My Dreamcast. My Easter project. (PHOTOS INSIDE!)

Pyongyang · 22-04-2011 7:26pm #1

So, as mentioned previously, I took the plunge and bought my first ever retro console (I nearly bought a Saturn at the same time, but it was a PAL one and I want a Japanese one).

I got it for 60 Euro from Adverts.ie today of a good lad who was in to his consoles. He told me the console and games had been in storage for 4 years in his attic and it showed, it was filthy!

On the way home I stopped off at a few stores and collected some cleaning supplies. I was looking for Isopropyl Alcohol but stumbled across Sugar Soap in B&Q. A quick Google on my phone and I found a retro forum thread from another person who used sugar soap on their Dreamcast and recommended it. I am in complete agreement, the stuff is amazing. Here's the cleaning kit I used (minus a CD lens cleaning kit which is out of shot).

Alas the photos I took don't do it justice how filthy this console and accessories was but here's a few before photos:

And here are some 'after' cleaning photos. Hope you like them, took me the best part of four hours to clean the whole lot including the game cases and boxes!

And here is everything cleaned and together. I cleaned the cables, boxes and game cases too. The discs themselves were scracth free. Delighted with myself!

Pyongyang · 22-04-2011 7:27pm

Now I can't wait to buy Japanese SHMUPS! I have a few upgrades on the way, including a VGA > HDMI cable and a Component to VGA DC Box. Alas this system only has the RF box so I'm going to have to buy a component kit I guess. Any ideas where?

Alas I can't enjoy my Dreamcast tonight, heading out to a birthday party BBQ and some scoops. Still, tomorrow I'll have a blast on it for sure!

pdbhp · 22-04-2011 7:29pm

Nice job, really cleaned up well.
Whats this "sugar soap" you speak of? I have a few items that could do with a spruce

Pyongyang · 22-04-2011 7:35pm

pdbhp wrote: »

Nice job, really cleaned up well.
Whats this "sugar soap" you speak of? I have a few items that could do with a spruce

Thanks! I'm disappointed with my HTC Desire camera as in the before photos it really doesn't show the putrid muck everything was caked in before I took to cleaning it.

Really did have to scrub hard to get it clean but the sugar soap is a miracle worker. I found it in B&Q for about 4.50 a bottle. Use it sparingly and it works a treat. I also used a womans nail kit as the cuticle pusher helps get in to the tight spots for cleaning. Picked all the cleaning stuff up in a Euro shop. Bargain!

In honesty though I need to really take the keyboard apart and hoover it clean (same with the main console) but I simply haven't the time today. They are 99% clean though so I'm happy with that.

The big plus is how the sugar soap really de-yellows everything, note on the label it gets rid of nicotine stains, hence I think it did a good job.

Can't wait to get gaming now!

pdbhp · 22-04-2011 7:40pm

Think I'll get me some sugar soap tomorrow and clean the ould Gameboy, honestly you'd think I stored it in a coal mine since 1989

Pyongyang · 22-04-2011 7:45pm

pdbhp wrote: »

Think I'll get me some sugar soap tomorrow and clean the ould Gameboy, honestly you'd think I stored it in a coal mine since 1989

HAH! Go easy on the GB though with this stuff. I sprayed it directly on to kitchen roll and scrubbed away. Wiped away excess with a dry sheet of kitchen roll and then finished with a scrub of Windowlene and again, buffed it off with a dry sheet of kitchen roll.

It's great stuff, show us some before and after photos too!

CiDeRmAn · 22-04-2011 7:55pm

A beautiful new Dreamcast!
It's that time!
Time to party like it's....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnuijDieOvY

Steve X2 · 22-04-2011 9:27pm

If you have a old console or old computer that is very yellow it's worth trying to restore it with retr0brite. You have to mix it up yourself but it really does the job.

http://retr0bright.wikispaces.com/

I used it on my Mac Classic and it was very yellow and is now its original white colour.

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Atavan-Halen · 22-04-2011 9:47pm

Lovely dreamcast and a good selection of games too! Nice job!

Professey Chin · 22-04-2011 9:47pm

Sooo clean and pretty!

K.O.Kiki · 22-04-2011 9:49pm

OP, you can get a Dreamcast VGA cable either on eBay or via racketBoy's site:
http://www.racketboy.com/store/sega-dreamcast/dreamcast-vga-cable-box.html

Pyongyang · 23-04-2011 9:26am

Thanks everyone.

I had seen retr0brite before but never used it. I think for this task it might have been overkill as the console wasn't too badly yellowed. The controllers were actually a LOT worse than the console although as I said before, the before photos don't really do my 4 hour cleaning job justice thanks to my smartphone camera quality (which is a bit stupid of me when I have a Nikon DSLR I should have used).

