3DO ZONE Forums

So what system you play your 3DO games on the most? I've actually been using my Sanyo unit lately but I've always used the FZ-1 in the most in the long run.

Up until recently it was my Goldstar, but I've since replaced it (RIP ) w/another FZ-1 (my second) So I voted for the original 3DO.

I'm wondering if Freedo or the Creative Labs Blaster should be included as well?

Well I only have the Panasonic FZ-1 so that obviously gets my vote.

I would add the 3DO Blaster, but Freedo would just be sacreligious.

FZ-1 for me cause its more heavy duty!!!!

weee 5 votes and im the only one who uses the FZ10 so far

the only time i used my FZ1 was to see if it worked

A lot of people and websites claim the FZ-1 screws up more than other models and the tray has a habit of locking up.

Is that true or is this another thinly veiled "If you treat your console like a f*cking mongol then it surprisingly stops working"

I have an FZ-10, it sleeps in our bed between me and my girlfriend.

CrimsonGlory wrote:"If you treat your console like a f*cking mongol then it surprisingly stops working"

Thats what i think .Anyway goldstars have that damn ribbon cable to laser that gets cut after some million hours of gaming and my sanyo is too valuable,so i believe fz1s are the best choice!

I just like the look and the fact that the FZ-1 is front loading. (stackability) I've never had any issues with it in it's 14 year life span.

the laser on my fz1 is showing its age when trying to read some CDR media. But it still runs originals for the most part. btw to add my 2 cents, I hear/notice the FZ-1 seem to have the best cd drives while the goldstars are usualy the worst. This is coming from numerous complaints i have heard over the years. All systems have sub-par drives in them though. They will eventualy die out. But even PC DVD drives these days are crappily built, or so it seems to me. I must of replaced like 3 of them damn things in the last few years.

BryWI wrote:They will eventualy die out.

(Drops to knees, tears shirt)
NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......etc

CrimsonGlory wrote:

BryWI wrote:They will eventualy die out.

(Drops to knees, tears shirt)
NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......etc

...Steady brethren. Brother BryWi speaks with fork tongue. They will never die - he whom we call Trip has communed with me.

BryWI wrote:the laser on my fz1 is showing its age when trying to read some CDR media.

Mine still runs as good as it did the day I bought it. The Sanyo is just as picky on CD-Rs as the Goldstar but it will eject the tray and then return it in as many times as it takes to load a game. Good firmware

Im just glad there is FreeDO. I still like to pull the ol FZ1 out and play it though. A year or so ago I put many many hours into star control 2 on my FZ1, i think it only reset on me once. Which wasnt too bad. I pretty much just keep the system put away unless I want to play something FreeDO wont run. Im afraid of killing it for good. I really do hope another 3do emulator gets worked on though. Something that might go open source. Computers these days are more than capable of emulating 3do at full speed.

CrimsonGlory wrote:A lot of people and websites claim the FZ-1 screws up more than other models and the tray has a habit of locking up.

Is that true or is this another thinly veiled "If you treat your console like a f*cking mongol then it surprisingly stops working"

I have an FZ-10, it sleeps in our bed between me and my girlfriend.

The Goldstar unit is the one that goes bad with the laser and tray mechanics, not the FZ-1, at least not commonly like the Goldstar unit. The FZ-10 is quite solid and has the advantage of not having to worry about tray mechanics breaking, but I've go a 13-14 year old FZ-1 that is still working like new in every single way, and it gets played on an almost daily basis.
On a side note, the same has been true of my Jaguar&JagCD unit, while I've gone through several Goldstar 3DO's, Sony PS1's and 2's, Sega Saturns and SegaCD's and Xbox's in far less time with both laser and tray problems. From my personal experience, the Pansonic FZ-1, FZ-10 and Atari Jaguar and Jaguar CD unit are the most durable systems I've ever owned, and I fully expect them all to outlast my other present and future consoles.

3DO Experience wrote:I just like the look and the fact that the FZ-1 is front loading. (stackability) I've never had any issues with it in it's 14 year life span.

exactly.

My Jaguar has issues with carts (no CD unit yet), it likes to come up with the red screen of death.

3DO Experience wrote:My Jaguar has issues with carts (no CD unit yet), it likes to come up with the red screen of death.

That's just a bad connection. The cartridge slot and/or the cartridge edge need to be cleaned very good. Most likely it is the cartridges, which only need to start to tarnish slightly to lose connectivity on such a low voltage system. The best solution is to take a pencil eraser and rub it on both sides of the cartridge edge connector thoroughly. Then, take a cotton swab or lint-free cloth and rubbing alcohol and clean both sides. This should do the trick with eliminating the "red screen of death."
For the Jaguar cartridge slot, take and old credit or ID card, cut it to the proper width as the cartridge slots larger side and wrap it in a cloth and pour rubbing alcohol onto it, then in a strictly vertical motion insert and pull out the card/cloth from the cartridge slot. It's a matter of keeping the contacts dirt and tarnish free, and needs to be done regularly with the cartridges so they load properly. But nothing is wrong with the carts or system besides needing a cleaning.

I already use the pencil eraser on carts (a holdover from the NES days) but the credit card for the system is fantastic! I'll have to try that sometime this week, you very well may have saved it.

My Jag suffers from the same red-logo syndrome.

on carts use cotton swabs and a 2:1 "rubbing alcohol/water" solution. You might be able to get at the cart slot as well but it will be harder. Of course, let it dry before you attempt playing. Dont drench the thing either! And I take no responsibility in any damage caused by my advice!

I should have commented before, never use anything under 70% isopropyl alcohol unless you don't care about your electronics corroding away.

I've used my goldstar more than anything since I've had it the longest. Since I've had the FZ-10 it's had slightly more use, but mostly due to the fact that it's closer to being to the top of my box of 3DO stuff.