Sega Channel

Background

Sega Channel was a project developed by Sega for the 16-bit Sega Genesis/Megadrive console that lasted from December 1994 to July 1998. The service was provided to the public in the US by Time Warner Cable and TCI, which later was acquired by the old AT&T during its cable acquisition spree that formed AT&T Broadband. For a monthly subscription fee (usually $14.95 in US dollars) and a $25 USD subscription fee, subscribers would get an adapter that plugged into the top of the console and contained a jack to plug in the cable cord. The user would be provided unlimited access to over 50 games selectable through an on-screen menu tuned to a broadcast channel, with new games appearing every two weeks (some of which were games that never came out in America and only playable through the Sega Channel). The games would be downloaded in about 1 minute and play just like the retail versions. These games were organized by genre, such as action, fighting, adventure, and family. Each month, there was a special theme with originally composed music, artwork, and game categories. Sega Channel was also available in Canada through Shaw Cable, in some parts of the United Kingdom on certain cable services, in Chile on the defunct Metropolis cable company, and in Argentina on a national TCI branch, Cablevisión TCI, and in Australia on Austar and the now defunct Galaxy.

1st Logo (1994)

Prototype variant.
Early variant.

Visuals: There is a 2-D cartoon version of the Sega Channel adapter used to download games onto the Genesis/Mega Drive above a wooden table in what appears to be a living room with a blue colored wall, with a pattern consisting of multiple triangle shapes facing down sideways repeated in a mirroring pattern. The console is connected to a phone jack which has a switch in the middle with the red word "CABLE" bring shown at the top of it. Sonic the Hedgehog soon appears running on the table. He jumps near the jack, and it begins to bulge, while a power spark begins travelling from the cord to the console, where it later spreads around it. The screen then fades to black, and a color-changing 90s-style pattern background fades in, where a dark blue square and rectangle are shown near the center. Inside the square is the man seen on the Sega Channel cartridge, Sega-Pat, in a light salmon red color with the inside of the TV blue, and the two trademark signs "SM" and "TM" are shown above its right foot. Inside the rectangle is the blue "SEGA" logo, and the multicolored word "CHANNEL". The background changes to different colors and patterns, which include: a red-purple color with multiple bubbles in purple and hot pink; a green color with multiple bright green spirals of small and large sizes are shown; another green background with a bright green dog, a turquoise cat, a dark green mice and a white baseball; and a blue background with a bright blue sun, brachiosaurus, hunter, and stone. Most of the shapes on the patterns are shown slightly expanding and shrinking. The background sequence repeats over again until the menu of the console appears.

Variant: A prototype variant of this startup exists: it starts with the same Genesis/Mega Drive & Sonic the Hedgehog animation at the beginning. Once the screen fades to black, the same screen layout appears, with many differences. The shapes are colored black and jagged up-down borders are seen on them. Sega-Pat is replaced with a large, red "C" and a small, blue "S" inside it, with three red streaks shown around the design. In the rectangle is a blue TV shape with a cord followed by the multicolored text "SEGA" above, and the red text "CHANNEL" at the bottom, both in a comic-style font, with multiple streaks surrounding the letters like in the left design. The patterns and colors are also different in the background, which includes: a teal color with arrows colored in bright green, dark teal, light blue and blue; a red-purple background with two fishes colored yellow and pink, a light purple crab, and a red shark; a dark red background with multiple green mouths, hands and feet; and another dark red background with hot pink stars, exclamation balloons and popping-like streaks. Just like before, the sequence repeats until the menu is loaded.

Technique: Traditional 16-bit animation.

Audio: Descending FM synth notes are heard when Sonic appears, and a high-pitched ascending synth is heard before he jumps. A buzz/guitar like note is heard when the jack bulges, and sounds of electricity play when the spark travels to the console. When the logo appears, five cowbell-like notes and a four-note synth fanfare are heard. A bass tune loops constantly in the end.

Audio Variant: On the prototype variant, no sounds or music are heard.

Availability: Seen on early builds of the Sega Channel modem adapter.

2nd Logo (December 1994-July 31, 1998)

Visuals: The sequence begins with the Genesis/Mega Drive plugged in on the table, but the wallpaper pattern is different, having a purple color with a white striped pattern, and without the text and switch above the phone jack. The console and cartridge have been redesigned to include the Sega Channel logo and Sega-Pat design, and the copyright "SM/TM & (c) 1994 Sega, all rights reserved" appears chyroned on the table. Sonic the Hedgehog jumps into the living room to turn on the machine, and he runs off as the machine's power begins traveling through the cord. When it fully powers the machine, Sega-Pat, in blue, comes to life and jumps off leaping towards the viewer, turning the screen blue, then moving back to reveal he's holding a TV in his hand. He positions himself over the animated Sega logo with "CHANNELSM/TM" underneath, all now set against a black background with little white stars swirling around.

Variant: A variant exists where after Sega-Pat jumps into the screen, the screen fades to black, then shows the "SEGA CHANNELSM/TM" wordmark. Sega-Pat then falls from the top of the screen and lands on the Sega logo, squishing it. The rest of the sequence continues as normal.

Technique: Traditional 16-bit animation.

Audio: A high-pitched descending whistle that plays twice, low-pitched version of the "WHOOP!" when Sonic jumps in the video games, a synthesized xylophone chord mixed with a low-pitched engine-like sound, and the fanfare and bass loop from before.

Availability: Seen when you turn on a Sega Channel adapter, which although discontinued in 1998, are still easy to find.