Thanks for the link for the VGA cable, I'll be sure to pick one up as I don't want to use the RF box the console came with. I have VGA box from Hong Kong on the way as well as a VGA > HDMI cable too. So I think after having invested the money already I'm going to grab a component cable for now. Might be the best option.

Although everyone says I don't need to, I still want to get the console modded! I read too that my model, a 3030, won't play CDR's or boot from an Action Replay disk, is this true the later models can't?

I also want to make sure it's been region set to play NTSC games and output to my plasma TV at 60hz. I can get one for 14 GBP delivered but I have no idea how to install such a thing.

Anyone fancy a nixer?

edit: Thanks KO Kiki, I didn't see you can connect the VGA>HDMI to the VGA connector on the cable! I think I'll cancel my eBay order from HK for the VGA converter box as they are not posting it until the 26th. Unless it's too late now in which case if anyone wants to buy it off me or trade for games or something you're more than welcome.

polyfusion · 23-04-2011 12:04pm

Pyongyang wrote: »

...
Although everyone says I don't need to, I still want to get the console modded! I read too that my model, a 3030, won't play CDR's or boot from an Action Replay disk, is this true the later models can't?...

Apparently, there are some later models that won't play MIL-CDs, but (IIRC) most (if not all) of these ended up in the US and JAP regions.

The only way to be sure is to get a known working disk and try it in the unit. I certainly wouldn't mod a DC if it didn't need it.

I have 4 PAL DCs in the house here, all 3030's, and all play the Action Replay CDX Demo Disk, both original and images that I duplicated myself, and downloaded from the internet (all in the name of experimentation). The other code number ends in either D or E on 2 pairs of my 4; yours is a C, and in all likelyhood, older than mine, and more likely not going to have problems with playing MIL-CDs (unless there is some performance degradation in the GD-ROM unit).

Also, the laser warning sticker is covering some vent holes. Might be a good idea to remove it, I've always done it on my own, and more often than not, they're in foreign language anyway, so pretty much redundant.

megaten · 23-04-2011 2:18pm

Pyongyang wrote: »

Thanks everyone.

Although everyone says I don't need to, I still want to get the console modded! I read too that my model, a 3030, won't play CDR's or boot from an Action Replay disk, is this true the later models can't?

I also want to make sure it's been region set to play NTSC games and output to my plasma TV at 60hz. I can get one for 14 GBP delivered but I have no idea how to install such a thing.

My model number is 3030 and plays cd-r's just fine.

Optimus Prime · 23-04-2011 2:57pm

First thing i do whenever i get anything is take it apart and clean it inside and out. its amazing how good these consoles come out when give a bit of a clean. I usually take them apart, clean the boards etc and the other half looks after the cases, buttons and all the plastic bits. You would be amazed the filth on some of these things. THe only thing thats ever beaten me was a megadrive controller someone had painted with TipEx. We tried, but alas there was nothing we could do for it.

Steve X2 · 23-04-2011 6:39pm

keithgeo wrote: »

THe only thing thats ever beaten me was a megadrive controller someone had painted with TipEx. We tried, but alas there was nothing we could do for it.

Hand sanitising gel usually gets TipEx out.

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Optimus Prime · 23-04-2011 8:12pm

Yeh i tried lot of stuff to get it off, the enitre controller was painted white. it ended up taking the black paint off the controller too.

scrapsmac · 25-04-2011 1:35pm

hey dude. I'm not sure if you're looking but Amazon UK (perhaps Ireland) are selling dreamcast vibration packs for £1.95 delivered!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00004U1UV/ref=nosim/?tag=hotukdeals-21

Mr.Saturn · 26-04-2011 2:36am

What's the best way to check the manufacture date of a Dreamcast? I was told there was sticker displaying it on the bottom of the console, but I can't see anything from those pictures.

Steve X2 · 26-04-2011 10:10am

Mr.Saturn wrote: »

What's the best way to check the manufacture date of a Dreamcast? I was told there was sticker displaying it on the bottom of the console, but I can't see anything from those pictures.

I think if you check the bottom of the DC it has a manufacture code on it that represents the DC revision. 0 is the first revision(launch console), 1 is the second and 2 is the third. The 3rd revision is the one that some people say doesn't play CD-R's very well but I have yet to find one so cant say for sure.

Some people on other forums say that the 3rd revision was only released in Japan after Oct 2000 so it would be very rare to find one around Europe.

Edit: After having a look it seems that revision 1 is the console to get as the GD-Rom drive is a better quality one than the other revisions.

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My Dreamcast. My Easter project. (PHOTOS INSIDE!)

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