Dreamcast suddenly won't read Sonic Adventure

[Azoshi]

Yup, another issue. I've been having so many issues lately I'm even contemplating giving up and selling the system, I'm just so tired of it. I'll give this one a last shot, nonetheless.

I was playing Sonic Adventure completely fine this morning, but I go on to play it later today and it simply will not read the disc anymore. No matter what I try, it just won't read. Every time I put the disc in, the system boots and the usual beep noise is present and it gets to the 'SEGA' logo screen but then directs back to the menu.

The disc is in good condition and it worked completely fine a few days ago.

Because I live in Australia, I don't exactly have the option to go out and buy a new one with ease, or even import one. They're very expensive and rare to come by here, and I really can't afford a new one.

What can I do?

[BnGamesReviews]

Don't give up man, live the dream! If you could pay for shipping id send you one of my "For Parts" casts. AV port needs to be replaced, but I know the laser is good. Is yours a PAL or NTSC version? Would a NTSC laser work on a PAL'cast?

Edit: What part of AUS are you in btw? I was in Brisbane in December on Business.

[Azoshi]

Woah, really?

I'm actually in NSW and I would be willing to pay postage for that, sure!
Send me a PM with details and such, lol.

My Dreamcast is a PAL model, and I believe that the lasers are similar. Even if not, I could definitely use a 'for parts' Dreamcast of my own. It would definitely help me to learn more about the system and become less afraid of fiddling with it.

Other thing I should note is that I'm not actually completely sure whether or not its the laser of the system or the game is just one of the notorious launch copies. I have numerous other titles for the Dreamcast, all of which work flawlessly. I've intentionally scratched up a burned disc of a game and it seemed to work well too.

[omgjoz]

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvt2rID ... ata_player

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Raen]

What defines the region lock is the motherboard, so yeah, the GD-ROM drives are interchangeable between PAL and NTSC models, as also are the PSU, etc.

[Azoshi]

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvt2rID ... ata_player

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

I have actually tried this, and sadly it only managed to read the game once after that.

If the laser manages to read a damaged and scratched up CD-R perfectly but not a lightly scratched GD-R, then wouldn't that prove it's the disc and not the system? That's just what I find odd about the whole thing.

[Aleron Ives]

That depends on how you calibrated the laser. A CD-R is 20% less reflective than a pressed disc, while a CD-RW is 80% less reflective. In order to make the laser strong enough to read a CD-RW, you must make it so strong that the system will probably not be able to read GD-ROMs anymore. As such, your laser could still be calibrated poorly, but disc rot is also a possible explanation. The only way to be sure, aside from calibrating the Dreamcast with a multimeter, is to try the disc on another Dreamcast, which you can't do.

[Azoshi]

Wasn't there a way to check whether or not you had a faulty copy of Sonic Adventure by comparing rings on the bottom of the disc? I have compared it to other Dreamcast discs and there are a few odd differences, as well as what seems to be ink seeping into the disc from the inner ring.



Maybe I'm just desperately grabbing for answers, but I guess it can't help to get a second opinion nonetheless.