lockups

[evildragon]

So, this is a freaky one.

I would like to think the problem is somewhere in between the Genny and CD, but, I just can't find the problem.

When playing music on my Sega CD (or a game for that matter, but for the sake of this argument, it's music CD's), something locks up. The TV shows a stuck image, no more counter, cursor won't move, VU meters stuck in position too. BUT! The Music continues to play on it's own!

There's also crackly sound, which I think has something to do with it, both channels. I figured the contacts were getting bad, so I cleaned them, and while the crackling is gone, it STILL locks up.

What else is there to check?

I fear it's my HD Graphics model Genesis that's locking up.

[Joe Redifer]

Sounds like your connection between the Genesis and Sega CD got fudged up enough for the Genesis to say "Eff dis shiznit!" and freeze. I've had that happen maybe two or three times. The CD keeps playing because it wasn't told to stop.

[evildragon]

Sounds like your connection between the Genesis and Sega CD got fudged up enough for the Genesis to say "Eff dis shiznit!" and freeze. I've had that happen maybe two or three times. The CD keeps playing because it wasn't told to stop.
If the connection is still screwing up even though I cleaned it, what should I do to clean both the Genesis and the CD's contacts? The CD's contacts seem much harder to clean.

I already did the pink eraser clean on the Genesis side.

[Joe Redifer]

Wet the Genesis with alcohol and shove it in and out a few times might work. Or you could try ever-so-slightly adjusting the way the Genesis is seated. That always seems to work with NES games as well as some Neo Geo games.

[Aarzak]

Anyone ever experience reset glitch/errors with their copies of "Silpheed"? In both of the copies I've ever owned, the game pervasively resets in the middle of gameplay and as compensation I get an extra continue at the title screen.

Man..........never could beat that game. Sweet soundtrack though, that for some reason is DOWNGRADED to Genesis/Sega CD-mixed sound from the Redbook music available on the CD.

[Joe Redifer]

Because it is an FMV game. It can't play redbook audio and FMV at the same time. Plus there are only a few redbook tunes on there. Not all stages/musical selections are present.

[Aarzak]

Yeah, I was aware that most of the game's songs WEREN'T available in redbook on the CD. I wonder if there was a full OST release.........

Bet Sega thought it was going to win the fondly-remembered "Silpheed Vs. Star Fox" battle. They thought wrong, but I was retrospectively hyped into getting a used, $20 copy of Silpheed back in '98 after having gotten my hands on some '93 GamePros with "hands-on" features on the development of the game.

[TmEE]

Silpheed kick the ass of Starfox in my mind... I used the extra continue screen as advantage in last stages, but I still couldn't beat the last boss...

[Aarzak]

It appears there was an OST for the Sega CD version of "Silpheed":

http://www.shadowhaxor.net/downloads.php?do=file&id=639

But upon inspection it's arranged/remixed versions of the game's BGM, different than the Redbook ones on the game CD. Wonder if they were used for the PS2 Silpheed enhanced remake or if that remake even used the same soundtrack. I've never played that one.

[segagamer]

Wet the Genesis with alcohol and shove it in and out a few times might work. Or you could try ever-so-slightly adjusting the way the Genesis is seated. That always seems to work with NES games as well as some Neo Geo games.

I will have to try this adjusting trick on my own Genesis/Sega CD combo, since I also have periodic lockups whenever I play CD games or music CDs.

[evildragon]

It's still locking up.

I played a Genny cart, and it's locking up Genny and 32X carts too! I tried unhooking the Sega CD, and no lockup for cart games.

Something VERY dirty. Matter of fact, the contacts on the Genny are horribally dirty, but it won't come off! (two black streaks on each contact)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/Evilweredragon/genmark.jpg

[Joe Redifer]

Try some sandpaper.

[evildragon]

Try some sandpaper.
Is that safe? Won't it damage the contacts?

[Joe Redifer]

Use light grit, but it can definitely help.

[TmEE]

I use 800 (almost like plain paper) sandpaper... but pencil rubber has always done the job (along with some saliva).

[evildragon]

Thanks for the sandpaper suggestion.. No more lockups! (but now the contacts are copper colored instead of silver.. that's ok, right?)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v395/Evilweredragon/copper.jpg

[Joe Redifer]

Who cares what color they are just as long as it works! What you did was remove lots of gunked-on grime and expose more contact area.

[evildragon]

Yea, but it also removed some of the silver protection on the copper traces.

[Joe Redifer]

Life, somehow, will go on.

[evildragon]

And rust, might possibly be a problem.

[Joe Redifer]

Have you tried not leaving it out in the rain?

[evildragon]

I live in Florida, a very humid state.

Rust always happens if not protected.

[Joe Redifer]

Then paint it silver! Any reputable electronics store should have what you feel you need.