Dreamcast casing turning yellow

[segagamer]

I noticed a few days ago that my US launch Dreamcast console has turned a light but noticeable shade/tint of yellow for the top half, but the bottom half seems unaffected. My DC has never been in direct or indirect sunlight, I have never smoked and I hardly ever cook, so I don't quite understand why it has changed color. The only thing I can think of is that I don't dust my consoles regularly and keep them clean like I used to. Anyone else has experienced this color change, and what, if anything, can be done to restore the DC back to its original white-gray color?

[SegaAges]

I noticed a few days ago that my US launch Dreamcast console has turned a light but noticeable shade/tint of yellow for the top half, but the bottom half seems unaffected. My DC has never been in direct or indirect sunlight, I have never smoked and I hardly ever cook, so I don't quite understand why it has changed color. The only thing I can think of is that I don't dust my consoles regularly and keep them clean like I used to. Anyone else has experienced this color change, and what, if anything, can be done to restore the DC back to its original white-gray color?

You can seriously buy a used dc for $25 without any coloring issues. if it is the nostalalgia in you, buy a super cheap used dc, and swap the tops. that would seriously take you all of 5-10 minutes to swap the tops

[NaturalChemical]

A while back, I read about some solution people learned how to make that could restore the proper color to consoles. I wonder if I can find that link again...

[Leo_A]

It's called RetroBright I believe and should cure the problem.

It's yellowing through no fault of you. It's just the plastic itself reacting to it's chemical composition over time that has caused the yellowing.

[Emperor Megas]

It's the same issue as the original SNES consoles, I imagine.

[Bojay1997]

A while back, I read about some solution people learned how to make that could restore the proper color to consoles. I wonder if I can find that link again...

It's not really a permanent solution though. You can essentially strip off the top layer and remove part of the plastic using that technique, but unless the console is kept in an oxygen free state, the yellowing will return eventually. Unfortunately, even if the console has never been exposed to light, smoke, heat, etc...it will yellow over time. The rate at which it yellows depends on how it is stored, but someday, every light colored console will turn yellow.

[Swamperon]

The rate at which it yellows depends on how it is stored, but someday, every light colored console will turn yellow.

That's a fairly horrifying thought. Hurrah for my black Megadrive, Saturn and Gamecube!

[zektor]

It's not really a permanent solution though. You can essentially strip off the top layer and remove part of the plastic using that technique, but unless the console is kept in an oxygen free state, the yellowing will return eventually. Unfortunately, even if the console has never been exposed to light, smoke, heat, etc...it will yellow over time. The rate at which it yellows depends on how it is stored, but someday, every light colored console will turn yellow.

Actually, the retrobrite technique does not "strip" anything or remove any plastic. Where did you get that idea? It counteracts the plastic chemically.

Also, you can spray it with a protective solution after you perform the retrobrite process, and afterward it will never yellow again. The creators actually recommend you do this after the process is complete. This has all been documented online for some time.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

The yellowing is the result of a fire retardant inside the plastic. The two halves were made in different parts of the factory, resulting in different amounts of fire retardant. This differentiation in the way it is made also results in some Dreamcasts yellowing faster than others. If you find a broken Dreamcast for cheap, you can switch the casing easily.

Sunlight and heat accelerates the yellowing process, so keep you shades shut in that room. As for heat, there's not as much you can do about that since the system generates it's own heat when it is on.

Do chemicals work? I'm unsure about that, but let me know if it does.

By the way, if you search the forums (or Internet) for "SNES yellowing" you'll find a lot of discussion about this problem.

[Bojay1997]

Actually, the retrobrite technique does not "strip" anything or remove any plastic. Where did you get that idea? It counteracts the plastic chemically.

Also, you can spray it with a protective solution after you perform the retrobrite process, and afterward it will never yellow again. The creators actually recommend you do this after the process is complete. This has all been documented online for some time.

Actually, having participated in a "cleaning" of several Amiga computers using the Retrobrite technique, I will tell you that it does in fact strip the outer finish off the computer case plastic, as well as one component of the plastic (the one causing the yellowing) and that the color you are left with is not identical to the factory color. Does it look better than an untreated computer? Probably. Is it safe long term? Nobody knows yet as the process is less than two years old. Will the yellowing come back? Very likely because the compound that is suspected to cause the yellowing is mixed throughout the plastic, not just the outer coating. So, yes, Retrobrite technically works at least in the short term, but from a collector's point of view, it doesn't restore the console or computer to its original condition and the long term effects are unknown.

Here is a great article on the problem:

http://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/189

[InsaneDavid]

Just paint it. :)

http://www.classicplastic.net/digitalpress/DCfukuandblack02.jpg

[Leo_A]

It's not really a permanent solution though. You can essentially strip off the top layer and remove part of the plastic using that technique, but unless the console is kept in an oxygen free state, the yellowing will return eventually. Unfortunately, even if the console has never been exposed to light, smoke, heat, etc...it will yellow over time. The rate at which it yellows depends on how it is stored, but someday, every light colored console will turn yellow.

Nope, you aren't correct.

It doesn't strip off the top layer of plastic. It's a chemical reaction and can restore plastic that has not only yellowed on the surface, but all the way through. It can be done to such things with markings on them such as keyboard keys without even hurting the numbers and letters on the key, which wouldn't be possible if what you said is true.


