Dreamcast no video/sound

Hello.. I decided to pick up my old dreamcast from the closet..

I fired it up and I got no video/sound, but when I click the power button on the dc, the tv detects something because for 1sec I can see the screen flicker...

I taked it apart to look for some damaged components and I dont see anything that seems bad... Im not an expert though.

I tried 3 cables, rf, rca and one scart, I even hot wired a video rca jack to the pin 1 and 13 of the dc in last resource... and same result..

Is the dac dead like I read in some other topics? :/ I would like to play my old games

Many thanks

 

Rafa, did you clean the actual port out? i have a japanese one where it didn't work, the contacts were filthy. cleaned them off with isopropyl alcohol and BAM back in buisness

 

thanks for the aswner! I did not, just because the contacts on av port seems cristal clear, not dirty at all but I can give it a try...

 

mine looked clean, but the swab said otherwise lol

 

just did that, cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol and a swab and no luck :/ the swab came out almost clean and I rubbed it well

more ideas? many thanks

 

i know it sounds wierd, but smack the side of it. i have one that stays black unless i smack the side and never isolated the issue.

 

thanks again for the input... I just did that, smacked from the both sides some times, softer then a litle harder lol... and wigled the av cable to see if bad conection but same :/

when turn the DC on, it flickers the screen and no video/sound

 

Hello any sugestions? Do a reflow on the main board can help?

My doubt is that most people I see on the net, say that is the DAC ship.. It is faulty or it just lift a litle? if thats the case a reflow maybe can help or not? Thanks

 

This can also be caused by a faulty power supply. Instead of a reflow, I would try to change the power supply...

 

I dont have any other to test :/ I really dont want to buy other for parts, because prices are almost as working ones..

There are any test I can do to the power supply to check if its from there? thanks!

 

Well, the only thing I remember is that it took a good second till the power LED lights, after pressing the power button... With a working power supply, the LED lights up instantly with no delay when you power on the system. I've never checked the power supply with multimeter or similiar... Hope this helps

 

when I fire up the dc the led power up instantly with no delay, thanks for your answer

 

I've heard it's possible for a screw to be screwed in the wrong hole after dis-assembly and reassembly which can because ruin the av out part of the board. If you could take the console apart, and take some pictures of the circuit board where the av port is, that'd be great.

 

I can take pictures.. where is that circuit board where the av port is? near the av port? thanks

 

Yeh, like, the back left corner of the board. Like this

 

I removed the av port just to check if contacts were good.. Can you see anything wrong from the pictures?? thanks

 

Looking at the images, the board looks clean. No dodgey points or anything. So, I would say that yes, the DAC is probably to blame.

 

thanks for answer... maybe its dead or does a reflow can help? The DAC is the big dark chip on the center of the board right?

when I got the dc on for 5minutes or so that chip is the only thing that warms a litle, not that hot thought

 

Hi, here is a update....

I lost my head and I bought a dreamcast that wont read the cd's on a auction very very cheap, it will arrive tomorrow...

My question is.. all PAL dreamcasts have the same gd-rom drive model? or can it be different from mine?

It was a shot in the dark but I hope I can put my gd-rom drive on the dreamcast that will arrive tomorrow, if not its only 9$ thrown away lol

Thanks

 

just wanted to leave here what i did to my dc