DCDigital no longer outputs video and audio

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Livefast9986

New member
Greetings,

I had my DCDigital (1.3b version) installed and working properly. However, I also had a v1.3a board that had its hdmi mini port replaced because it failed/broke. I never actually checked to see if the 1.3a board worked so I decided to check it out. However, when I went to swap my 1.3b dcdigital to the 1.3a dcidgital with replaced mini hdmi port, it didnt output video or audio. Ok, no biggie. I went and put back my the original 1.3b chip and now that is no longer outputting video or audio.

Any ideas of what troubleshooting I should do?

The dreamcast still works and outputs video and audio through the composite video cables. I've rechecked the the ribbon cable and do not see any signs of damage or tear on it. The blue LED on the 1.3b DCdigital blinks on and off. Here is a link to some photos and a video of the dcdigital blinking.
http://imgur.com/a/QVviENq
 
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citrus3000psi

citrus3000psi

Administrator
Staff member
I would recheck the flex cable again. Since it work fine before and does now, it has to be something simple. Like a broke connection on the flex.
 
L

Livefast9986

New member
I was thinking that it might be something simple like that as well. Do you have any recommendations of test that I could perform? I'm thinking of doing a continuity test on each of the pins of the bottom of the cable to the corresponding connection (or component on the cable) to see if its a tear. On image #7 you can see a slight divit (which has always bothered me) in the cable, but images 8 and 9 do not appear to show any visible break in it. This has always been there so I dont think it is the issue.

Looking at the connections across the board everything appears to be fine. On image $ the bottom pin on the left, as shown in the image, no longer appears to be connect to the 315-6145 chip, but it looks like that is just for stability purposes and not a part of the connection on the flex cable.

If it were to be the mini-hdmi port is there a good way for me to test that?
 
citrus3000psi

citrus3000psi

Administrator
Staff member
I would double check your HDMI cable as a first step. Perhaps some derbis inside the cable or connector. Also try another tv just to be sure.
 
L

Livefast9986

New member
I just tried some different cables and even tried different mini-hdmi to hdmi adapter, as well as hooked up to a different tv. Still nothing.
 
L

Livefast9986

New member
Unfortunately I am not able too. When I power on the dreamcast I do not see a SSID belong the DCDigital being broadcast. This might be indicative of something happening with the flex cable (note: the DCdigital blue led is blinking) or might be because I have a GDEMU connected and IIRC that does not play well with the antenna. Photo 2 show the current arrangement of the GDEMU w.r.t. the antenna.
 
L

Livefast9986

New member
So i'm in the process of doing prep work for measuring pins to check to see if there some type of break in the ribbon cable. I can't visually see anything but there might be one that i'm unaware of.

I believe I have the all of the pins mapped (starting from left to right on the ribbon cable as shown), except for the following pins:
2, 5, 11, 14, 16, 19, and 29. I believe these pins are connected to something but I cant tell what, any advice of where I should probe to check for continuity?

Also, I'm not entirely sure where pin 1 and 18 are connected to on the 470 chip. I assume there is a contact pad underneath it that it connected too?ribbon cable small2.jpg
 
citrus3000psi

citrus3000psi

Administrator
Staff member
If the DCdigital is setup for your wifi it will not broadcast a SSID. You could unplug your wireless network and confirm this.
As for the flex. I'd go back verify you are plugging the flex cable in the correct way. Also avoid using Mini HDMI adapters and use a full cable.
I think its something related to this.

HSYNC/VSYNC/VCLK are the only pins needed to get video (assuming you have a few of the D0-D11) connected

http://imgur.com/twrlHpU
 
L

Livefast9986

New member
So I think I narrowed down the IP to the DCDigital login page (its the only IP address that appears and then dissappears when the DC is on/off). When i visit the IP it just prompts me for the username/password but the username and password I took a photo of when the DCDigital was working wont work so im not sure anymore or if it was changed at somepoint.

So did some probing and it looks like the connections from the bottom of the ribbon cable to the chips on the cable appear to be ok and again I dont see any visible tearing. I did not do any probing of the HSync/Vsync/VCLK or the d0-d11 pins to the corresponding chi, but I will do so if you think its necessary. I honestly have not touched it and from a visual inspection they appear pristine.

I'm going to order a proper mini-hdmi to hdmi from amazon (i'll get an amazonbasics brand since those tend to be really good quality IMO). I'm honestly curious to see if it is the adapter. I was using an adapter before and had no issues, and I have two of them that ive tried along with different cables.
 
L

Livefast9986

New member
Update: I found my amazonbasics mini-HDMI cable to HDMI cable, however the dreamcast still isnt outputting audioor video. TV still says that it detects no input.
 
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