.be/KZMwYVIsuAE

• • Summary:**

As with all solutions these days, I suggest using whatever is the best for your setup.  Some people will be fine playing original carts on their SMS and switching to a more advanced Genesis ROM cart for SMS sound.  Others will just use a MiSTer for special use cases like that.  And, of course, there are those of us hardware enthusiasts that will chase solutions on real hardware, for no reason other than we want to.  All are great choices :)

 

Please [sms.html click here to go back to the Master System page].  If you'd like info on mods for other systems, head to the [/systems.html Getting RGB From Each System page] or check out [/ the main page] for more retro-awesomeness.