Dreamcast Modchip Problemo

[egparadigm]

Hey peeps,

I hope this is an acceptable thread, as the modchip only interferes with the region lock-out and not playing pirate games. Please delete if inappropriate.

Been waiting around all day for various delivery men and techsperts who never turn up on time, so I decided to have a go at installing my Dreamcast mod chip.

I've now got it installed and my Dreamcast just starts up to a black screen most of the time. Sometimes it stays black, sometimes it eventually gets to the logo and sometimes it gets all the way to the front end. Once in a blue moon it will go straight to it. Even when it does, though, it refuses to start a PAL game.

The machine has been modified to USA mode using R512 - although I removed this wire before testing the console.

I've used a continuity test to check the wires and solder points are in tact and verified they're soldered to the correct points, but no joy. I have also removed the chip from the equation and the console works as normal like this.

Is the only conclusion that the chip is faulty? Is there any way to test the chip?

(EDIT: Got hold of Rob now, and it's definitely the same installation method.)

Thanks all.

[Link83]

Usually I get this exact same thing when the GD-Rom drive isnt inserted properly - I know it sounds daft as you would think the lid wouldnt fit back on if it wasnt in properly, but it is in fact possible to put the lid back on without the GD-Drive being properly aligned.

The other thing it could be is the controller port ribbon cable/fan wire not being fully inserted - I'd definitely try re-seating these connections and then seeing if that helps at all.

Good Luck

<EDIT> Oh the other thing to make sure is that the modchip wires are in the correct order - Robs guide is good, but not all the modchips have the same color coding - the one I bought from Rob didnt. Its important to make sure the wires are connected to the right points - ignore the wire colours.

[egparadigm]

I did a bit of googling earlier and came up with the GDROM idea. I have made sure of all the obvious things like that, but I'll give it another go in a bit.

[egparadigm]

Right I've triple checked it now and screwed it all up nice and tight. Still nothing.

I can't see any room for improvement in all the plugs, etc. GDROM's all the way down, all the cables are fully inserted. The only thing I didn't do was re-seat the fan wire. As I say, I undid all the wires and it worked fine and I didn't do anything special that time.

I'm going to have to leave this until Wednesday now. If anyone has any bright ideas, let me know.

[Link83]

Sorry, not much else to suggest really

Maybe if you can take a picture of the modchip and the connections we could double check them? <clutching at straws>

[Shinebi]

Be sure to connect the fan wire, without the MOBO won't work properly... So the chip tries to patch the mobo on the fly, but because of the error this won't fully work. Maybe check my guide here, don't know if it's different from the one you used.

[NeilMcRae]

why not use a boot disc to play multi region?

[egparadigm]

Be sure to connect the fan wire, without the MOBO won't work properly... So the chip tries to patch the mobo on the fly, but because of the error this won't fully work. Maybe check my guide here, don't know if it's different from the one you used.

Thanks very much. Will look at this tomorrow.

The fan is connected, I just didn't reseat the connector, btw.

I'll also look into the actual connections on the chip/post pictures if I can't find another solution.

[egparadigm]

I've now re-seated the fan and it made no difference. Whatsmore, the fan is definitely on, I can feel a powerful blast coming out, so it's not that. Also, the drive successfully read the region changer boot disk so the disc drive must be working. I can use the controller, too, so I assume that (and the working fan) rules out the ribbon cable.

Is it possible that there is something else unplugged? Does the modem make a difference? I have the modem attached, but maybe it's not connected properly?

Would the fact that I have a PAL machine set to USA through R512/boot disk make a difference?

What I really don't understand is why 1/4 of the time I can get to the dash, but the rest of the time I'm stuck on a black screen. It *usually* works the first time I start the machine after plugging it in, but never after that (not tested extensively).

[Link83]

Id definitely want to check the wiring of the modchip, as its designed to alter the bios boot process and its the last likely suspect. Pictures would really help

<EDIT> Oh and the R512 region change mod shouldnt have caused any problems - I have done the exact same mods on the same console and didnt have these issues. Out of interested did you confirm the final region change had worked successfully before installing the modchip?

[egparadigm]

Yeah, I've removed the modchip and it works fine without it. Not 100&#37; sure, though, because I haven't got any US games to test. Might be worth investigating. I'll look into all this at some point in the next 7 days. Got an assignment deadline, so it may have to wait.

[AndyB]

If you are close to Blackpool you can drop it off and I can have a look at it for free. I have modded plenty of DC's and I can probably sort it for you

AndyB

[egparadigm]

Unfortunately not, dude, but thanks for the offer. Still haven't had an opportunity to look into it.

At least I've got my N64 to play on.

[egparadigm]

Just fixed this. Go me!

I had the A and B wires the wrong way round on the chip. Can't work out how I managed to check it over several times and still not notice this elementary error. It was partly because on mmmonkey's guide he had them written down the wrong way round on the first mention. I guess I just had too much on my mind last week.

I have a peculiar problem now with Pen Pen Trilcelon, which was given to me by Howiee. Someone who knows about the boot sequence should be able to put me right:

Even with the modchip removed and the console set to JPN using the region hack, the game gets past the Dreamcast logo, brings up the SEGA rights and then gives up, shows the dreamcast logo again and refuses to boot from the dash. Is the game disc damaged?

I'm pretty confident the chip works, as I played PAL Chu Chu Rocket and my basketball game with the machine set to US.

[Link83]

Glad you got it sorted I had a feeling it was going to be the modchip wiring!

Regarding Pen Pen Tricelon - it sounds like a scratched disk problem to me - ive had the same thing happen with a PAL copy of Craxy Taxi which will only load the 'licensed by sega' screen. Maybe you could try and get the disk resurfaced?

Also note that some Dreamcast lasers are more picky than others...