Power Adapter for JPN Sega Mega Drive 1 and/or 2

[layzee]

I have a JPN SMD1 (no power supply) and a JPN SMD2 (with power supply).

Today I was using the SMD2 console with a step-down converter (240v to 100-110v). I turned it off, put in another cart and tried to turn it on again. However, this time nothing appeared on the screen. I touched the power supply and it was pretty hot, perhaps dangerously hot. I couldn't use my SMD2 since then. My stepdown converter however still works as normal.

I assume the SMD2 power supply is now faulty but is it is in any possible for the SMD2 console to somehow become faulty as well? I know that consoles with internal power supplies (e.g. PS2) can become faulty that way, but consoles with external ones should be safe (i.e. the power supply will take the hit).

So I now have a JPN SMD1 and JPN SMD2 with no power supplies. Does anyone know if there are any other consoles that have power adapters that are compatible with the JPN SMD1 or SMD2? Or even other electronic appliances?

Failing that, looks like I'll have to import another (heavy) power adapter again...

[J0e Musashi]

Couldn't you just go on eBay and buy UK PSU's for like ?5 each like everyone else does.

[layzee]

I'm not in the UK but if it works, I could, but I might as well buy an official JPN one. It'll be the same price, or cheaper than even local ones.

[J0e Musashi]

It would help if you stated where you are then. You did say you would have to import another JPN PSU, so you are obviously not in Japan. Just buy a Mega Drive PSU that is local to where you are so you wont have to use a step-down.

[layzee]

That's one of my considerations but I was also just curious (and would be convenient) if any other consoles or electronic devices (like modems) had power adapters that were compatible with SMD1/2s.

Nintendo and Sony does a good job of making sure their consoles had decent backwards compatibility with each other in regards to accessories (even non-game console power cords are compatible with the PS1/PS2), so it is disappointing that it's not also the case with Sega consoles.

[J0e Musashi]

As far as PSU's go, SMS and MD are compatible, and SS and DC are compatible, so erm...

[layzee]

Are they? Well, I don't have a SMS or SS so I didn't know. In any case, the fact that SMD1 video/power cables cannot be used with the SMD2 (and vice versa) is pretty retarded, when it should have been a no-brainer.

[randombs]

MD1 had RF over a single phono connector or RGB(and possibly straight-up composite) over a large DIN socket.

MD2, being smaller, did everything from one little A/V socket. The RF box inside the MD1 is actually quite big, and I doubt they could fit it inside the MD2 and keep its size.

I'm not sure if the power demands of the MD1 and MD2 are the same(I'd expect MD2 to need less power as it's newer) but the best thing to do would be to find another power supply with the same voltage(9V I think) and the same(or higher) current/Amps.

You could also try one of those multi-voltage adaptors with the switches but check the current. Voltage must be the same but current output of the power supply can be equal or higher than what the console is rated at. Bear in mind that, while a higher current won't be a problem in normal use, if there's a power surge or similar, the power supply will likely send maximum current and bugger the console up.

The only reason PS1,2, SS, DC, Xbox, etc can use the same cable is because their power supplies are built in and so figure-8 cables make sense. Heck, the PS One and PS2 Slim had external PSUs that were specific to them.

I'm not sure what the old Nintendo consoles were like but the SNES, N64, GC and Wii all have different PSUs that are not compatible with each other.