So..How's your Sega consoles/stuff holding up?

[rkotm]

After years of owning Sega consoles and controllers (NOT a Sega bashing topic, Sega is fine with me), ive found time doesn't treat Sega stuff that well. Ive kept my systems on display and have never 'abused' (slam, smash, hulk, whatever) the systems/controllers. I've had 2 Dreamcasts die out (maybe just a laser thing im not sure there), a SMS that powers on and doesn't do anything (after cleaning and blowing connectors/games), a Genesis that died but i soldered the power connector on the inside..but the controller CORDS..Damn, it's like they were made cheapest of them all-I could play Saturn games and the controls do what they want, but if i stretch the cord out or hold it a certain way i can sort of control the games. The same with Genesis pads, like the wire cords are stiff. How are people's Sega hardware/software holding up these days? Do you think they'll still work in 10 years? I know the same could be said of any consoles in 10 years, i wonder that too. How long can say an SNES/Genesis 'live' for?

[Gameguy]

So far things are still working fine for me, though I haven't really hooked anything up in awhile. I've had broken stuff repaired but I got them that way, nothing already working actually died on me so far.

What's going on with your Dreamcasts? Are they randomly resetting? That's a common known issue with them, easily repairable though.

[sloan]

Maybe you live in a freakish magnetic zone or something?

My Sega and Nintendo stuff is holding up well. I do agree with you that the Sega branded controllers did use a stiffer rubber coating on the cables, but that should not affect the long-term livelihood of the controllers or systems.

Only thing I have ever had go out on Dreamcast was a controller port fused, and it was easily replaced.

As for the expected life span of various consoles, I have always held to the biggest enemies of older electronics being oxygen and humidity. I have proposed storing a game time capsule in a dark (no sunlight) climate controlled closet if you want these to be available to your grandchildren. Basically, the vacuum storage bags you can buy for blankets and sweaters will suffice for removal of oxygen, and then just store them away from moisture and UV rays.

[PreZZ]

I own every Sega console, im a huge sega fan and the only problem I've had was a dreamcast dead disc lens (I abused my dc, so its just normal wear like any disc based system) and when I opene my brand new SMS in 2009, one of the controllers d pad didnt work. And also the launch batch of sonic adventure on dc never worked since I changed the lens on my dc, but thats a bad pressing.

[wiggyx]

One dead controller port on a Dreamcast. Other than that, I can't think of any other significant issues.

Now Sony machines on the other hand...

[rkotm]

They do reset randomly-a 1999 and 2000 one (easy soft mod ones).
Maybe it's the southern heat :| Although my SNES is still white/gray..I'll try the oxygen bags! Good idea.
Oddly, i'd forgotten i have an original PSX in a sort of see through zip plastic bag--i wonder if it still works, haven't tried since 2003...

[BricatSegaFan]

Im a big SEGA fan as well, all my SEGA systems are tip top.

My original genesis that had been abused during my youth still works well. My 3 Saturns work, both Dreamcasts, both master systems, and my xeye.

[Gameguy]

They do reset randomly-a 1999 and 2000 one (easy soft mod ones).
Maybe it's the southern heat :|
It's a common problem and pretty easy to fix, you won't even need to solder to fix it. It's because of a design flaw. I personally fixed a console with this problem, I just needed a phillips screwdriver, a pair of needle-nose pliers, and a small precision screwdriver to bend the contacts in the connector.

Here's a basic video showing what to do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOzyKXkMNNg


Just for consoles in general, it's best to use them occasionally to keep them working. Capacitors need electricity run through them to help extend their life, if they're just left untouched for long periods of time they tend to go bad sooner.


...and when I opene my brand new SMS in 2009, one of the controllers d pad didnt work.
Sounds normal for a Sega Master System, are you sure it was broken?

[Melf]

My model 1 and model 2 Genesis consoles are working fine, as are my 32X, Power Base Converter, and Saturn. The only one that's given me trouble has been the model 2 Sega CD, which stopped reading most games. I replaced it, and the second one does the same. I heard it's a pain to fix, so I might just opt for a refurbished model 1 unit instead.

[sfchakan]

100% no problems with anything that hasn't been abused. Abused items would be controllers young kids were allowed to play with. They did wear down the cord coming out of the controller and it does have that weird "angle it right and it works" type of thing going that you talked about.

