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Dreamcast Black Screen Help?

Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 1:15 am
by IronicBond
I didn't really know where else to put this. This just seemed the broadest place where it would be accepted.

I tried playing Grand Theft Auto 2 on my Dreamcast but all I get is a black screen. It plays the Dreamcast startup animation and the SEGA license info, etc. Then just an infinite Black and Soundless Screen. I have tried other games. Phantasy Star Online works fine, the only other game that didn't work was Sonic Shuffle, but that was because it was scratched beyond recovery. GTA2, however, has about the same if not less scratches than PSO.

I've tried cleaning the disc but nothing has worked so far. Can anyone offer any advice?

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 10:49 am
by TF73
What sort of screen have you connected the DC to? Can it be that the game is not compatible with the screen/tv setup you have?

Posted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 7:46 am
by Dominic Toretto
Thanks for your suggestion. I really appreciate that you took all this time to try and help us. Keep up the good work. Keep on taking action.

Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:10 pm
by Midwinter
Sorry to respond to a thread that is so old, but sometimes this is as easy as a fix as getting a lens cleaner for the dreamcast. Worst case scenario this could be the start of the laser not being calibrated properly any longer, or one of the two motors dying out.

I would try the lens cleaner first and rule that possibility out.

Normally an easy way to tell if a motor or something is starting to go out is if when a very load intensive scene in the game is coming up it will just freeze the game, hang completely, or go black screen. It is normally proceeded by the disc drive making the normal loud Dreamcast whir.

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2014 6:16 am
by kadosho
Good to know about issues like this. Even though the console has aged progressively well. There can be some minor hiccups. Hope everyone's DC is doing a-okay.