AAARRRRGGGHH - Please please help for a newbie required

[Gaztee]

Hi Guys,

 

Well I am usually found hanging out at the Jag section, but since I have almost everything for it I needed a new challenge. SO I have gone & got myself a 5200. Arrived tonight unpacked it plugged it in my TV tried it without a cartridge nice red light. Went got cartridge to play & nothing

 

Have had a quick glance at the FAQ & see a mention about a fuse in the PSU. Is this the first thing to check or could it be something else? I have used the converter I use for my nuon. Could this be too strong/ powerful, not correct in any way?? Could it be the damn RF thingy with the psu (yes 4 port model!) Does that go at all? The PSU did seem a little loose in it.

 

ANY ideas suggestion will be apprecited. I have just shelled out a fortune (for me) on this & a load of games coming in the next couple of weeks so I would like to get it sorted asap. I am looking forward to taking it to Jagfest UK in June as I think it might raise a few eyes (especially the size of it no wonder it is known here as the BIG system. Makes my XBOX look small!)

 

ANyhoo, Iknow the console is 20+ years old & I might just have been unlucky, but as I said any help is welcome.

 

Thanks for you time

Cheers

 

Gaztee

[+Mitch]

I see that you are in the UK. Since I am asssuming you are using a PAL TV how do you have the (NTSC) 5200 hooked up to it? If you aren't using some type of system convertor then that is probably your problem.

 

Mitch

[Gaztee]

Hi Mitch,

 

I have a 100hz tv so playing NTSC is not a problem. I have my nuon hooked up, to it & never had a problem there. Or is that because I use a scart socket? What are the fixings on the side of the black rf box for? 75 ohm etc?

 

Would this also explain why the power light doesnot come on now too??

 

Cheers

 

Gaztee

[+Mitch]

Yeah, the 5200 outputs on channel 3 or 4 in the US but I don't think those bands are used in the UK (I could be wrong though). You would probably need either a multi-country VCR that can handle US channels or else do a composite/S-Video mod on your 5200.

 

I'm not sure why the power light won't come on. You might test the power supply with a voltmeter to make sure it didn't blow the fuse.

 

Mitch

[Spirantho]

Channels 3 and 4 are indeed not used in the UK... yes you will need a VHF-capable TV or VCR (I use a JVC S-VHS VCR for mine).

 

However, the fun doesn't end there because you won't get any sound, probably. It's very common to get a tuner than can tune into USA frequencies like the 5200 uses, as they're used in PAL-B countries in Europe too, but your system probably won't know where to get the sound and you'll just get hiss.

 

The solution I had to this was to stick an NTSC Win/TV card into my PC... that does the job and is a lot cheaper to import than a whole NTSC TV! For best results, though, you'll want to mod your 5200 to give you composite out.. there's a website (can't remember the link) that sells mod kits for not a lot ($30?) or you can do it yourself.

 

To find out if your machine is actually working right, though, check the power is getting through with a multimeter if you can (open the machine up, turn it on and measure the voltage across the PSU should do the trick). If you're not comfortable with a multimeter then things are a little trickier.... if you did get a red light but now don't then it does sound like something's changed. Maybe you could take a look in the RF switch to see if anything's come loose (I've not seen a 4-switcher so I don't know what to look for). I think I get a red light when I have no cart in on my 2-switcher, so that should let you test for it.

 

I think also the 5200 has a switch for disabling the power when the cartridge is removed - check this switch is working (though I don't know where it is if it's broken then the power wouldn't get through - it may have got stuck when you put a cart in).

 

Hope that helps something - good luck!

[tyranthraxus]

There is an Italian 5200 collector on this board, perhaps he'll have a few

tricks to suggest. In case you don't have a multimeter you can get these

current tester pens for about $10. Basically you just put the pen next

to a cable and press the button on it and it will light up and/or beep if

current is flowing. They aren't 100% accurate if there is a lot of other

cables around but its a pretty handy tester for the less electonically

inclined.

 

But one thing I'm wondering about is how the power supply can work

on your power grid since you run at 50Hz opposed to our 60Hz?

[Spirantho]

But one thing I'm wondering about is how the power supply can work on your power grid since you run at 50Hz opposed to our 60Hz?

 

It doesn't really matter - it all gets turned into DC pretty soon in the circuit anyway.

 

Certainly my 5200 has never complained (nor has anything else American of mine)...

[Gaztee]

Hi Guys,

 

thanks for the tips. My tv is 100hz NTSC compatible. I have no problems with my Jag Jag or my Nuon. I will endevour to get a multimeter to test the voltage (oh stepdown converter is used for the 50/60hz 240/110v).

 

I took the RF adaptor apart & nothing is loose. Could not manage to pry open the power supply tho to check the fuse!

 

Again thanks for the tips, will let you know how it all turns out!

 

Cheers

Gaztee

[tyranthraxus]

I hope you get it running. I am sure it would impress many in the UK.

You probably only own one of a handful in Europe.

[+Mitch]

Hi Guys,

 

thanks for the tips. My tv is 100hz NTSC compatible. I have no problems with my Jag or my Nuon.

 

Yes, but is it compatible with US TV stations? That's a different story than NTSC compatibility via composite or S-Video, which, I suspect, is what you are using for your Jag and Nuon.

 

Mitch

[Spirantho]

Yes' date=' but is it compatible with US TV stations? That's a different story than NTSC compatibility via composite or S-Video' date=' which, I suspect, is what you are using for your Jag and Nuon.[/quote'']

 

It doesn't have to be compatible with US TV stations as compatible with European ones - In Europe they also use VHF... so if your TV can tune that low and it does NTSC you'll be fine.

 

Personally, my TV doesn't - but my VCR does!