[8-Bit Archeology]

My sega stuff is holding up perfectly. Including my cd
The only console i have a problem with is my turbo grafx 16. The controllers always die. :(

[retroman]

I just had one of my GameGears go up on me for no reason. Pulled it out to play, and cant turn the brightness up or down, and no sound.

[8-Bit Archeology]

My sega stuff is holding up perfectly. Including my cd
The only console i have a problem with is my turbo grafx 16. The controllers always die. :(

[Gamevet]

The only Sega console I've had die on me was my launch Dreamcast. It started having grainy looking texture mapping and the only games that didn't do that, were those that used Windows CE. I traded it in to Walmart and told them that it was a Christmas gift. My replacement started having the dreaded clock and calendar issues, before it was stolen from my apartment @ 2001. My current Dreamcasts have the clock and calendar issues as well.

[Aussie2B]

My Sega stuff is holding up just fine. Any issues I've encountered were there before they entered my hands. Then again, I don't really use my Sega stuff as heavily as my Nintendo and Sony stuff.

[wiggyx]

I just had one of my GameGears go up on me for no reason. Pulled it out to play, and cant turn the brightness up or down, and no sound.

Capacitors are blown. SUPER common issue.

[thegamezmaster]

The main problem I have is the reset buttons quit working. Don't know how to repair or replace. Plus have one of the first model 1's that has a red tint on one side of the screen. No idea what the problem is or how to fix.

[Koa Zo]

This thread is a red herring.

As with almost every console and peripheral manufacturer, various iterations of the product are manufactured to different specifications and in different factories/nations.


But since you asked, my Sega stuff is holding up just like my Nintendo, NEC, Sony, Epoch, Atari, and Microsoft stuff.

edit, and a note for the original poster: If you had to solder your power supply jack, if your controller cords are having issues... YOU are clearly doing something wrong and mishandling the items. Solder connections just don't break on their own. Cords don't just malfunction and require twisting and special positioning to work all on their own.

[goob47]

So far, my experience with Sega consoles has been extremely good. I biked home with a Sega CD Model 2 basically strapped to my back, and it works perfectly to this day. ROFL

Also, i've had a Sega Saturn, Genesis (Model 2), Master System, and Dreamcast for years, and I haven't had problems with any of them. :)

[xelement5x]

This thread is a red herring.

As with almost every console and peripheral manufacturer, various iterations of the product are manufactured to different specifications and in different factories/nations.


But since you asked, my Sega stuff is holding up just like my Nintendo, NEC, Sony, Epoch, Atari, and Microsoft stuff.

edit, and a note for the original poster: If you had to solder your power supply jack, if your controller cords are having issues... YOU are clearly doing something wrong and mishandling the items. Solder connections just don't break on their own. Cords don't just malfunction and require twisting and special positioning to work all on their own.

Actually the power jack issue is super common on a Model 2 Genesis. I resolder them on every one that comes into my hands just to be sure. All of my Sega stuff works fine, except for a Model 2 Sega CD with a dead save battery. A model 1 Genesis is a freaking tank, both in hardware and construction, the only thing that may become an issue on them in the future are capacitors. Really, it depends on how you treat it, and how it was treated before you got it.

Wrapping cords around controllers is my super pet peeve though. I always loosely coil them underneath to prevent strain; it takes about the same time and looks much nicer.

[Edmond Dantes]

All my Sega stuff works just like it did when it was new.

The only exception is one three-button controller (won't detect certain button inputs). I cleaned it as thoroughly as I could but it still doesn't work, so I can only suspect a wiring or PCB issue.

... On another note, I used to have a copy of Sonic 3 where the save feature stopped working because I used the stage select/debug code too much. This is probably why Sega made that code so effing hard to do. I never used that code again after that.

[jrokshady]

All of my Sega stuff works good. I used to have a Dreamcast where I had to input the date and time every time I powered on the console, but I sold that one and got the Sega Sports model.

[PizzaKat]

Everything for the most part is fine except Ive had 2 32xs not working properly. The Genesis games work when they want to. So I gave up and took it off, I am sure it can be easily resolved but Im lazy and I dont care much for the games.

I had three 6 button controllers and all of them are not responding well, which is strange cause they use to work.

other than that my Cd models work and my consoles work fine

[MetalFRO]

One dead controller port on a Dreamcast. Other than that, I can't think of any other significant issues.

