Victor Wondermega \ JVC X'Eye
Type Console Developer Victor \ JVC, Sega
Release Date 01-Apr-92 Region(s) Japan, North America
Initial Price $699 USD Games Released 1135+ (Sega Genesis + Sega CD)
  1. History & Reviews
  2. Models & Clones
  3. Console Ratings
  4. Specs & Manuals
  5. Other Media
  6. Web Resources
DW FACTS
     by Dark Watcher
Victor Company of Japan had helped Sega by delivering the most advanced sound made by a gaming console.  A wider range of sounds not only gave the CD games more of an impact, but it was better then most audio CD players at the time.  In return for their work, Sega gave them OK to create the Wondermega, a system could play both Sega Genesis carts and Sega CD games in a single unit.
 
The Victor Wondermega (model RG-M1) was released in Japan on April 1, 1992.  At a debut price of 82,800 yen, the Wondermega was a costly version of something you could buy much cheaper by getting a Genesis and Sega CD separately.  So why the heck was this machine built?

With the higher price tag came some very nice additional features.  Not only could you play your Sega Genesis and Sega CD games from a single unit, but you could play your games with better video and sound.  Upgraded audio components such as a Digital Signal Processor and bass enhancer improved music clarity and explosive effects on Sega CD games.  Victor also added Super VHS output that would provide a much improved display then other standards of its time.  Numerous Karaoke features (popular in Japan) and MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) output allowed the system to utilize a keyboard add-on called "Piano Player".
The Wondermega came with a compilation CD containing four games (Flicky, Pyramid Magic, Paddle Fighter and Quiz Scramble).  It also came with Karaoke software that took advantage of the Sega CD CD+G capabilities.
 
In August of 1993, Victor released a cheaper scaled down version of Wondermega (model RG-M2).  The new model removed the motorized CD tray and the easily accessible Karaoke buttons.  The redesign also stripped away the SVHS and MIDI outputs, but it sold for a cheaper 59,000 yen.  The new design did come with a 6-button controller infrared wireless controller though.  The redesigned model would make it to America in September of 1994 under the name JVC X'Eye.
 
The JVC X'Eye sold in the US for $499 USD.  The console came with the Sega CD game Prize Fighter, Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia and a Karaoke CD. It did not have the wireless controllers.  Unfortunately the CDX, Sega's much smaller and cheaper Sega CD/Genesis combination system, had been released in the US just 5 months earlier.  With the combined unit no longer being a novelty, as well as its higher price tag, the JVC X'Eye fell out of the public view.
 
FACT:  Sega saw that JVC had a good concept.  So they put out their own Sega Wondermega-S.  It was virtually the same as JVC's RG-M1, but sold for a slightly cheaper 79,800 Yen.
MODELS
     Officially licensed releases
Victor Wondermega RG-M1 \ Sega Wondermega
These two first run units are identical, with the exception of branding.  These consoles are rather special since they include a MIDI jack, two (2) microphone jacks, DSP audio enhancements and a motorized CD disc tray (all of which were removed in later releases).
Victor Wondermega RG-M2 \ JVC X'Eye
Like the first two releases of the Wondermega, these models are nearly identical.  The Victor RG-M2 features infrared wireless controllers as a standard, but still kept the two wired controller ports (moved to the back of the unit).  A 6-button control pad was also included.  The JVC X'Eye was the North American release of the RG-M2.  It lacked S-Video output and came with standard wired controllers.
CLONES
     Non-licensed hardware releases
No clones were released for this system.
CONSOLE RATINGS
     by 98PaceCar
Consoles are rated based upon the available technology at the time of its release.  A 10 point scale is utilized, with 10 being excellent.



CRITERIA RATING NOTES & COMMENTS
Console Design 05 Another in the line of combined cart and CD consoles, the X'Eye is relatively bland.  The Wondermega, however, has a bit of an industrial feel that helps it to stand out among the consoles of the day.
Console Durability 06 The X'Eye \ Wondermega seem to be sturdy consoles with only CD drive issues being prevalent.  It can be tough to find the correct AC adaptor though, so be aware when searching for the console.
Controllers 08 The X'Eye used Genesis controllers that were rebranded, so no reason to seek them out unless you are a collector.  They work well and seem to hold up to abuse.
Graphics 07 One of the benefits to the XEye/Wondermega was built in super video outputs which gave a clearer screen without needing to mod your console.
Audio 08 Another place the X'Eye \ Wondermega had an advance was better sound processing hardware which resulted in better sound than the normal Genesis \ Sega CD combo.
Media 06 Outside of a few Tengen releases, the Genesis cartridge seems to be sturdy.  Sega CD games are just normal CD Roms of the day, but some speculation exists that they are prone to bit rot.  I haven't seen this, but know of people that have.
Game Library 08 The Genesis \ Sega CD combo features a lot of timeless games as well as a number of FMV games.  Overall though, the library is solid.
Gamer Value 06 The X'Eye \ Wondermega solves the eternal problem of having multiple AC adaptors and cables on the normal Genesis/Sega CD combo.  This alone makes it a great console for gamers, even with the slightly higher price than the base consoles.
Collector Value 08 None of the X'Eye \ Wondermega line seems to come up very often making them must own for the hardware fanatic.  The X'Eye is seen slightly more than the Wondermega, but I suspect that is largely regional rarity at work.
SPECS & MANUALS
     For the hardware enthusiasts out there - all the detail you\we love.
Processor Type  Processor Speed  Other Processor Information RAM \ Video RAM
Motorola 68000
Motorola 68000
Zilog Z80A Co-processor		 12.5 MHz
7.67 MHz
3.58 MHz		 Custom ASIC VDP 6 MB (CD-ROM buffer)
512 KB (PCM waveform)
128 KB (CD-ROM Data Cache)
 
Screen Resolution Color Palette Polygons \ Sprites Audio
320x244 (max) 512 colors (64 on screen) 80 sprites (2 backgrounds) PCM (Stereo 8 channel, Mono 1 channel), FM (Stereo 6 channel), PSG (3 sounds, 1 noise)
Media Format Media Capacity Games Released Other Supported Formats
Cartridge \ CD-ROM (1x) 32 MB \ 500 MB Compatible with 1135+ (Sega Genesis + Sega CD) Audio CD (CD-DA), Karaoke CD (CD+G)
Internal Storage External \ Removable Storage Game Controllers Other Game \ Peripheral Devices
64 KB RAM (for game saves)
1 Mb ROM (CD BIOS)		 None D-Pad, 3 action buttons, Start button None
Controller Ports Network Ports Other Ports Audio \ Video
Two (2) None Headphone mini-jack, Microphone jack, Volume slider RF, Composite, S-Video (Sega and Victor models only)
Power Supply - External Other Outputs  Other Details \ Notes
Input: AC 120V, 60 Hz
Output: DC 9.5V, 1.5A		 A\V Out (9-pin) The above specs are for the JVC X'Eye (which doesn't include the MIDI I\O port, DSP or wireless controllers).
Manuals
JVC X'Eye Owners Manual (PDF) - 3.62 MB
OTHER MEDIA
     Peripherals, Promotions, Commercials, Brochures, Etc.
Wondermega \ X'Eye Startup Screens & Television Commercial
WEB RESOURCES
     Highly recommended websites for this system
Games Grail

Nice article on the Wondermega RG-M2		 Sega Retro

Excellent wiki-style site for Sega consoles		 MUD's Page

Fan page of the various models
DISCUSS
     Visitor insights and feedback
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