Taijigamer

I haven’t had chance to test it yet. It might require a custom bios. It’s simply a SOP28 to TSOP32 conversion pcb to allow up to 512kb memory instead of the stock 32kb. Once I’ve had chance to test it, I will update results.

I designed an SRAM upgrade board a while back but I think it will also require a bios hack to make use of the extra space.

Here is the main info page with useful links https://www.black-dog.tech/3dorgb.html @citrus3000psi no longer makes the boards but has open sourced it so some resellers are making the boards and offering installs.

The RGB mod replaces the function of the original video encoder when in BT9101 mode. It also enables 240p mode on BT9101 3DO which was previously not supported. It would have been another solution to your problem.

That’s good to know. BT858 should be relatively easy to source. Another option would be to install @Citrus3000psi RGB mod and run it in BT9101 mode.

Yes this should be fine. I use my uk transformer to run a UK board and a US board for testing purposes.

There are 3 key factors in getting good burns. 1. The quality of the burner - is the laser dying? 2. The quality of the CD-R, Taiji yuden are the best choice. 3. The quality of the reader - 3DO lasers are extremely flaky at this age and there are no replacements available. Burning at lower speed is not a universal rule. It’s best to burn at the recommended speed for the media and burner. At this point I would recommend people start planning to switch to 3DO usb. Lasers are starting to fail more and there are no replacements for 3DO.

Check the link in this thread for the required part.

Do you have to lift a plastic lever to release the tray or does it just pull out? The previous owner may have snapped the retaining pin when trying to remove the tray forcefully. I have a FZ-1 and the tray does dip a little at full eject. As long as it doesn't cause any issue changing discs then don't worry. Check the white gears for cracks. Clean out any dust or debris that might be jamming them. The drive belt might be slack from use. I always refresh the rubber belt by placing it in fresh boiled water for 5 mins and then drying, this refreshes the elasticity. Otherwise look for a replacement belt of same size. This should sort out the tray closing issue.

Learning to solder well is definitely recommended, especially as our beloved consoles are getting older and more prone to failure. But be sure to practice on junk circuit boards until competent. The SRAM upgrade idea isn't simple and may not work. A plug in option would be easier. Maybe the memory addon module could be cloned if someone opened one up and documented the insides.

I've been looking into the storage on the 3DO. The on board storage is a paltry 32kB. The memory addon pack cited above is 256kB. I have found some 128kB and 512kB 5V SRAM chip datasheets which could probably be swapped in (with a bit of adjusting) and give a boost in memory capacity. I'll test when I get a chance.

The battery on the 3DO maintains the on-board SRAM chip which holds the limited save space for games. I think an NVRAM add-on could be purchased to increase space. To swap the battery without losing saved games, u would need to supply an external 3V to the chip while u desolder and replace the existing battery.

Save data is stored on the on board SRAM (not sure of capacity). This is maintained by the battery when powered off. I think there is an external NVRAM add-on block that could be purchased to increased save storage. I saw one on eBay a while back.

Great work. I'm not sure how hot my FZ-1 gets but the voltage regulator heat plate is big and the area still gets very hot which is why the power caps have a high failure rate. I'll check the temp of my regulators with my k-probe when I get a chance. I would recommend a cap replacement if you want to extend the life of your console. Console5 do quality cap kits (105c rated). As for RGB mods, there are a couple around. I'm working on a RGB_V2 which should be finished soon.

I've seen that mod board before. I think it's some sort of SECAM conversion as old French Tv don't accept Composite. Have you got closer pics of the motherboard? What video encoder does it use?