Can't get DC-X to work!?

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 12:17 pm

Hey thtere!

I just bought Trizeal and DC-X but when I try to use the DC-X disc the screen just goes very dark with the DC-X logo barely visible and that's as far as it gets!

Any ideas?

CMoon · Post by **CMoon** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 12:53 pm

What kind of DC do you have. I don't think it should be an issue, but later makes of the DC were more restrictive (although I though the issue was primarily with playing cd-rs).

icepick · Post by **icepick** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:00 pm

Well, it's a safety measure against loading software from CD-R/ROM (as opposed to official GD-ROM), so if the DC-X logo can be seen, then, it's loaded and the DC is fine. I think.

I've never used a DC-X before, though... Maybe when the screen is dark, you open the drive door, replace the disc, close the door, and press start? What do the directions indicate?

Thunder Force · Post by **Thunder Force** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 4:14 pm

Well to run Trizeal with DC-X, all you need to do is put your DC-X disc in, close the lid, power on the DC, wait about 20-30 seconds until the DC-X loads and stops spinning, open the lid, replace the disc with Trizeal, and close the lid finally to autostart the game.

raiden · Post by **raiden** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 4:58 pm

I have a few ideas what might cause the problem, but 3 questions first:
- what kind of cable type do you use? RGB? Component? S-Video? VGA?
- when exactly does the screen go black? Is the Sega logo still displayed in color?
- did you test the DC-X with other games? Are the results equal or different?

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 7:24 pm

raiden wrote:- what kind of cable type do you use? RGB? Component? S-Video? VGA?
- when exactly does the screen go black? Is the Sega logo still displayed in color?
- did you test the DC-X with other games? Are the results equal or different?

I use an RGB cable.

The sega logo is fine it's just when I boot the disc it seems to start loading and then it goes very dark.

I can't test it with other games as the DC-X doesn't seem to get as far as the (presumed) 'Insert disc' bit!

Thanks for all the responses!

Guardians Knight · Post by **Guardians Knight** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 8:43 pm

sounds like your DC-X disc is fecked mate. I'd take/send it back. Perhaps try it on a friends DC first.

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:13 pm

I found an old RF lead and tried it with that - and it worked! It obviously doesn't like the RGB signal. So...I now have a crappy picture but at least I can play imports now! Border Down here I come!

(If I can find it!!)

Kron · Post by **Kron** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:24 pm

DC-X works fine with an RGB lead, Either your lead or disc need looking into.

icepick · Post by **icepick** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:26 pm

Hmm. Well, if you can get the routine down with the RF lead, maybe you could do it with the RGB cable even though the DC-X screen doesn't show up completely... I mean, technically it's still working, but without clear video display, isn't that right?

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:39 pm

Kron wrote:DC-X works fine with an RGB lead, Either your lead or disc need looking into.

I've always used the lead with my PAL games and never had a problem. I don't see how the disc can be at fault if it works with the RF siganal - could you give suggestions?

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:41 pm

icepick wrote:Hmm. Well, if you can get the routine down with the RF lead, maybe you could do it with the RGB cable even though the DC-X screen doesn't show up completely... I mean, technically it's still working, but without clear video display, isn't that right?

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by getting the routine down! When you say 'without clear video display' you're not joking!! You really can't see very much - the screen is almost black!

icepick · Post by **icepick** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:49 pm

I'm not sure of whether or not the DC-X is hitting a wall when you use the RGB cable itself, but, I was thinking that you could do whatever it is that you do with the RF lead, but with the RGB cable instead -- As in, make a note of the process when using the RF lead, and then try it with the RGB cable, without being able to see the screen.

Again, I have no experience with the DC-X, but, surely you could succeed, with a little bit of trial-and-error!

iatneH · Post by **iatneH** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 9:51 pm

Try using a different boot disc.
You can download the Utopia disc for free (although I'm not sure if it will work with PAL consoles)

Kron · Post by **Kron** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:37 pm

Utopia is crap. Especially for PAL consoles as it defaults most games to 50hz.

