From: anamr@ucscb.UCSC.EDU (Ana M Rodriguez)
Newsgroups: rec.games.video
Subject: Re: Sega CD and TurboDuo (was: Sega CD Delay)
Date: 12 Nov 1992 18:53:47 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Cruz
Distribution: scruz
NNTP-Posting-Host: ucscb.ucsc.edu


In <1992Nov12.162023.539@kong.gsfc.nasa.gov>  writes:

>In article <1992Nov11.211934.28713@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> hasit mehta,
>includes a stereo audio cable or not (presumably it uses the video out from
>the Genesis, but the CD unit has stereo outputs.)  The Duo is smaller and
>thinner, especially since you need both the base and the CD unit for the Sega


The Sega CD unit did not include any audio cables that I could find.

>The Duo has built in memory backup.  The Sega CD offers optional memory ca
>lasts for about two weeks when unplugged -- you must turn on the system for a
>little bit every two weeks even if you don't play it to ensure that the memory
>is saved, but it will work virtually forever.  Don't know how the Sega memory
>backup cards work, but probably uses a lithium battery that you don't need to
>recharge, but does run out of power after x years (personally I'd have
>prefered if the Duo had a replacable lithium battery....)

The Sega unit has built in Static RAM with NiCad backup for up to 30 Days.
So you must keep using the Sega CD in order to keep the data saved.

There are memory managment functions built into the Sega CD OS.  You can
choose to "format" all memory, or delete a certain item from memory.  The
system software reports total SRAM free, with listing of stored items.

An interesting note:  The Sega CD unit does have a socketed EPPROM, so 
that should light up your eyes pretty quick.  The OS is upgradable quite
easily, not a standard EPROM though.  More that if you want it!!!

>Music quality should be equivalent on both systems, however sound effect
>quality may vary -- only the music (usually) is recorded as tracks on the CD,
>so the sound effects are generally a mix of normal synthesized stuff and
>digitally sampled sounds that are incorporated into the code.  Since data is
>loaded in as needed, they can give plenty of space to digitized sound
>effects/voice.  Thus the sound effects are still vastly improved over HuCard
>and (presumably) cartridge games.  In some unusual cases (Loom), the sound
>effects are also recorded as tracks on the CD.

The Sega CD does offer a 1/8" Mixed output on back of unit, along with a
RCA L/R out.  In Sol Feace during the animations the sound F/X are on
the CD.

>Note that neither system can handle very many colors when displaying full
>motion video.  Also, Sherlock Holmes on the Duo has rather jumpy video and the
>sound isn't synched well at all (I understand that It Came From the Desert is
>much better in both catagories, though -- S.H. was the first game with full
>motion video and was not designed explicitely for the Duo, so it may be a
>first effort and/or port problem.)  The game is cool in spite of those
>problems.  I haven't seen any video on the Sega CD other then the short
>glimpses in the commercials they've been broadcasting and obviously you can't
>use that for comparison.  Maybe someone with a Mega CD can comment on this?

The Animation is pretty darn smooth on the Sherlock Holmes game, and things
looked fairly well in sync.


My Total Opinion:  The Sega CD is going to be a big winner this year!!

The price is high, but the demand is there.  Sega was the first to make a
real big media push.  So the Duo may not get too much spotlight, but
after the Sega CD's are soldout...  The mice do play...

If you all want tech data let me know...  That's my second report.

-Ana

anamr@cats.ucsc.edu


Newsgroups: rec.games.video