The Master System Appreciation Thread

[samsonlonghair]

That's neat as hell, Thierry. It reminds me of the Scorpion XVI Megadrive clone.

[TSTR]

I posted this in the VGM thread but got no response, so I'll try it here:

Can somebody show me examples of the PSG chip on the SMS not sounding like ass?

[Exhuminator]

I like many many Master System tunes.

But I grew up with it, so maybe I'm biased.

[TSTR]

I like many many Master System tunes.

But I grew up with it, so maybe I'm biased.

hmmmmm

First is kinda grating. Wish there was something else going on besides scritchy scratch.

Second is FM. Good though, but not PSG.

Third sounds like a carnival harmonica.


NEXT

lelelel

[Gunstar Green]

Wonder Boy in Monster Land had a few decent tunes for PSG.

[TSTR]

Wonder Boy in Monster Land had a few decent tunes for PSG.

now we're talking

I also forgot OutRun had an SMS port with some cool tunes. I knew Sega wouldn't let me down.

[Exhuminator]

If I wanted to rack my brain I could find you some more PSG goodness. Although you already said you didn't like Phantasy Star's PSG OST, so you're just cray cray.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Plenty of good SMS music. I have no idea what PSG is.

[Exhuminator]

The Japanese Master System had two independent sound chips:

SN76489 PSG
YM2413 FM

The USA Master System only got the SN76489 PSG, no FM.

PSG =Programmable Sound Generator
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Instruments_SN76489 )

FM = Frequency Modulation
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_YM2413 )

Both chips could create very different audio tones. But the USA Master System was a bit hobbled due to lacking the FM.

[samsonlonghair]

Plenty of good SMS music. I have no idea what PSG is.

The short answer is that there's two different methods for generating music for Sega Master System.

PSG is a more "primitive" method of generating sound... comparable to 8-bit computers of the late '70s and early '80s from Atari, Coleco, and Apple. I know you know what these sound like, Bone.

FM Synth is a relatively "modern" method of making video game music using a dedicated sound chip with multiple channels... comparable to Genesis, NES, or Amiga computers. The trouble is that this dedicated FM sound chip was included in the Japanese SMS, but not the US version.