Can't get this bloody Dreamcast to work

[cheaterdragon1]

My AV cable for my Dreamcast arrived in the mail today. I was finally ready to play some Dreamcast games. I put Sonic Adventure in and nothing seems to happen. The Dreamcast word appears and so does the swirl, but nothing else happens, it just sorta stays on that screen for a couple minutes then eventually goes to the Dreamcast main menu.

I have only one other game, Shenmue. I put in disc 1, and have also tried the passport and it reads both discs. But it's really noisy. It sounds like the Dreamcast is gonna scratch/harm the discs.

I've never had a Dreamcast before so I know nothing about the system. Someone please help!

[QuickSciFi]

It's "noisy" because "it's thinking".

Other than that, sounds like you have a problem with either the discs or the laser. I vote for the former; but you never know.

Good luck

[Yoder]

Yes, this is what they do when they don't read the disc... Could be a bad laser. I have one doing the exact same thing. Ironically it eventually reads some (but my quit mid-game) and does better with backups the originals.

I think they're often noisy, but you may wanna check that the CD is fitting firmly on the spindle. I had a PS1 doing that and it was because a little bearing had popped out of the spindle thing and the disc was getting all nutty in there while it was spinning.

It's very possible you need a new laser. I'm assuming you cleaned the lens well with isopropanol?

[cheaterdragon1]

Ironically it eventually reads some (but my quit mid-game) and does better with backups the originals.

I'll try a back up of Sonic Adventure later.

It's very possible you need a new laser. I'm assuming you cleaned the lens well with isopropanol?

I did. Doesn't seem to help.

Great so I need a new Dreamcast console.

[Obviously]

The Dreamcast sounds like a chainsaw, that's just the way it is.

Oddly enough my Dreamcast has a really hard time playing Sonic Adventure as well. That's the only game it has difficultly reading. I can get it to read after trying a few times usually though.

[Yoder]

If you wanna buy a new console and are interested, PM me. I have at least one extra one I can sell.

But first, I'd open it up and try to crank up the laser power. You can also tape down a lid switch and run it with the lid open so that you can see what it's up to....you might be able to get it working if you mess with it. I need to do the same to one of mine that I picked up from a thrift store recently. I bought it b/c it came with a black controller :-)

[old man]

Yea the DC is noisy as hell. Your sonic disc doesn't have any scratches does it?

[cheaterdragon1]

If you wanna buy a new console and are interested, PM me. I have at least one extra one I can sell.

Hmmm, I already Pmed mrbigreddog but I will drop you one as well.

But first, I'd open it up and try to crank up the laser power. You can also tape down a lid switch and run it with the lid open so that you can see what it's up to....you might be able to get it working if you mess with it. I need to do the same to one of mine that I picked up from a thrift store recently. I bought it b/c it came with a black controller :-)

Can you tell me the spot where I can adjust the laser? (Or give me a picture?)

Yea the DC is noisy as hell. Your sonic disc doesn't have any scratches does it?

Disc looks like it's brand new.

[Yoder]

I haven't opened one of these up yet, but I'm gonna try on this one that I have that's doing the same thing yours is doing. I just have too many projects and too little time :-)

My two-year-old loves it though, and he's used to it. Whenever he picks up something electronic in the house, the first question he asks is "Does this work?" ;-)