Dreamcast Question

[namedos]

I've had a Dreamcast for several years with a bunch of games.  Haven't played it for about a year, dusted it off, plugged it in and I can't advance the part where it asks you to put in the date.  Nothing happens, it just sits at that spot.  Thought it might be the controller.  Tried 5 different ones in each plug.  Nothing.  Tried different games.  Nothing.  Tried no games.  Nothing.

Went down and bought a used machine for $20.  Same problem.  Tried new controller from the used machine.  Nothing.

Tried different input plugs on the TV.  Nothing.  It is getting power, the power light is on, I can hear the disc spinning.

Only other thing I can think of is the signal cable to the TV but I'm getting the start up Dreamcast sequence so it is getting a signal.

I tore one of the machines apart to take a look at the connectors and everything looked fine with all the pieces in place.

Any suggestions??

[SteveJ34]

In situations like this I have often discovered it to be a short between the chair and the keyboard or in this circumstance, the gamepad.

Are you certain you are pressing the correct button to accept the date?

[abrannan]

Bad battery in the DC?  Tends to be a problem with them this old especially when they haven't been plugged in in months.

[namedos]

I tried pressing every button and moving every control on the pad and nothing happened.

Where is the batter located in the DC?  Is it similar to a battery on a PC?

Thanks!

[abrannan]

It's soldered in place inside the DC, but otherwise, yes, it's similar to a CMOS battery on a PC.  It's the same 3V rechargable that's in the Memory modules.

[Otraotaku]

I had the same problem with my Dreamcast,iumm... well tried to create controller hacks and fried one of the Risistors on the Controller Port, and replaced them with cheap Radio shack ones and works fine... ^.<

but as you described as not getting past the Date/Time...its exactlyhow it was for me... ^.^

but Two Dreamcasts!?! thats just bad luck...

[Dave_K.]

Yes, this both of your DC's have a fried controller port fuse.  It may be you have a bad joystick that fried one, then fried the other one. 

You will have to follow the instructions for soldering a resistor in place of the small blue fuse.  Then when you power it up, make sure you are only using an original Sega pad with no VMU or rumble pack in it.  3rd party rumble packs sometimes cause the fuse to blow.

[namedos]

Ok, I'm back to confused.  The only controllers I have our original Sega ones.  One rumble pad and a couple of VMU's (Sega as well).

Do I have a batter problem, a controller problem or both???

[SOAPboy]

Ok, I'm back to confused.

[Dave_K.]

Ok, I'm back to confused.  The only controllers I have our original Sega ones.  One rumble pad and a couple of VMU's (Sega as well).

Do I have a batter problem, a controller problem or both???

1) you have two dreamcasts with a blown joystick port, you will need to replace the fuse with a resister, per instructions on the net.
2) you also have a joystick that either has a short on the +5 or uses a Rumble/VMU that shorts the +5.  If you conintue to use this joystick, you will continue to blow the fuses.

I suggest removing all VMU and Runmble packs from your joysticks, pick the cleanest/newest one, and use that for testing when you repair the two broken dreamcasts.

After that point proceed slowly by testing each joystick, then each vmu, then each rumble pack, to tell you which one may be the culpret.