WTB or WTT: 3DO FZ-10 Game Console (have consoles for trade)

Jeremy Popp · July 14, 2017

Specifically looking for a 3DO FZ-10 console only. I have power cable, vid cable and controllers. I have a broken one, and so I'd love to get a working one that I can swap parts and test with. Looking to spend $60-ish but negotiable.

FOR TRADE:

(bare consoles, if interested I can see if I have power supplies/controllers, all 100% tested/refurbished and work, pictures available)

Sega Master System Model 1 w/ Hang On built in

Sega Genesis Model 2 (I have 4 of these)

Sega Genesis Model 1 (I have 3 of these)

Nintendo NES front loader

Sega CD Model 2 (can include burned backup games)

Atari 2600 vader

Sega Dreamcast

Obviously, I don't want to trade ALL of these for a 3DO, but let me know and we can made a deal.

Taijigamer · July 21, 2017

What's wrong with your current 3DO? Sometimes some faulty 3DOs turn up on eBay for a good price but mostly they are overpriced.

Jeremy Popp · July 21, 2017

What's wrong with your current 3DO? Sometimes some faulty 3DOs turn up on eBay for a good price but mostly they are overpriced.

Upon power up, I get a black screen and a 1 second Beep noise from audio. No 3DO intro screen, no logo, no memory manager, nothing. Tried RCA, S-Video and Coax with same results. I can tell I'm getting a video signal because the screen flickers on power up, but it's just black.

Notes:

Power Supply Provides 9.5 volts and 5 volts, Fuse is good

Red Power Light comes on and stays on

Lid open sensor works, once disc inserted, green light goes on and off twice

Laser moves and spins disc up quick and continues spinning

Overall, unit is very clean, all ribbon cables are secure and no visible damage on anything.

I was told when I picked up the unit that it has a faulty laser, but I can't even get the main menu/bios to load.

Taijigamer · July 21, 2017

Have u checked voltage at the ribbon connector between psu and motherboard? there should be about 3x 9v and 6x 5v connections. Have u checked voltages at the regulators on the mobo? Also check the VAA points on the VP536 encoder. If all turns out ok then the next best bet is a cap replacement.

Jeremy Popp · July 22, 2017

Have u checked voltage at the ribbon connector between psu and motherboard? there should be about 3x 9v and 6x 5v connections.... Also check the VAA points on the VP536 encoder.

Thanks for the response. I just verified the VP536 Encoder IS getting 5v at all the VAA points. I also checked my ribbon cable which reads as follows:

no

5v

no

9v

I only find 5X 5V lines - can you verify if there should be 6X as you mentioned?

Have u checked voltages at the regulators on the mobo?

Are these voltage regulators on the primary mobo or the power supply mobo?

THANKS!

Edited July 22, 2017 by Jeremy Popp

Taijigamer · July 22, 2017

Unfortunately there is very little official documentation on the 3DO. I have tried to find the service manual but no luck so we have to troubleshoot as best we can. The first reading on your list should be 5~V AC, not DC. Your multimeter may have been looking for DC and got a 0v. Sounds like your Vp536 is fine. Next would be to check the voltage out on pins 32 (Luma), 34 (CVBS) and 36 (Chroma) of your VP536. This will tell if the graphics chip and encoder are pumping out video signals.

Also check the voltage regulators on the mobo. We know the psu is good. If they are all good then it can point back to your CD drive. Has it ever been able to boot games or to the bios? Have u tried different retail games, are they for the same region? Have u tried getting a new laser? It's strange that it won't boot to bios.

The other culprit could be bad capacitors which could be stopping the CPU/ bios chip from working properly.

Jeremy Popp · July 23, 2017

Unfortunately there is very little official documentation on the 3DO. I have tried to find the service manual but no luck so we have to troubleshoot as best we can. The first reading on your list should be 5~V AC, not DC. Your multimeter may have been looking for DC and got a 0v. Sounds like your Vp536 is fine. Next would be to check the voltage out on pins 32 (Luma), 34 (CVBS) and 36 (Chroma) of your VP536. This will tell if the graphics chip and encoder are pumping out video signals.

Also check the voltage regulators on the mobo. We know the psu is good. If they are all good then it can point back to your CD drive. Has it ever been able to boot games or to the bios? Have u tried different retail games, are they for the same region? Have u tried getting a new laser? It's strange that it won't boot to bios.

The other culprit could be bad capacitors which could be stopping the CPU/ bios chip from working properly.

