# [SOLVED] Dreamcast display problems



## 976786 (Sep 22, 2012)

Hi,
I have had my Dreamcast unused for several years. About to sell it off to a friend I was requested to test it and well yes it starts up, plays discs and sounds but the display is another thing.

The TV screen is almost completely black, at startup I can barely see the menu. I don't know how to properly describe this problem but I tried to take a picture of the screen. Unfortunately the picture turned out like the screen looks blue but is in fact black. So I made a screenshot of a videorecording, hope it looks better.

I have checked all connections, tried different SCART inputs into the tv. Connecting using the AV Out on the Dreamcast to a SCART input on the TV. Tried several games. Nothing wrong with the TV light and color settings.

Either it's the AV - Scart Cord that's the problem, or the console itself. If the latter, I am clueless on how to solve this...

EDIT: Might add it's a PAL system if it matters.


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

Hey Nejmeg,

Sounds like the console is where the issue is but I would try a different TV to see if it works on that.

As a fellow Dreamcast owner, I would say the consoles were ahead of their time and fun to play but never really took off like the Playstation and Xbox :/

- Redeye -


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## 976786 (Sep 22, 2012)

*Re: Dreamcast display problems*

Well I liked the Dreamcast but I mostly got it for Shenmue to be honest. Then I let it be in the box finding some time to sell it off. 

If it is the console then well. Might sell it as defective then. A local repairman I talked to wanted to charge roughly 51 USD for just looking at the console. I wouldn't want to know what it would be if it needs repairing. That might pass the value of the console itself. 

I am thinking of getting a RGB cord (11-12 USD incl shipping) as I got a tip from a US forum as well as from a thread I found just now that the SCART might be faulty. 

The input looks all fine. I don't remember if I ever did get anything else than a SCART cord.


I did try two TV:s however, though they are both new (LED/LCD-tvs) and from another thread I found someone claims that the TV can be an issue if too new, but I am not sure.


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## 976786 (Sep 22, 2012)

*Re: Dreamcast display problems*

Seems I kind of solved the problem. An older TV (non-flat screen) gave me a perfectly clear color picture. However two different LCD/LED-tv made it a black ghost picture. I don't really know why this happens. Without result tried to find any way of altering the source from the scart but I am quite sure the scart input is not faulty since it looks the same on two different TVs and other stuff like VCR, DVD works fine.


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## Redeye3323 (Sep 20, 2009)

nejmeg said:


> Seems I kind of solved the problem. An older TV (non-flat screen) gave me a perfectly clear color picture. However two different LCD/LED-tv made it a black ghost picture. I don't really know why this happens. Without result tried to find any way of altering the source from the scart but I am quite sure the scart input is not faulty since it looks the same on two different TVs and other stuff like VCR, DVD works fine.


Sounds like it might be an issue with TV technology of the future.

There may be a setting which you can change on the TVs to fix it, but it would be guesswork / trail & error seeing as I've never encountered or even heard of this issue.

I do remember playing my Dreamcast just fine on a LCD TV many years ago, but that was on an LCD which 7+ years old so a newer technology may be the cause


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