32x PAL/NTSC Switchless Video Mode
Already modded your Mega Drive with Sebs Switchless mod? If you've got a 32x it's quite easy to combine the mods so that the Mega Drive Switchless mod controls the video mod of the 32x.
You have to start by modifying your Mega Drive even further. I use the headphone socket on the front of my MD for sound, so the audio output on Pin 1 of the MD 8 pin din isn't needed for audio. This means we can use this to carry either a 5v or GND signal from the Switchless mod upto the 32x.
We have to isolate pin 1 of the din socket, remove the Mega Drive motherboard and on the underside find pin 1 of the 8 pin din socket, find a convenient place to cut the trace to the pin.
During modding your Mega Drive, you would have solder a wire to either JP3 or JP4, this wire carries a 5v signal for NTSC mode, or a GND signal for PAL mode. This is exactly the same signals needed to set the 32x Video Mode. I chose to solder the wire from JP4 on the underside of the motherboard to Pin 1 of the Din socket.
That's it, finished modifying the Mega Drive now, re-assemble it and then remove the 32x motherboard as we need to isolate the mono audio signal on the 9 pin mini din AV In socket. Mono Audio is on Pin 6. Again, just find the correct pin and cut a trace on the underside of the motherboard.
Now attach some wire (I used Kynar wire here) to Pin 6 and route it to top of the motherboard, think about the metal shielding when deciding where to put the wire, you don't want to squash it.
To the right of the cartridge slot is chip IC12, mine has 315-5788 printed on it. Near it you'll see 2 points labelled R42 and R43. If your 32x is a PAL model then R43 is connected up, this sends a GND signal to the chip. NTSC consoles have a resistor on R42. Remove the resistor, I do this by moving the soldering iron quickly from one side of the resistor to the other, adding small amounts of solder at the same time, the SMD resistor should them move and you can remove it completely.
Solder the other end of the wire from Pin 6 of the AV In socket to one of the contact points of R42/R43 that links to IC12. Remember to think about not squashing the wire with the metal shielding.
That's it, finished! Now when you change the video mode of the Mega Drive, your 32x will change mode also.
Notes
I already mentioned that I use the headphone
socket on the MD for audio, here's how I wired up a
Stereo MD1 to 32x link cable.
I guess the same would be possible with a normal switch modded Mega Drive, I just
don't have one to try it on.
Thanks to Segakore for the info on how to modify a 32x, I wouldn't have been able to get this to work without their original guide.
