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General and Gaming => Hardware and Tech => Topic started by: razorbeamz on August 23, 2014, 09:44:30 pm

Title: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: razorbeamz on August 23, 2014, 09:44:30 pm
My Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading any sort of controller input. It boots up to the "input date and time" screen and will not read either controller I have. It worked just fine yesterday. Is this a known problem with an easy fix?
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: bikingjahuty on August 23, 2014, 10:59:20 pm
Eee, that's bad.


This is a relatively common problem with Dreamcasts. I forgot the exact cause of it, but I will research it a bit and see if there is an easy fix. Luckily, if the system is bricked or the fix is a complex, DCs can be had for $30 or less pretty easily.
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: foxhack on August 23, 2014, 11:24:14 pm
Sounds like a third party pad blew the controller port. Sometimes original controllers will do that too.

It -can- be fixed, but requires a bit of soldering.
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: dreama1 on August 24, 2014, 04:47:10 am
Funny you were just talking about the dreamcast not long ago.
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: razorbeamz on August 25, 2014, 04:05:43 pm
Sounds like a third party pad blew the controller port. Sometimes original controllers will do that too.

It -can- be fixed, but requires a bit of soldering.

I think I might just sell it cheap to someone who can fix it then and just go get another one. Unless of course someone can repair it for me for less than $20. I have absolutely no soldering skills.
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: dreama1 on August 25, 2014, 05:15:37 pm
Sounds like a third party pad blew the controller port. Sometimes original controllers will do that too.

It -can- be fixed, but requires a bit of soldering.

I think I might just sell it cheap to someone who can fix it then and just go get another one. Unless of course someone can repair it for me for less than $20. I have absolutely no soldering skills.
Did you try holding the plug socket in a upper position?
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: ciberseba on August 28, 2014, 12:57:50 pm
Is the controller panel. In Dreamcast systems is one of the most frequent issues.
If you can get a Dreamcast with other type of issues, you can use it and replace that. It's easy to change it.
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: Jakandsig on August 30, 2014, 05:42:49 pm
My Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading any sort of controller input. It boots up to the "input date and time" screen and will not read either controller I have. It worked just fine yesterday. Is this a known problem with an easy fix?

Take a damp cloth or paper towel, wipe the edge of the controller insent. and the port on the console itself, plug it in and shake it up and down a bit for static, turn the device on. Might take two times. It works most of the time until you unplug the controller. Not a permanent fix.
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: cobraseph on October 24, 2014, 08:48:36 pm
one of mines had the same problem. i just open it and clean it. the control ports can be disconnected. i just did that and after cleaning it connect it back. all four ports worked fine. i did saw that the controllers can get grimy and also get rust on the terminals. try cleaning them too and add a needle amount of anti rust gel. and if it doesn't work all the internal parts can be purchased and almost anything need soldering.
Title: Re: Dreamcast suddenly stopped reading controller input
Post by: crabhammer on November 05, 2015, 02:04:33 am
I have had to fix the controller board on every Dreamcast I've had my hands on. It's more involved than just solder and you have to have a certain type of fuse resistors. If I remember when I get home from work, I'll look up the part number for the resistors and post pictures of what needs to be replaced. It's a simple repair, if not an irritating one.