Question about the Dreamcast AC Adapter

Basically, this is the dillema I am in: I have the Dreamcast and the cord to the TV, but the AC adapter is missing. This is the problem I have: I can use another power cord, but the Dreamcast will not work. It will turn on, but it will not beep.

My question is this: Is my Dreamcast broken, or do I need the AC Adapter for the Dreamcast itself to work?

 

Why are you calling it an AC Adapter? It's just a power cable.

If you are using a cable that fits and it doesn't turn on, then I guess your Dreamcast is dead. Power-wise.

 

It turns on, but the beep that happends when you usually turn it on does not happen and nothing shows up on the screen. In truth, I did not remember if the Dreamcast used a AC Adapter like the Saturn or a standard power cable like the Xbox does. Thing is, the back of the dreamcast has a O shape then a triangle-like shape, although the OO shaped power cords fit.

 

xbox cable is not standard, the saturn/dc one is.

 

The OO shape is the power connection. Sounds like a dead DC. Check your video connection, if it's good then you've got a problem.

 

the xbox one is standard to. lol, I needed a extra one the other day so I pulled out a old playstation one and used a knife to shave the corners off the square side of the plug so that it would physically fit into the xbox and it works like a champ.

As for the DC/Saturn they use a standard power cord that lots of things use. You could try another cord and see if it still does it, however it most likly is something wrong with the DC.

 

Nobody mentioned this but the DC doesn't beep anyway. It's the VMU that beeps to let you know the batteries are dead.

Yakumo

 

If it's turning on in the first place, it can't be a power issue, unless he's supplying the incorrect voltage (110/220v). I doubt it would act like that anyway.

 

Yakumo is right, its the VMU that beeps if its battarys are dead. And Alchy is also right, most likly you dont have a power issue if its getting power. Make sure that when you turn it on the light comes on and the fan on the side is spinning. If you just arnt getting a picture you may have bad cables, it may be hooked up wrong, or there could be a internal problem. Whenever I find a system like that I always try to open them up, sometimes its a modchip install gone wrong. I have gotten 2 PS chips free that way lol, I bought the units at sales and when they didnt work I cracked them open to find chips. They work fine, they were just installed wrong.

Anyway with the unit on, insert a DC game or music CD. See if it spins up and you can hear it reading the disc. If you cant hit some buttons on the controller since it may want the time and date if its been unhooked for a while. If after that it still dosent try to read the disc I would say you have a internal issue. If it does read and you can hear it, then try another cable and make sure its all hooked up right. Hope this helps you out. Good luck.

 

I know the Japanese DC consoles have a slightly different power cord socket than then US one. The US one has the OO shaped socket whereas the JPN version differs. I was told when I ordered my JPN Dc from japangamestock to make sure I ordered the appropriate power cable since the US ones wouldn't work properly.

 

Usually it's the Japanese consoles that have the OO, while the North American consoles have the circle-square.

 

My PAL UK DC has the OO-style power connector.

 

All my US Dreamcasts have circle square power hookups. I have never seen one with a OO style. Anyway like I said earlier if you need to make a 00 then just take a circle, square and shave off the corners of the square until it fits and then it will work just fine

 

The beep is usually made by a VMU in the joypad. Did you take it out?

Not sure why it won't display anything though. Have you checked all the AV connections?

 

AH, I see now. I never turned on a Dreamcast before now without the VMU, so that is why I always thought it came from the console. Anywho, like I said: Power will come on (Orange light), but nothing will appear on the screen. Granted, I am using a 3rd Party AV Cable, but that one worked just fine before.

 

So do you hear the disc spin up?

 

Probably. The DC power supply is notoriously bad. I had a problem with mine, it started shutting down while playing games and then wouldn't come on at all.

I opened it up and removed the power board & there were black scorch marks on the motherboard connector, after cleaning that it works fine. I found a guide about it on the net.

You can probably get a replacement power board, but it's probably best to give it a good clean first.

smf

 

u gays shut up.....

 

Constructive...

 

If you can send a pic of your existing power cable end and the back of your DC, I can send you a new cable to try out. Sounds to me like your internal power board is fried or malfunctioning.