3DO ROBO

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:20 am

Here are some images of my 3DO ROBO unit. This thing is a beast

This unit in particular has a five disk changer

I'll try to upload some pics of it running in a day or so.

Enjoy

You can see the VCD adapter attached to the console in the pic below. It is on the far left side of the picture. I haven't checked to see if it is the FZ-FV1 or FZ-FV1A model.

Below is a good look at the loading tray.

Below is a video of it loading disks. Sorry for the crap quality.

ROBO VIDEO

One more video showing the menu screen output from the ROBO when a game is not being played. Nothing ultra exciting here, but it shows that they went the extra mile in creating an attract mode for this uint.

ROBO MENU VIDEO

Lemmi · Post by **Lemmi** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:13 am

what an awesome piece of equipment

nice to finally get a nice shot of it, my old grainy internet pic i have has to go, as you cant even tell what it is unless its labeled

i would consider that the holy grail of my collection if i owned one

does it work with the top off? i would love a small vid of it changing a disc

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:11 am

Sure, I can make it work with the top off. It has a simple contact switch that needs to be defeated. I'll get some video when I grab pictures of its on screen display menu.

If you want some pics without the watermarks just let me know

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:40 am

I just edited the first post in this thread to include a link to a video of the ROBO loading disks in and out of the player.

Enjoy

Lemmi · Post by **Lemmi** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:15 am

awesome, i think ive watched it 4 times already

it sounds like a tank

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:21 am

Lemmi, you and I must be the only ones that appreciate hardware around here

I'll get some video of the menu screen up in a little while.

Lemmi · Post by **Lemmi** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:19 am

bitrate wrote:Lemmi, you and I must be the only ones that appreciate hardware around here

I'll get some video of the menu screen up in a little while.

heh maybe so, but i love hardware and acessories alittle more then software, but you are the first person that i know that has one, other then the guy at the asembler site who ive never talked to

ive seen one on yahoo auctions for sale long long ago but was way out of my price range at the time

i dont mind if the pics are watermarked, i would like a nice square on shot of the front tho

what does the Mode select A/B do?
also the expansion slot do you know what that is for? is it for stuff like the mem unit?

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:41 am

Lemmi wrote:i dont mind if the pics are watermarked, i would like a nice square on shot of the front tho

Sure thing. I'll get you a nice shot of the front tomorrow.

Lemmi wrote:what does the Mode select A/B do?

The mode select allows the equipment owner to select between timed sessions and unlimited play per pay.

Lemmi wrote:also the expansion slot do you know what that is for? is it for stuff like the mem unit?

Correct.

pitsunami · Post by **pitsunami** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:13 pm

I want one NOW!!!

BryWI · Post by **BryWI** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:41 pm

Looks kinda scary when its changing the discs! waiting for the misfire lol.

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 4:12 am

Added another video for you ROBO fans out there to look at. As before, I edited it into the bottom of the first post in this thread.

This video is a capture of the output from the ROBO when games are not being played. As I stated above, it's nice that they went the extra mile to create an attract mode for this machine.

The unit does have another graphic output that is unique to it (not found on other 3DO players, fz-1, fz-10, etc.). If I'm feeling adventurous I'll post a pic of it as well.

BryWI wrote:Looks kinda scary when its changing the discs! waiting for the misfire lol.

Yep, you don't want to stick your finger in there during disk changes

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 3:59 pm

It's impressive. Nice work, thanks. Where did you get it?

Some say they were used in 'Love Hotels' in Japan. So - imagine my excitement when i discovered some of my estranged (emphasis on the strange) in-laws in japan actually owned a couple of Love hotels.

Before you all start - they aren't what you think, I actually stayed in one, and it was full of horny teenagers giggling off into the darkness, and other than the fact it charges by the hour, it was very much like any other hotel - anyway, I could hardly refuse. I expected 'themed' rooms - but much to the wife and I's disappointment they weren't.

Anyway, this one hotel had lots of abandoned rooms - especially downstairs, so I went snooping. All I found was a massive old Laserdisc Karaoke machine but no 3DO Robo.

)

The one hotel I stayed at was in a region of Japan north of Tokyo a place called "Mito". It's a rural city coastal town, with a lot of rice farms. Anyway - at 5:00am in the morning, every morning, they have to, by law, pipe in this god awful digital chirpy tune to wake everyone up.

It maybe a Love Hotel by night but come 5:00am it's a "I-hate-everyone- and-turn-that-damn-noise-off" Hotel. Ding-dingle-ding-ding...etc.,

3DO kid.

Lemmi · Post by **Lemmi** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 5:52 pm

pretty cool, so from the bouncing VCD icon im guessing it plays VCDs out of the box?

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 7:39 pm

Lemmi wrote:pretty cool, so from the bouncing VCD icon im guessing it plays VCDs out of the box?

Yep. If you look at the third picture down from the top of this thread, on the far left of the picture there is a rectangular black box. That is actually the VCD MPEG adapter. I haven't taken it out to look at it, but it is either the FZ-FV1 or FZ-FV1A model adapter.

3DOKid wrote:Anyway - at 5:00am in the morning, every morning, they have to, by law, pipe in this god awful digital chirpy tune to wake everyone up.

Maybe they do this so that all of the men committing adultery at these love hotels can get home to their wives before they wake up

Post by **3DOKid** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:18 pm

Apparently everywhere has to have this music played. Hotels, homes, everywhere. It's so the rice farmers get their arse out of bed. It's a bit weird. I mean Japan is like this ultra-modern, liberal, democratic, middle-class country and that bit, the ding-ding-ding 5:00am chime, felt a bit North korea if you know what i mean.

T2KFreeker · Post by **T2KFreeker** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:33 am

Cool as Hell man. I love seeing the obscure 3DO unit around. Nice piece of machinery, and collectible as well!

bitrate · Post by **bitrate** » Tue Apr 17, 2007 12:00 am

T2KFreeker wrote:Cool as Hell man. I love seeing the obscure 3DO unit around. Nice piece of machinery, and collectible as well!

Thanks. It's nice to have a group of people interested in it.

There is a small misconception floating around that with this unit you are stuck with the undesirable FZ-JP1X control pad. This is not true for all 3DO ROBO's. The control pad is not soldered in place inside of the unit. The end of the control pad cord has the standard DB-9 port connector and is plugged into a front panel circuit board (a ROBO specific circuit board) just as any 3DO control pad plugs into the front of the 3DO console. As such, you are free to use any pad you desire.