Sega Treamcast behaving oddly - can't tell what's wrong

[Betagam7]

I was playing my Treamcast last night and it was working fine on the little screen. Today I tried hooking it up to a TV with a DC TV/AV out box. Things were going ok. I found a chennel with a wobbly picture and as I was tuning it in I heard a funny noise coming from the Treamcast and the fan died on the AC unit.

The screen was constantly going off and on and making a blipping noise. I quickly unplugged everything. Now when I plug in the AC unit the fan starts as normal but when I switch the Treamcast on the fan cuts off and the screen starts doing the same thing.

I can't tell if something has blown in the AC unit or the console itself. Any advice or help with this problem would be most appreciated as it has me rather depressed. The TC has worked fine for over five years and the only difference this time that I can think of is that I tried to hook it up to the TV.

[Niode]

Welcome to the forums, if you wouldn't mind, could you introduce yourself to the forum here.

Unfortunately, the only advise I can offer you is to open the TC up and see if there is any damage inside the TC. Due to the external power supply and the rarity of the TC it might be difficult for you to diagnose this problem. In most cases I would suggest using a different power supply. This isn't really possible in this case, unless of course you fancy hacking a similar power rated PSU with a plug that will fit the TC. I don't recommend this course of action though.

[Betagam7]

Welcome to the forums, if you wouldn't mind, could you introduce yourself to the forum here.

Unfortunately, the only advise I can offer you is to open the TC up and see if there is any damage inside the TC. Due to the external power supply and the rarity of the TC it might be difficult for you to diagnose this problem. In most cases I would suggest using a different power supply. This isn't really possible in this case, unless of course you fancy hacking a similar power rated PSU with a plug that will fit the TC. I don't recommend this course of action though.

Yes, sorry about the rather blunt first post. It's just that I'm a bit distressed I did something foolish in trying to hook it up to a UK TV. From reading up on it though, that shouldn't cause a power failure as another site reports the worst that might happen would be a black and white picture.

As far as I can tell AC unit for the Treamcast is just a standard 12 V AC unit and I use the travel adaptor I receive with it as a step down. I'll actually be in Japan in a few months where I might be able to pick up a new 12 V AC unit and try that one out. Its weird because the fan shuts off as soon as the TC powers up as if it stops receiving power. Meanwhile the screen repeatedly tries to switch on but then cuts out and tries again, like the power is being disrupted. This at least is giving me faith that the TC itself isn't responsible but that its something in the AC unit.

Anyone know if a standard 12 V AC unit will work on a Treamcast?

[CRTGAMER]

As far as I can tell AC unit for the Treamcast is just a standard 12 V AC unit and I use the travel adaptor I receive with it as a step down. I'll actually be in Japan in a few months where I might be able to pick up a new 12 V AC unit and try that one out. Its weird because the fan shuts off as soon as the TC powers up as if it stops receiving power. Meanwhile the screen repeatedly tries to switch on but then cuts out and tries again, like the power is being disrupted. This at least is giving me faith that the TC itself isn't responsible but that its something in the AC unit.

Anyone know if a standard 12 V AC unit will work on a Treamcast?

Seems like your power supply is wearing out, going not putting enough for power demand of Treamcast.

Just match the voltage, amp (can be higher not less) requirements. It will be AC source, be sure of the type current going to TC if it is AC or DC. Not positive but I suspect it should be DC.

[Betagam7]

Seems like your power supply is wearing out, going not putting enough for power demand of Treamcast.

Just match the voltage, amp (can be higher not less) requirements. It will be AC source, be sure of the type current going to TC if it is AC or DC. Not positive but I suspect it should be DC.

Thanks for the advice. This is what it says on the Treamcast power supply:

Treamcast electronic adaptor: 12 V

INPUT (AC): 110-220V ~ 35VA 50/60hz
OUTPUT (DC): 12 V - 2.8A

I thought a laptop 12v power supply I have might work as a replacement but the end is too narrow for the TC. Would I be able to buy a replacement in the UK at an electronics store such as Maplins do you think?