Actually, having participated in a "cleaning" of several Amiga computers using the Retrobrite technique, I will tell you that it does in fact strip the outer finish off the computer case plastic, as well as one component of the plastic (the one causing the yellowing) and that the color you are left with is not identical to the factory color

If you actually have tried it and had this happen, then you did something wrong and didn't follow instructions or use the proper materials. It doesn't remove any of the plastic and does restore the plastic to it's original colors. It's been proven time and again at places that document this process through such things as comparison shots of the finished result on a specific computer to something like publicity shots from the period from the company's marketing department of the same model.

It works and there are mountains of evidence that say it does from numerous sources. Here's on such thread from AtariAge dedicated to this process.

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/138244-how-to-remove-yellowing-from-an-old-atari-case/

If done properly, these are the types of results someone can expect out of this.

Before:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=159102

After:
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=159103

Before:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/3519985/1024/ste/styuk.jpg

After:
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/3519988/1024/ste/st-top.jpg

A period shot of a ST years before they started yellowing.
http://www.theroms.com/Images/Systems/Atari_ST.jpg

A comparison of different keys from the same keyboard, one before treatment and one after treatment.
http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=158165

I've seen numerous Super Nintendo's that have been restored to their factory appearance through use of this. In fact I've done it to my SuperNes with the plastic casing around the controller ports (The top and bottom halves of the casing didn't have a yellowing problem) and it restored it to it's factory appearance that matches the other 95% of the casing with no noticeable difference in texture or color.

[danny_galaga]

You can seriously buy a used dc for $25 without any coloring issues. if it is the nostalalgia in you, buy a super cheap used dc, and swap the tops. that would seriously take you all of 5-10 minutes to swap the tops

Seriously?

[Bojay1997]

Nope, you aren't correct.

It doesn't strip off the top layer of plastic. It's a chemical reaction and can restore plastic that has not only yellowed on the surface, but all the way through. It can be done to such things with markings on them such as keyboard keys without even hurting the numbers and letters on the key, which wouldn't be possible if what you said is true.



If you actually have tried it and had this happen, then you did something wrong and didn't follow instructions or use the proper materials. It doesn't remove any of the plastic and does restore the plastic to it's original colors. It's been proven time and again at places that document this process through such things as comparison shots of the finished result on a specific computer to something like publicity shots from the period from the company's marketing department of the same model.

It works and there are mountains of evidence that say it does from numerous sources. Here's on such thread from AtariAge dedicated to this process.

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/138244-how-to-remove-yellowing-from-an-old-atari-case/

If done properly, these are the types of results someone can expect out of this.



I've seen numerous Super Nintendo's that have been restored to their factory appearance through use of this. In fact I've done it to my SuperNes with the plastic casing around the controller ports (The top and bottom halves of the casing didn't have a yellowing problem) and it restored it to it's factory appearance that matches the other 95% of the casing with no noticeable difference in texture or color.

Here's the thing. There is a smooth clear coat on Amigas and STs that was applied at the factory that has a certain feel on a new unit. I believe most consoles have this finish on the plastic as well. I know my SNES does. It's hard to describe, but I'd call it a smooth almost velvety surface. I actually own several NOS unused Amiga 500s and STs and they have it on the surface. A well maintained Amiga or ST has it for many years of normal use. When you do this cleaning, that coating is taken away. Notice the finger feel on the plastic several days after the cleaning. You're right, it's technically not the plastic itself, it is the finish that comes off. It's just a rougher and less finished feel. Given the grime on the sample photos you attached, it's probably not an issue for you.

As for the color comparison, it is not identical to the factory color. The chemical reaction either interacts with some of the pigment in the plastic or by removing the yellowing agent changes the appearance. I personally can't say for sure, I can only say that I have compared it to several of my NOS units which have been stored in differing but ideal conditions and which came from different sources. I would call the end result several shades lighter than the factory color.

Contrary to your assertion, it does not remove the yellowing agent all the way through. It just releases the trapped oxygen molecules temporarily that are causing the yellowing when they are trapped by the chemical flame retardant. That's why people are suggesting in all the tutorials that you apply a sealant to keep oxygen out. So, for this to work, you have to alter the surface of the console or computer with a non-factory coating.

Contrary to your other assertion, nobody knows what the long-term impact of this process will be. It was only perfected less than two years ago. Per several recent posts on Atari Age, the yellowing comes back and it seems to be faster than it originally occurred, perhaps because the outer clear coat of the plastic has been compromised. According to the scientific input several sites have gotten from plastics engineers, the yellowing will return because all this is doing is counteracting the process which causes it on the surface. Essentially, the oxygen molecules are being forced out and replaced. It doesn't actually remove that agent even from the surface and there is no way the peroxide is penetrating all the way through the plastic. Anytime you are changing the composition of plastic, you risk making it more brittle and more susceptible to other enviromental impacts. So, my personal conclusion having done this on a few computers is that it's fine for cleaning computers and consoles you are using on a regular basis and don't really have much concern for as collectibles. For everything else, it's probably best to wait and see what the long-term impacts of the process are.

[Gentlegamer]

Leo - those pics are awesome!

[segagamer]

Thanks everyone for your feedback...Honestly, I did not expect it to turn a very light but fairly noticeable shade of yellow over time. It's not really that bad at all, but I was just wondering if there was a faily simple way to restore the original color without doing any damage to the casing. Now, I think I will just let it be the way it is. Hopefully, it won't get any worse than it is now...