I have this very weird FZ-1 - help please!

Szabu · Post by **Szabu** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:02 am

Hi everyone, I'm kind of a newbie here, and I desperately need help.

So I've got a Japanese FZ-1 recently, but it's got a weird switch on the back. It says Mode Select: A or B. I have no idea what it does, but I couldn't find any information on the internet whatsoever.

But the sad part is that it seems that my console only plays original Japanese games.
See, I have 2 Japanese and one American discs. Now, the American disc does have a lot of scratches, but my PC and FreeDO read it without problem. But my 3DO console doesn't. It spits it out after a varying time (from 5 secs to a minute).

I copied the disc on a TDK CD-R80 with CloneCD (1x writing speed), but even the copy doesn't work. But it works with FreeDO.

Now, just to test it, I copied one of my Japanese games, and guess what: the console doesn't read them either.

Now, what's up with that? Did I get a special rare 3DO that has both a regional lock and copy protection?

What may cause all these problems?

Post by **3DO Experience** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:10 am

Sounds like it may be a bad test unit. There is no region code on 3DO.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 4:30 am

It does sound like a test unit, but those normally say Encrypted and Unencrypted on the switch, instead of A/B.

pitsunami · Post by **pitsunami** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 6:51 am

A photo of the back will shed some light...

It doesnt sound like a testing unit to me though!

You must be speaking about the little video switch on the back.

I think a laser cleaning will bring it back to life!!

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 7:39 am

It is not a testing unit. This is what Szabu is referring to:

On the US units, this switch (same general area) corresponds to the channel select (3/4) for the RF out and is labeled such.

Some (not all) Japanese FZ-1's have this mode select switch with position A and B.

Position A pulls pins 52 and 53 of the video decoder low which forces the unit to output standard NTSC.

Position B pulls pin 52 high and pin 53 low on the decoder which forces the unit to output Progressive Scan NTSC.

Szabu · Post by **Szabu** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 8:42 am

All right. I opened the 3DO up, but the laser wasn't dirty at all.

What now?

But it made me realize that when I put in my non-working disc, the disc spins at regulat speed for about 5 seconds, and then slows down. If it means anything.

To test if it's really the laser's fault, should I try original, mint condition USA games?

Szabu · Post by **Szabu** » Sat Apr 24, 2010 2:11 am

Update on the topic: It works perfectly with mint condition USA games.