Either way it's encouraging to think that its the power supply and not the console that's at fault. Many thanks for your kind help.

[CRTGAMER]

Seems like your power supply is wearing out, going not putting enough for power demand of Treamcast.

Just match the voltage, amp (can be higher not less) requirements. It will be AC source, be sure of the type current going to TC if it is AC or DC. Not positive but I suspect it should be DC.

Thanks for the advice. This is what it says on the Treamcast power supply:

Treamcast electronic adaptor: 12 V

INPUT (AC): 110-220V ~ 35VA 50/60hz
OUTPUT (DC): 12 V - 2.8A

I thought a laptop 12v power supply I have might work as a replacement but the end is too narrow for the TC. Would I be able to buy a replacement in the UK at an electronics store such as Maplins do you think?

Either way it's encouraging to think that its the power supply and not the console that's at fault. Many thanks for your kind help.

Maybe temporary hooked up to a good car battery? That will give you a 12 volt Direct Current testing source. Be sure engine is off to avoid voltage spike from alternator. This will at least confirm the Treamcast is good and power supply is bad.

Once that works, you can always change that end plug on the laptop power, that is if the laptop doesn't need it. Be sure amp rating on replacement is same or higher not lower. Voltage has to be the same, 50-50 chance on polarity, an electrical test meter can confirm. Even could use a duel plug connection, one machine at a time though.

[Betagam7]

Maybe temporary hooked up to a good car battery? That will give you a 12 volt Direct Current testing source. Be sure engine is off to avoid voltage spike from alternator. This will at least confirm the Treamcast is good and power supply is bad.

Once that works, you can always change that end plug on the laptop power, that is if the laptop doesn't need it. Be sure amp rating on replacement is same or higher not lower. Voltage has to be the same, 50-50 chance on polarity, an electrical test meter can confirm. Even could use a duel plug connection, one machine at a time though.

Alas I have no car at the moment and don't have anything to change the fitting on the laptop battery. I'm going to go to Maplins Electronics tomorrow and see about getting a new AC/DC 12v converter with the right fitting. Usually if you take something in they are pretty good at coming up with a match.

I'll update to say how I got on and fingers crossed the Treamcast is okay, especially since I always previously thought I had scratched the screen on it thus devaluing it but have just realised there is a plastic film over it that I've never removed and that's what is scratched

I had been planning to take it back to Sweden with me to hook up to my TV but I've since realised it would only give a B/W picture on a PAL TV so I'll take my regular 'cast instead.

[Niode]

Where do you live in the UK? If you don't mind me asking.

[CRTGAMER]

Maybe temporary hooked up to a good car battery? That will give you a 12 volt Direct Current testing source. Be sure engine is off to avoid voltage spike from alternator. This will at least confirm the Treamcast is good and power supply is bad.

Alas I have no car at the moment

You can always flag someone down, just kidding! Can you imagine reaction of the driver if you did?

Glad you got rid of that scratch. Treamcast is rare, I almost bought one for the car. I ended up just using 12 volt AC adaptor and 12 volt TFT screen. Hope that new power adaptor works out, good luck keep us posted.

[Betagam7]

Bad news I'm afraid. I bought a rather expensive (£25) replacement power supply. Ran it at 12V with the same output as noted on the Treamcast power supply:the little pictures that look a bit like this - (o +

Same problem with the screen just flicking on and off over and over again, with an interestingly observable effect.

With the TC power supply the fan dies as soon as you turn on the TC and get the flicker as if too much power is being sucked out of it and it can't power the fan.

The new power supply I bought has a blue LED that activates when its plugged into the mains.

When I switched on the TC the blue LED blinked on and off in time with the screen flashing on and off. Again it seems like turning on the TC is causing the power of the power supply to fail/start/fail/start just as the TC itself does.

If any clever people can draw any conclusions about this about what it is that the console is doing to the power supply I'd be very interested to hear theories. Either way it seems that my Treamcast power supply isn't faulty so I can take the other one back to Maplins for a refund as the guy said I could and start wondering about the machine itself.

The machine itself seems to be the source of the problem. Somehow its cutting off power every other second. Very confusing.