Does anybody ever wonder why on Earth Sega decided to get rid of the headphone jack on the Genesis when they released the second model? Does that decision seem stupid to anyone else??
Personally, I didn't like the change... with the Model 1, I rarely ever played anything without ultracrisp stereo headphones; I even went and bought fancy Sony headphones to use with it. The main output for the console had no stereo, true, but if you have one of those lying around, you can go down to the local electronic junk store and, to this day, find new wiring that will connect your Genesis Mark I to your TV.
When the interface plug between my Genesis and Sega CD was screwed up, I traded with a friend that had a newer model console so it would work right, and was extremely disappointed they got rid of the headphone jack! In fact, it disgusted me so much that I wanted to buy a CDX to get that capability back! (and I finally did find one for cheap not too long ago). To me, sound makes the game.
The most irritating part is that every other full-size console out there (that I've ever played, anyway) doesn't have a headphone jack either! This problem has, in fact, created a market for new bookshelf stereo systems and portable "boomboxes" to include inputs and outputs for video games.
If the answer is (well, because it makes the machine $3 cheaper to make in the factory) it doesn't surprise me... it was the first step Sega took down the road to #### (which, naturally, is paved in good intentions.)
Personally, I didn't like the change... with the Model 1, I rarely ever played anything without ultracrisp stereo headphones; I even went and bought fancy Sony headphones to use with it. The main output for the console had no stereo, true, but if you have one of those lying around, you can go down to the local electronic junk store and, to this day, find new wiring that will connect your Genesis Mark I to your TV.
When the interface plug between my Genesis and Sega CD was screwed up, I traded with a friend that had a newer model console so it would work right, and was extremely disappointed they got rid of the headphone jack! In fact, it disgusted me so much that I wanted to buy a CDX to get that capability back! (and I finally did find one for cheap not too long ago). To me, sound makes the game.
The most irritating part is that every other full-size console out there (that I've ever played, anyway) doesn't have a headphone jack either! This problem has, in fact, created a market for new bookshelf stereo systems and portable "boomboxes" to include inputs and outputs for video games.
If the answer is (well, because it makes the machine $3 cheaper to make in the factory) it doesn't surprise me... it was the first step Sega took down the road to #### (which, naturally, is paved in good intentions.)