Now Sony machines on the other hand...

LOL, the original PlayStation gray model is a TANK and those things are hard to kill, but PS2's are very problematic. I hear PS3's suffer from some hardware issues as well, though I haven't had trouble with mine yet.

My model 1 and model 2 Genesis systems are the same as the PSX - TANKS that don't fail. My Saturn I've had forever and played it a ton, but it's still chugging along. I did have a Dreamcast go flaky, but apparently it's a common problem with them not spinning up right due to some issue with the lid, and there are workarounds for that, though I picked up a 2nd DC so I wouldn't have to fuss with that.

[Aussie2B]

LOL, the original PlayStation gray model is a TANK and those things are hard to kill, but PS2's are very problematic.

Where were you when the PlayStation was current? o_O They were notorious for being problematic. Every bit as much as the PS2. Tons of people had their PlayStations die on them, and many others had to turn their systems in weird ways to get them to work. It wasn't uncommon for people to flip their systems upside-down after putting a game in, or orienting them vertically with objects on either side to hold it in place. And if you had the launch model, you were REALLY screwed because they overheated like crazy. The PSOne model is probably the most reliable actually.

[MetalFRO]

Where were you when the PlayStation was current? o_O They were notorious for being problematic. Every bit as much as the PS2. Tons of people had their PlayStations die on them, and many others had to turn their systems in weird ways to get them to work. It wasn't uncommon for people to flip their systems upside-down after putting a game in, or orienting them vertically with objects on either side to hold it in place. And if you had the launch model, you were REALLY screwed because they overheated like crazy. The PSOne model is probably the most reliable actually.

Maybe I just lucked out - my Dual Shock PSX (bought new in '99) has been solid as a rock since I bought it. I've never had issues with overheating, laser trouble, or anything. Maybe I've dodged a bullet? I have a PSOne unit I picked up a few years back at a garage sale, but haven't really played with it much. It's so "plasticky" that it feels like a cheap Chinese manufactured toy, but perhaps the internals are of better quality than meets the eye.

[Aussie2B]

I don't know if the internals of the PSOne are any better, I think it's mostly just a matter of it being the "youngest" of the bunch, so they're not as worn out as the earlier models generally.

[Darkwing]

My Sega model II that I got in the mid-90's went kaput a couple of years ago, so I replaced it. The only other problem I've ever had with anything Sega-related is the Genesis adapter.....those wear out fast.

[FrankSerpico]

My sega stuff is holding up perfectly. Including my cd

Me, too. Only consoles I've ever had a problem with are my old ass NES and my PS2

[DK1105]

I have never had a console pre-PS2 fail on me. My launch PS2 died on me and I have gone through 3 different 360s but nothing else. Technically my 7800 doesn't work but it just needs an AC.

I have noticed mid generation is the right time to buy for longer life.

[TheRetroVideoGameAddict]

My Sega stuff has held up fine. I don't have the original consoles I had back in the day but the first generation Genesis I bought when I began collecting seriously back in like 2003 is still going strong as is my Genesis 3, Sega CD, and 32X, but I've had to replace my Saturn about a year after I bought it. All of my games work like a charm though and the controllers all work remarkably well, so no complaints really aside from that one snag with the Saturn a while back.

[drwily008]

I've had my Dreamcast go back to the jumping clock screen over and over again. I agree with Aussie2B though, PSX systems were just as crap as PS2 systems. However a 1999 unit is amazing! That was the year they really got it down only to have every PSOne lid break just one year later.

I've worked at a game store since 1994 and I can say the worst defective systems are #1 -All 360's (terrible) #2 - PS2 #3 - PSX

I've seen more broken 360 systems than working ones....guaranteed.

[o.pwuaioc]

Model 1 gennies are rocks. I never cared for the quality of the model 2. Even the 7 year old me who saw his stolen model 1 replaced by a model 2 could instantly see that the revised model was an inferior build. I appreciate it now for the slick design, but still, if one of my Geneseis give me trouble, it's the model 2.

[biggzy]

This thread is a red herring.

edit, and a note for the original poster: If you had to solder your power supply jack, if your controller cords are having issues... YOU are clearly doing something wrong and mishandling the items. Solder connections just don't break on their own. Cords don't just malfunction and require twisting and special positioning to work all on their own.

