capacitor on language switch jumpers

[arromdee]

A long time ago, I happened to have a Japanese MD (original version). Through the magic of the Internet, people figured out the difference between mine and a Genesis, and found out how to make a language switch. It involved cutting jumpers 1/2 and installing a DPDT switch. Or, if you're courageous, removing a capacitor and installing a SPDT switch, or just connecting the switch to jumper 1 and using an SPST switch to switch between jumper 1 and no-jumpers.

Now, digging out my old machines and FAQs again, I know there were some unanswered questions. The question "what state is it in with all the jumpers off" has been answered (http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=ben78...ws4.newsguy.com). Has anyone in the past ten years figured out what that capacitor on the jumper is for and if it's really okay to remove it?

(Incidentally, it's really too bad that no emulator in existence supports the no-jumpers setting...)

 

[Arakon]

the cap is most likely just a filter cap.

 

[ExCyber]

this setting completely disables region detection as far as I can tell

I can guarantee that this part isn't true. The version register can't return a one and a zero in the same bit, and it's the game that decides what to do with that information, whether it be censoring, different title screen, different language, or a lockout. It may be that Sega's region lockout code will detect this state and disable region checks, but you can't just "disable" the version register.

edit: I should note that I haven't seen any such code in the games I've looked at, but it may be outside the actual region check code.