PROBLEM WITH DREAMCAST PLEASE HELP!!

Post by **megadethdrumfire** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:36 pm

My dreamcasts control ports keep dyin ! about 2 week ago the controls ports died, and i got it fixed at this game store, 2 days later they died again, i brought back to the store and they gave me another dreamcast and now the ports in that one died too!!! what is going on???? HELLPPPPPPPP MEEE

ROCK!!
Dan

Post by **Scooter** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 3:57 pm

Maybe try another control pad? Perhaps the one you has is shorting out and taking the control ports with it.

Post by **Caboose** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:50 pm

Yeah, are you using and third party pads or memory cards?

Post by **gradualmeltdown** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:41 pm

where do you live that has a store cool enough to repair retro console ports! Do they have cool games too?

I would consider looking at your power. Anything suspect about the circuit or any other devices on that circuit that are out of the normal?

Post by **Niode** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:57 pm

If using a different/controller still doesn't alleviate the problem then it's a matter of the resistor on the controller interface pcb that has blown. This is quite an easy fix if you're steady with a soldering iron.

I've managed to repair my dreamcast from the above fault, the laser going and the psu migration problem and it's still going strong.

http://devcast.dcemulation.com/mods/repair/repair.php

If you follow the guide on that site and take your time you should be able to repair it yourself. I'm in no way a professional but the fix there is very straight forward as long as you don't rush it. If you're new to soldering PLEASE practice first there's plenty of guides on the internet about the subject.

Post by **megadethdrumfire** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:30 pm

This store Digital Press in New Jersey fixed it. They have tons of games ( 3do, jaguar, saturn, turbograf, cdi, neogeo and everything else!!) i just got it fixed again.. the guy told me it could be a wierd save game file, or my controler just went bad and shorts the board.. i have all offiicial sega controllers and vmus ..

Post by **megadethdrumfire** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:40 pm

the guy at the store changed two resistors on the control board today, and he told me if i go to radio shack and get new resistors he will fix the board on my other dc.. does anyone no what kind of resistors i need?

Post by **Caboose** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:46 pm

You need a 10 ohm resistor. I've done the controller port fix before, very easy. You don't necessarily need to replace the resistor, you could just twist it. If you do that though, you risk frying your system/controller board if you hook up a controller that would normally blow the resistor. You should find out what controller is causing the problem and stop using it. Very strange that an official pad would be doing that.

Post by **megadethdrumfire** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:49 am

The guy at the game store send maybe there was a saved game on the vmu that was jazzed up that caused it to short. Also my copy of half life didnt work it would just boot up to the main screen then display a wierd code, but now since i dont use the old controller anymore the game works fine!!! very strange Hopefully it will be fixed for good! the guy at the store fixed my one dreamcast, and i am gonna do the other! The 10ohm resistor is a 1/4 watt right?

Post by **Niode** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:26 am

If the dreamcast works when you use a different controller/vmu then i'd definately say that theres a problem with the controller and not the input board. I'd just get rid of the controller if you're not having the problem when you don't use it.