Resistor for DC controller port

Tech Talk
1

Can anyone tell me EXACTLY what kind of resistor I need for the DC controller port and maybe where I can find one?

Much thanks.

2

I think its a 10k ive damaged 2 dreamcasts and both work with the new resistor I bought them in radio shack buy a few in case you damage the port again (like me) just replace one of the resistors

3

thanks, bro. I always heard it had to be carbon film or something, but if it works, it works!

4

I’ve never done the mod but I know people are often advised to read this:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/dreamcast/file/916412/9835

5

10k? that would mean the MOST that could squeeze through is .5 mA.

IIRC it’s not a resistor, its a fuse. Its even marked on the board itself as F1. It’s supposed to blow like in case of a short.

DigitalBooty, if you’ll post up a pic of the fuse, I’ll find the exact replacement for it.

Or maybe replace it with a self-resetting fuse like a PTC ( maybe something like Digikey part #RUSB075-ND ). If it blows, you wait a few minutes for it to cool down, and it works again. (of cource, dont leave the problematic controller attached.)

6

yeah thats true, but hey I have been using it for a loooong time, not a single problem. I damaged my port cuz I was too lazy to disconnect the controller while soldering and testing the buttons for my arcade stick mod, yeah I know is moronic but everythings fine now.

7

But 10K Ohms? 10,000 Ohms? Nah. No way in hell. I’ve heard complaints of controllers resetting whne trying to rumble with a 10 Ohm resistor, I dont see how a 10k would allow anything to work.

8

oh man Im really sorry, since toddles said that would be impossible ive searched for the tutorial again and its not 10k its 10ohm. Im really sorry I hope you didnt get the 10k resistor. I confused the resistors cuz recently I was working with a pad using 10k resistors. Here is the tutorial in case you are not so sure :

http://devcast.dcemulation.com/mods/repair/repair.php

my apologies, thanx toodles

by the way you are the toodles who made the dreamcast street fighter collection?

if yes, youre like a god here in Puerto Rico with that collection and the soundtrack thing, so great!!

9

Yes, that’s mine. Glad you like it, just make sure to get the 2nd version with Super Turbo and Puzzle Fighter. Tons better than the original .

I still say its a fuse and not a resistor. If I can get a picture of the original fuse, I can tell you what rating it is. Even with a 10 Ohm resistor, you will likely run into problems with multiple VMUs or multiple controllers, and definitely with multiple rumble packs. Blue box problems on Marvel will be much more prevalent.

10

yeah its a fuse but and I didnt know what u said about the vmus, I think thats true cuz the controller dont respond when I have a vmu but since I dont use it (just play 3s and cvs2) I just load and take the vmu out. So its up Digitalbooty to do it that way.

Sorry for asking toodles but its that hard to make the collection u did? I mean TDC FINAL 2, cuz I dont know if its possible but instead of having sf 2 and ikaruga, street fighter alpha 3 and double impact would be of more use to me and my friends, since I have a lot of spare time (just finished college) anyways if its possible PM me cuz it will be totally off topic. I found another sf collection different from yours it uses another type of browser or something it includes all sf III versions and super turbo and some videos still missing alpha 3, but ur version its better with the music changing man thats just hilarious and puzzle fighter for my wife :lovin:

11

Damn, I just dont give up when something bugs me.

According to this: http://www.dcemu.co.uk/vbulletin/archive/index.php/t-9373.html
Multiple people testing the resistance of the working fusible resistors in their DC’s. I was wrong, it IS a fusible resistor. However, their measures show the resistance to be .39 Ohm. Yes, less than half of a single ohm. Someone else posted up the color bands (orange white silver silver green) which also match a .39 Ohm fusible resistor, and the last green band says its a 1/4W rated, so is good for 800mA.

Digikey doesn’t have an exact match, but they do have some very close ones:
.33 Ohm 1/3 Watt fusible resistor: PPC.33ACT-ND
.33 Ohm 1/2 Watt fusible resistor: PPC.33BCT-ND

12

I’m so glad there is a thread on this here, I have learned a lot from it already, my fuse blew last week (thank you third party controllers) and I have been all around town and have dialed every number in the phone book under electronic components looking for such a fuse, and frustratingly enough, every “expert” or “tech” I have spoken to has never heard of a fusible resistor.

I am about to place an order as recommended on digi-key for 5 similar resistors, hopefully my canadian adress won’t pose a problem. Now I realize the last post here was over a year ago, but maybe my cry for help will be answered. Anyway, before I place the order, has anyone seen or heard of any miracle breakthroughs for this problem? Any information I may have skipped by on this forum? Such as: does the resistance value make a critical difference to the operation of the console (at only 0.39 ohms?) Would I be just as well off with a standard 0.8A or 1A fuse? I am determined to have as close to the exact stock part in there to avoid future mishaps and (gasp) damage to my original mvc2.

Also, if anyone who has performed these operations is still among us… how is your dreamcast holding out at this point?

edit: teehee, after having my dreamcast apart for a week I just noticed the label on the modem cartridge:

“caution: for continued protection against fire hazard, replace only with same type AC125V 1A FUSE (F1) refer to service personal”

If I didn’t know better I’d say that about clenches it, no need for the rare as #$%^ resistafuse, just pop a regular old fuse in derr and partay down!

13

All of the information in this thread is valid. If you use a PTC like mentioned earlier, it will self reset meaning you’ll never have to replace it again. Using a regular fuse instead of the fusable resistor will work fine.

14

Sorry to bring this back up, but what exactly is the difference between a Fuse and Fusable Resistor? This is mostly a physics problem.

And also Toodles, could you recommend a good/the right PTC to do this mod? They don’t sell the one you mentioned earlier and I don’t even think it provided the right resistance.

15

Fusable resistor is a style of fuse made to look like a resistor, but still safely blow if the current is ever too high. All fuses have some, usually small, resistance to them so dont let that fool you.

You don’t have to match the exact resistance; just so long as it is very low; at a guess, anything less than 3 Ohms should work, but less is better (more power available for controllers and VMUs, less voltage drop).

Digikey # MF-R040-ND looks like a good choice. Definitely will trip at 800mA (the current I believe the fusable resistor was set for) definitely wont trip at 400mA or less, and less than one ohm resistance.

16

i was gonna make a new thread till i found this one, seems my DC wont recognize any controller on any port … So what now :xeye:

17

Sorry for bumping this old thread, but I have a few questions:

  1. Why this happens? Why would a controller pad blow up the fuse/resistor? Does this means that the controller pad wich caused the problem isn’t usable any more?

  2. Is there a particular way of soldering the fuse/resistor back? This is the PTC self-resetting fuse wich Toodles recommended to use, but there’s no visible mark on the legs to tell where each one goes.

18

The fuse blew, so the pad was trying to draw more current that was safe for the Dreamcast to give out. Better to blow a $0.02 fuse than a $10 power board.
Whatever controller or other device that caused the fuse to blow should not be used unless it is repaired. Otherwise it will just blow more fuses and cause more problems.

There is no orientation, so either leg in either hole works.

19

Whoa, Toodles, thanks, so that means that the controller wich caused the problem can be fixed? I think it’s not an easy thing to do.

Thanks for your answer, and yea sorry for the PM, the search function was acting strange for me these days, but now this thread appeared at first try.

20

Hey guys, I was planning some Dreamcast surgery for tomorrow and I just realized everyone’s talking about fusible resistors in here. I know a lot of Google says to just use a (normal) resistor. Will a regular, everyday resistor not cause problems? If so, what would be the benefit to using the fusible resistor? (ie. Do I want it to be able to blow?!)