Sega Genesis/MD expansion slot/port pinouts

[GZeus]

How hard would it have been to make the Sega CD do more colors?
Would there have needed to be a video passthrough ala 32X?
Can a Model One get better transfer rates through that port(theoretically. No software that I know of) on the rear than the controller port(with SCD Transfer Suite)?

I'd like to think that with the info out there someone on the crazy homebrew scene might just think of a way to make something cool happen, and it's been shown there are developers that want to use it.

To dream big about little dreams...

[Drakon]

lol dream on

[kendrick]

Anything is possible if you add a peripheral interface, as you're suggesting. The question I would raise is whether such a gadget would have any practical value, as there isn't existing software that would take advantage of the device. Also, you run into the same problem Sega did themselves, in that nobody wants to support a peripheral over an unadorned console because it limits your possible customer base. If you want more colors, best to develop a game for the Saturn. Better still, get an XNA or PSN development kit and make a game that comes on one of many virtual distribution channels so you don't have to worry about writing a cart ROM or minting a disk.

[Tiido Priimägi]

How hard would it have been to make the Sega CD do more colors?
Would there have needed to be a video passthrough ala 32X?

MCD does not output video of any kind so you will need something like 32X to do this. You could potentially use MD VDPs digital video out and increase color count for few future homebrew programs though... extensive modding required so no go.

Can a Model One get better transfer rates through that port(theoretically. No software that I know of) on the rear than the controller port(with SCD Transfer Suite)?

The EXT port in the rear is nothing but a 3rd controller port, just with changed gender. I don't know of any speed differences between MCD1 and MCD2... I'll have to get myself a MCD1 to compare...

I'd like to think that with the info out there someone on the crazy homebrew scene might just think of a way to make something cool happen, and it's been shown there are developers that want to use it.

To dream big about little dreams...

Basically what you want is already made and is called Sega Super 32X or Sega Genesis 32X or Sega Mega 32X depending on region