SG-1000/SC-3000 FAQ

The SG-1000/SC-3000 FAQ
(C)2000 ILB4EVER_2000 (ilb4ever_2000@yahoo.com)
For the latest version of this FAQ and other great SG-1000/SC-3000 information,
visit http://sg1000.emucamp.com
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Version 1.0

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charged for the information.

The data herein is provided for informational purposes only. No
warranty is made with regards to the accuracy of this information.
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Section 1. Introduction

Thank you for choosing to read The SG-1000/SC-3000 FAQ. Why these machines? They are very
interesting. The games I have played seem to surpass games for other systems from the early
1980s. Also the fact that they were never released in the States (my home) make them more
exotic.
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Section 2. System By System

2.1 SG-1000 - The SG-1000 was the very first system ever released by Sega in 1983. Its main
market was Japan. It did find it's way into Australia (distributed by John Sands), New Zealand
(distributed by Grandstand Leisure, Ltd.), and some parts of Europe. The price for the system
in Japan was 15,000 Yen. It ran on a 4mbit processor with 64k ram and played 2 musical
instruments at once. In Japan, there was a clone system from Tsukuda Original called the
Othello Multivision. Tsukuda released a series of games including Q*Bert and
James Bond 007. A second model of the SG-1000 was made called the SG-1000 II.

2.2 SC-3000 - The SC-3000 was Sega's home computer (yes, they did make computers at one point).
It was pretty much an SG-1000 game system at heart. It worked with software from both machines.
The original SC-3000 was 29,800 yen in Japan and the SC-3000H was 33,800 yen in Japan. Here are
some technical specs:

Microprocessor: NEC 780C (a clone of the Z80A chip) at 4 MHz
RAM: 16Kb / 32Kb (SC-3000H)
Video RAM: 16Kb
ROM: 18 Kb or 32Kb (not sure which is correct)
Sound: 6 voice on 2.5 octaves
Screen text: 40x25 (16 colors) and 32x24 (?? Colors)
Screen resolution : 256x192 (16 colors)
Text characters dimension : 8 x 8 pixels
Max. number of sprites on screen at once : 32 (if monochromatic)
Keyboard: 64 rubber touch key buttons, typewriter style (QWERT)
Power Supply Numbers:
- 220V CA
- 9V CC
- 12 A
Ports :
- 1 Printer (DIN 7 pins)
- 1 Cartridge
- 1 Cassette (for cassette based games)
- Composite video (DIN 8 pins)
- 2 Joystick (Type D9)

Measurements:
- Width 353mm
- Depth 210 mm
- Height 46 mm
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Section 3. The Coleco/Sega/MSX Connection

The SG-1000/SC-3000 machines and the Colecovision seemed to be based on the MSX computer system.
They shared technical specs and some MSX games appeared on the Colecovision (
Antarctic Adventure, Cabbage Patch Kids) and some SG-1000 games (GP World, Zoom 909) appeared
on the MSX. Just something to note.
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Section 4. The Games and Software

There were quite a few games released for the SG-1000 in its 3-year existence. There was not
quite as much "official" software for the SC-3000 because it did not last as long. They may
have been software made by individual users, though.

For a list of SG-1000 games along with reviews and pictures, go to
http://sg1000.emucamp.com/sggames.htm

For a list of SC-3000 software along with reviews and pictures, go to
http://sg1000.emucamp.com/scgames.htm
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Section 5. Peripherals

There were some optional equipment available for the SC-3000 computer.

16 Kb RAM expansion cart
Disk drive (3" micro disk)
Joystick; It was white and similar to a Colecovision controller (but without the keypad: it was
very long). Also it had 2 red keys (one on the right side, one on the left side...)
Printer
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Section 6. Where can I get me some SG-1000 and SC-3000 stuff?

To our readers from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, you have more of a chance of
finding stuff than anyone else. Just look around.

To our American readers, forget about it. They were never released here. So on American
sites and in American stores, you'll most likely come up with nothing. Maybe foreign sites will
have something. Maybe even foreign stores, if you're a world traveler.

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SG-1000/SC-3000 FAQ