TVG · Post by **TVG** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:47 pm

press a button at some point to open a menu and setup the output, i think its before you close the lid with the DC game in, but not sure.

Guardians Knight · Post by **Guardians Knight** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 10:53 pm

there are some games that just wont display in vga at all. I know cos i've got a couple. Occasionally you'll get one that will work even tho your monitor doesnt like the vga box but it's usually down to the game and monitor in question.

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:17 pm

icepick wrote:I was thinking that you could do whatever it is that you do with the RF lead, but with the RGB cable instead -- As in, make a note of the process when using the RF lead, and then try it with the RGB cable, without being able to see the screen.

Again, I have no experience with the DC-X, but, surely you could succeed, with a little bit of trial-and-error!

I tried that but the screen is still just very dark...

icepick · Post by **icepick** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 1:15 am

Pedro Lambrini wrote:I tried that but the screen is still just very dark...

Ohhh... You mean... The import loads, and the import is as dark as the DC-X screen... right? I get it, sorry about that.

Kron might be right; There might be something amiss with your RGB cable (as it seems that the disc might not be detecting it).

Edit- Removed "bad idea" #42057.

raiden · Post by **raiden** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 6:24 am

is your DC constantly connected to your TV, or do you set it up for play and put it away afterwards? When you get that black screen with the DC-X, did you try other games (without DC-X) and they worked fine?
The dark screen can be caused by an RGB cable that´s only loosely connected, and the DC socket gets worse over time.
Another possibility: Scart RGB cables transmit a composite signal along with the RGB. It could be that your TV doesn´t accept RGB (or maybe only on another Scart socket) and displays composite instead. When DC-X forces pure RGB and leaves the composite signal out, you would get a dark picture like you describe. Can you make sure your TV is actually displaying RGB? Does the manual say something about this?

Specineff · Post by **Specineff** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 6:29 am

I have a DCX and gets all messed up when using VGA, but as soon as the disc stops spinning, I put in the new one, and that does the trick.

Kron · Post by **Kron** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:09 am

icepick wrote:Well, here's an experiment (that might be unadvisable): Start DC-X up with the RF lead, and then, swap the RGB cable in place of the RF lead, before opening the drive door and replacing the disc.

Its a very bad idea to hotswap video leads on a powered on DC as it can blow the videochip.

icepick · Post by **icepick** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 3:13 pm

Kron wrote:Its a very bad idea to hotswap video leads on a powered on DC as it can blow the videochip.

Noted, thank you. I mentioned that it might be unadvisable as a precaution, but I've now removed the entire mention in my post. Sorry about that!

raiden wrote:The dark screen can be caused by an RGB cable that´s only loosely connected, and the DC socket gets worse over time.

Back with my launch DC (safely stored away and unmodified), I always left the AV cable connected, because I had this saying drilled into my head about how I should "disconnect the AV cable only when absolutely necessary" or something like that. The compulsion to keep it connected has faded over time, especially with my currently-used modified DC, but I think that I'll get back to making sure not to disconnect and reconnect it unnecessarily, especially given that there's no real reason that I should.

Now, I'm all worried about the AV out port... I wonder if I should keep a cable connected to my stored-away DC to keep dust out and oxidation to a minimum...

Pedro Lambrini · Post by **Pedro Lambrini** » Sun Apr 17, 2005 6:26 pm

#yeah, I try never to disconnect any of my consoles. IT can only have negative consequences...Anyway, I have just managed to get a composite cable and a VGA box so I am now going to give them a try (wish me luck!)

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 2:16 am

Kron wrote:Its a very bad idea to hotswap video leads on a powered on DC as it can blow the videochip.

Yeah, it's bad to hotswap carts and cables on any console AFAIK. Could easily fry any number of stuff.