Can I fix a Dreamcast?

[LiquidPolicenaut]

I've run into a problem recently. I had bought a Dreamcast package from someone on here (i wont mention who...but im not really blaming them for this either) for a friends brother for Christmas. It worked fine, a skip here or there, but no problems otherwise. Well, when I brought it to him and in the subsequent motnhs after, every game skips now and nothing runs anymore :( Mind you, some games have absolutely no scratches, scuffs, etc. My question is...can I fix it? Is it as simple as changing the laser assembly? Would it be worth it to change it or just get another one? Now, even though I've been gaming for 20 years now, i still dont know how to mod things myself so I would have to get someone else to help me out :) Any info. would be appreciated since I feel bad that something I got him doesnt work properly yet he actually enjoys the system a lot (as he should!! LOL)

[Muscelli]

you can buy a new dc for less then what it costs after shipping for a replacement laser... but i replaced my laser, and it was easy as hell

[davidleeroth]

So it just skips, it doesn't reset itself?

You could try and clean the lens with a q-tip and a bit of ethanol or propanol. It's free.

[smork]

I'd second the cleaning with a qtip. If it doesn't work, no problem. But getting a Dreamcast in the US is so cheap -- probably $20-30, depending -- that it doesn't make much sense at all to repair it unless it's a special DC.