Well..... I blew up the power supply. I couldn't find the 5 VAC, so I took the PS board out and to check traces and continuity. To test the board, I accidentally swapped the power switch and the AC voltage plug and got a nice spark when I plugged it in (naturally). I know I blew C4953 (Q001) and K1336 (Q002). Ugh - luckily the power supply wasn't connected to the primary motherboard, so it's all contained to the PSU.

However, before that disaster, I was able to verify these numbers from the VP536:

Pin 32 0.62 vdc

Pin 34 1.34 vdc

Pin 36 1.27 vdc

To answer your last few questions, since I've had it, it never has booted to bios/3DO screen no matter what game. I have about 20 games, all NTSC, all give black screen. The previous owner told me he tried to adjust the laser pot I believe.

Either way, i'm going nowhere w/out a power supply - I may decided to scrap the whole idea of repairing it now. PM me if you by chance are interested in it, or parts.

Taijigamer · July 23, 2017

Ah man, that sucks. Have u checked the 2A fuse? Just replace Q001 and Q002 and hopefully u should be back on track.

From your tests we can see that the VP536 is fine so the problem points towards the ROM chip for not firing up the Bios. This could be bad caps. It looks like u need to replace the caps, replace the laser and fix the psu. Not too much work ;-)

Good luck.

Jeremy Popp · July 24, 2017

Ah man, that sucks. Have u checked the 2A fuse? Just replace Q001 and Q002 and hopefully u should be back on track.

From your tests we can see that the VP536 is fine so the problem points towards the ROM chip for not firing up the Bios. This could be bad caps. It looks like u need to replace the caps, replace the laser and fix the psu. Not too much work

Good luck.

Yeah, I checked the fuse, it didn't even blow, but those transistors did. I'll have to see if I can get cheap replacements. I really appreciate your help, if I get the PSU working, i'll do a cap kit. I thought of doing caps before, but there are so many that it'll take me hours. Part of the fun I guess.

Taijigamer · July 24, 2017

Hope u get it sorted, man. Check this thread out for info on diagnosing and fixing FZ-10 psu

http://forum.3doplanet.ru/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=209&start=60

It's in Russian but easy to translat with Google. Those guys know their stuff. Going back to your original problem, I've been reading around and a lot of people have come forward with this issue although some get the 3DO logo for a brief second before a black screen. The same symptoms are replicated when I power on my FZ-1 without the cd drive connected. The console must do a POST before booting the Bios. Maybe a failing laser also causes an issue with booting.

These consoles are now almost 25 years old so a laser replacement and a recap are inevitable. Good luck.

Jeremy Popp · September 7, 2017

I just wanted to post and say I got a working FZ-10 finally, and was able to confirm by swapping parts that my "broken" unit has a good power supply and laser/assembly. So it's definitely something on the motherboard, still could be capacitors but too busy playing my working unit right now. So glad I didn't pay crazy prices for a new laser. I will post if I ever get it working.

Taijigamer · September 8, 2017

Glad you have got a working console. I know what u mean, sometimes it's nice to take a break from fixing things and just play.

Let us know if you do manage to fix the other one. Happy gaming.

Jeremy Popp · October 19, 2017

If anybody needs 3DO FZ-10 parts, I'm parting out the broken console from this thread. I've already sold the laser assembly and small bits, however, the case shell upper and lower, as well as heat shields, primary motherboard and power supply are available. They're on ebay now, but contact me here for cheaper prices:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-3DO-FZ-10-Motherboard-Mother-Board-FOR-PARTS-NOT-WORKING-NTSC-/202070513014?hash=item2f0c575576:g:4gkAAOSw~ZBZxAy0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3DO-FZ-10-PSU-Power-Supply-FOR-PARTS-NOT-WORKING-Panasonic-/202067130501?hash=item2f0c23b885:g:TvgAAOSwEotZxAx~

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-3DO-FZ-10-Case-Shell-Cover-Top-Upper-with-good-Lid-NOT-WHOLE-CONSOLE-/202074084833?hash=item2f0c8dd5e1:g:fqAAAOSwRsZZ1qbo

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-3DO-FZ-10-Case-Shell-Cover-Bottom-with-Flaws-/202074087772?hash=item2f0c8de15c:g:bnQAAOSwEkhZ1qlZ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-3DO-FZ-10-Upper-Metal-RF-Heat-Shielding-Plate-/202074090910?hash=item2f0c8ded9e:g:or4AAOSwC~dZ1qrQ

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Panasonic-3DO-FZ-10-Lower-Bottom-Metal-RF-Heat-Shielding-Plate-/202074093189?hash=item2f0c8df685:g:0IYAAOSwJ59Z1qu7