Urgent help!

[luso_dreamcaster]

I'm having a major problem with my Dreamcast. When I turn it on, it won't detect my controller.

[Macabre]

A youtube demo showing the problem.

I would strongly recommend being extremely careful when doing that. I'd suggest relying on that video just so you get the understanding of what happened.

You can also buy replacement resistors.

Or, like me, you can get a small wire and literally remove the resistors permanently, and solder two bits of wire where the resistors used to be - permanently bridging their connection.

OOOOrrr... You can buy another dreamcast on ebay for real cheap (look for a "broken" one that the seller says doesn't read discs - most likely the controller port is still good), and just swap out the part completely.

[luso_dreamcaster]

What you are telling me is that the problem is the console.
Because i have 4 controllers and they dont work!

[Captain Dreamcast]

What you are telling me is that the problem is the console.
Because i have 4 controllers and they dont work!

You controller port is fried.

No controller in the world will work with your console right now.

OKAY, THIS IS CRUCIAL: NEVER EVER USE A 10 OHMAGE RESISTANCE. 5 IS PERFECTLY FINE, NO MATTER WHAT THE GUIDES TELL YOU. [/capslock]

I had the same problem as you and thanks two this damn 10 resistance I can only use two controller ports simultanously right now.
That reminds me, anyone here willing to part with a 5 Ohmage resistance?

Just for the record, what controller fried your port? Some cheap third-party junk?

[K_I_R_E_E_K]

The resistor is like a fuse in that case, to much power and it can be damaged.

1st you need to see what triggered this, it happened to me and the problem was 1 specific controler.
To check what is the blame without blowing out fuses, simply replace the resistor to one with a 0 ohm, or in terms you can understand, simply replace with something that will not make any resistance such as a plain wire (paper clips are good enough)

Assuming you feel confortable with soldering, simply replace and test the console.
Then test the controllers 1 by 1, if when connecting 1 controler, the image on screen, the fan, the ligths all start to fail (slowly) then that controler is the blame.
Usually the cause is a short circuit in a place that can't happen, when bending the controler cable, you may damage the protective layer overtime, if by any chance the core of the wires touch, then a short circuit will happen and will zap all the power from the DC when connecting, that resistor inside the dc broke to prevent any damage to the console.

here's a pic of me replacing the old resistor (it's more like a fuse anyway, with such low resistance values) with a paper clip, since the paper clip can't be damaged then it was nice to see wich one of my controlers were damaged.
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/6736/2104071810.jpg