The Blog

Amstrad Sega Mega PC 386SX Overview

Nix McRetro // 20th March 2012 // Categories: IBM PC, Sega, YouTube

I’ve managed to get the Amstrad Mega PC mostly back together, although the top cover is still off. Here’s a quick demonstration of the 386SX PC and Mega Drive sections, both of which are finally showing some signs of life after all the work I’ve been doing on this machine.... Continue reading

Amstrad Sega Mega PC Repair

Nix McRetro // 18th March 2012 // Categories: IBM PC, Repairs, Sega

Amstrad Mega PC motherboard with a blue NiCad battery and blue-green deposits across nearby circuitry. The NiCad battery left a rather impressive blue mess behind. The motherboard was less impressed. Those copper tracks are not going to be happy! Well at least the battery disappeared from the board easily enough.... Continue reading

Amstrad Sega Mega PC 386SX Arrival

Nix McRetro // 16th March 2012 // Categories: IBM PC, Repairs, Sega

It has arrived. My Amstrad Mega PC. A 386SX combined with a Sega Mega Drive. Amazing! Sadly after having a look inside it, I discovered the rechargeable NiCad date/time backup battery has leaked delicious NiCad goodness all over the motherboard. And the CPU in this particular machine is AMD, my... Continue reading

Fuse Replacement on the Sega Mega-CD Model 1

Nix McRetro // 2nd March 2012 // Categories: Repairs, Sega

Fuse Replacement on the Sega Mega-CD Model 1

Ohhhoooo so very shiny! I discovered one of my Sega Mega-CDs has a blown fuse that someone replaced with a big blob of solder. It certainly passes power that way, but the fuse is there for a reason. I want the little guy to have its proper overcurrent protection back,... Continue reading

Sega Saturn Laser Tune-up Success

Nix McRetro // 26th February 2012 // Categories: Repairs, Sega

With a known-good power supply installed, I turned the laser-power trimpot slightly and the Saturn started reading commercially pressed games again. It still had trouble with a Taiyo Yuden CD-R containing CD audio, but another tiny adjustment got that playing as well. It’s amazing how much difference one or two... Continue reading