True, but cold solder joints WILL break connections over time due to age, not abuse. I've got a feeling that as time marches on, this will be an issue for other old consoles.

However, pulling and prying on a cold solder joint will make it much more likely to break sooner. The Genesis(es) were infamous for having a design flaw in the controller ports: since they're on the front facing you, and the pins going to the main board turn at a ninety degree angle and go down into it, it makes it really easy to unintentionally pry those pins out of their solder joints from regular plugging and unplugging of the controllers, even if done so with relative care. This problem is worsened due to the age on the systems and thus the higher chance of cold/weak solder joints (Thanks to an old post by InsaneDavid for an education on this topic).

I've had to re-flow the solder joints on my Genesis 2 controller sockets to get the controllers working, and the symptoms many are describing--buttons not working at all or the plug needing to be wiggled--are exactly what I experienced. Re-flowing the joints seems to be the only way to solve this problem (assuming it's not a bad controller, so definitely try multiples).

Never had this issue with my Genesis 1, and I've heard they don't suffer from this problem as much as the Gen 2, but the controller port design seems essentially the same, so I don't see why the same problem wouldn't come up on a Gen 1 (I know nothing about the innards of Gen 3). But I got my Gen 1 back in 93 or 94 new, and my Gen 2 I bought used with a thick layer of dust included, so maybe take that into consideration.

[Aussie2B]

There's some sort of problem associated with the Dreamcast clock? I just thought that's how it was. I figured the system needed to get a charge now and then or the internal memory would clear and you'd have to set it again. Since I don't use my Dreamcast often, I have to set the clock pretty much every time I do. But if I turn it on again later that day/week/whatever, the time is still set. It's only after months have gone by. I have to do the same thing if I don't use my PSP for a really long time, and if I don't use my PC Engine Duo or Sega CD for months, I lose all my saves.

Or do you guys mean that some people ALWAYS have the clock prompt, even if they turn it back on immediately after setting it and turning it off? That I could see being mighty annoying.

[biggzy]

There's some sort of problem associated with the Dreamcast clock? I just thought that's how it was. I figured the system needed to get a charge now and then or the internal memory would clear and you'd have to set it again. Since I don't use my Dreamcast often, I have to set the clock pretty much every time I do. But if I turn it on again later that day/week/whatever, the time is still set. It's only after months have gone by. I have to do the same thing if I don't use my PSP for a really long time, and if I don't use my PC Engine Duo or Sega CD for months, I lose all my saves.

Or do you guys mean that some people ALWAYS have the clock prompt, even if they turn it back on immediately after setting it and turning it off? That I could see being mighty annoying.

Mine's never done it, but it's a late model (late 2000, I think). Does it occur more frequently on DCs made during a certain time frame?

[Niku-Sama]

i've given up on genesis and dreamcasts.

the genesis versions i find are almost all crapped out, shells coming apart, non working, probably repairable but it would be several repairs per system and not worth my time.

dreamcasts just seem to die, like no boot no power no nothing, but whats odd is if i swap the PSU to a previously working system the psu then works in that system fine so its something motherboard related. Not caps, already tried that.
ironicly the nicest dreamcasts i find have this problem. the only working one i have looks like its been run over with a truck, and i dont dare take it apart aside from the PSU because its still working

so i've got like one working dreamcasts and 5 extra PSUs, 5 extra shells, 5 extra laser assemblies, and 5 presumably dead motherboards. its freaking strange.

[Polygon]

I've never had a Sega product die on me. I just got a Sega CD on eBay that needs the pesky fuse replaced, but that's it.

[PreZZ]

I have found multiple hd graphics genesis models lately, and they all looked like crap, full of dirt and bad looking. They all work perfectly after a good cleaning they look good as new and work flawlessly, and these are 1988-1990 models. So far I think genesis are very tough and sturdy consoles.

[otaku]

I don't recall any real issues with sega hardware I replaced a battery once in my saturn but thats normal maintenance. And I replaced an ac adapter once on a genesis I think but again no biggie. Same with nintendo I had a wii that needed a power supply I believe after a storm took it out. If only microsoft could make such reliable hardware

[razeak]

I haven't had any trouble with any of my retro consoles. I probably have almost as many hours on my Dreamcast as I do my NES and SNES. I'm surprised the disc drive is still functioning considering how much it runs. I bought my DC in 2000.