3DO Durability

All general 3DO chat here please.

Moderators: 3DO Experience, Devin, Bas, 3DOKid

Post Reply
Dreamstation
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:47 pm

3DO Durability

Post by Dreamstation » Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:52 pm

Hi, I was thinking about buying a 3DO system and I just wanted to know how durable the 3DO is and any known hardware issues that I could possible encounter?

User avatar
Lemmi
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 1189
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:10 pm
Location: Mich

Post by Lemmi » Thu Oct 23, 2008 8:36 pm

FZ1 system could blow a fuse, the CD drawer could get stuck or stop working

Goldstar system the CD drawer could get stuck or stop working, plus some earlier model have game compatability issues (am i right on this?)

FZ10 has no issues that i am aware of

overall the 3DO systems are built solid. the FZ1/Goldstar are tanks and weigh as much, the FZ10 is smaller/lighter but its still a solid little system
Ex-3DO collector extraordinaire , but i still have my collection
Villagephotos is dead, need to find my old pics and find another host

User avatar
mattyg
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 890
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:23 am
Location: Australia

Post by mattyg » Thu Oct 23, 2008 8:49 pm

I currently own an FZ-1 & Sanyo unit - both are very solid and give me no issues despite their age. I owned a goldstar back in the day and it gave me nothing but greif - the game compatibility issues do exist on the early ones and the ribbon cable constantly pinches between the tray and the motherboard.After being "repaired" several times mine spent most of its life with the case opened and the cable stiffened with cellotape.
Thats just my experience , others swear by the goldstar.
To this day I refuse to buy any goldstar product.
"purge with fire Bretheren"

3DO is dead , long live 3DO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K2kuP_anAc

"The greatest games in the world take seconds to learn but months to master. The worst take months to learn and minutes to finish."...MattyG

Dreamstation
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 6:47 pm

Post by Dreamstation » Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:30 am

Thanks for the help

User avatar
Trev
3DO ZONE MOD
Posts: 4036
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:19 pm
Location: States
Contact:

Post by Trev » Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:42 am

The Goldstar unit can also be quite picky when it comes to playing burned discs. Only problem I've ever had w/fz-1 (other than the less than ideal memory management) is 'once in a blue moon' mid game reset. Maddening, but rare enough to be almost ignored.

User avatar
UnholyTancred
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 437
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:49 am
Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Contact:

Post by UnholyTancred » Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:16 am

The FZ-1 should last you for eternity.
"Democracy for an insignificant minority, democracy for the rich — that is the democracy of capitalist society."
-Vladimir Lenin

User avatar
3DOKid
3DO ZONE ADMIN
Posts: 4683
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 4:21 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Contact:

Post by 3DOKid » Sun Oct 26, 2008 8:50 am

Approximately.

ManAndDjinn
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:53 pm

Post by ManAndDjinn » Wed Oct 29, 2008 7:07 pm

I've never owned a 3DO, even though I've been wanting one for the past ~14 years after playing a friend of mines when it came out. You guys have made me nervous about my recent Goldstar purchase... There is a 30 day warranty on it, but still. I think i'll throw down a few extra bux next month and get an FZ-1. It hasn't been delivered yet, but should come this week.

I can't wait to play Myst again, but on a console!

User avatar
Lemmi
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 1189
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:10 pm
Location: Mich

Post by Lemmi » Wed Oct 29, 2008 10:30 pm

ManAndDjinn wrote:I've never owned a 3DO, even though I've been wanting one for the past ~14 years after playing a friend of mines when it came out. You guys have made me nervous about my recent Goldstar purchase... There is a 30 day warranty on it, but still. I think i'll throw down a few extra bux next month and get an FZ-1. It hasn't been delivered yet, but should come this week.

I can't wait to play Myst again, but on a console!
there is nothing to worry about untill you get it and nothing plays in the system. the compatibility issue isnt a huge one maybe only a handfull of games at the most and it could also be the game itself and not the system as there are many games with CD revisions. the CD drawer problem can happen to any older system with a drawer (like the original Sega CD, Philips CD-i ... ETC) i have a CD-i system that the drawer doesnt work anymore but the system does i just have to use it with the top off to manually open the drawer

ive owned 2 different goldstar units and both never had any issues with them, but i still think the FZ10 is the best 3do system :D
Ex-3DO collector extraordinaire , but i still have my collection
Villagephotos is dead, need to find my old pics and find another host

ManAndDjinn
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:53 pm

Post by ManAndDjinn » Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:30 pm

I finally received the system in the mail yesterday. Does Myst have issues with the console? Here's the situation:

Hooked up system, put in myst, and played it for about 20 minutes. The loading times are pretty rough, but I remember it being kinda like that in the Playstation version. After that I put in way of the warrior and it worked perfect, but after playing that, I stuck myst back in and it wouldn't read it for some reason.

I guess i'll play around with it a bit more and if other games don't work, i'll send it back and get a different one.

User avatar
BryWI
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 1334
Joined: Sat Feb 03, 2007 8:16 pm
Location: Kenosha, WI, USA
Contact:

Post by BryWI » Fri Oct 31, 2008 7:10 am

You playing original discs or copies? Copied discs need to be burned at low speed for the system to read them better. Sometimes switching CD media will give different results too. IF you are using original discs you can try to open the system up and see if the laser lens is dirty.

User avatar
Trev
3DO ZONE MOD
Posts: 4036
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:19 pm
Location: States
Contact:

Post by Trev » Fri Oct 31, 2008 2:59 pm

Also w/burned discs, persistence is key. If a game will not load initially, repeated attempts will often yield results. Strange, but in my own experience w/the Goldstar unit, some discs would take 4 or 5 trys before they booted. Stubborn ol' girl.

ManAndDjinn
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2008 6:53 pm

Post by ManAndDjinn » Fri Oct 31, 2008 3:07 pm

These are all original discs. So far, Myst is the only one that has had problems. It's not a big deal though, i've beaten the PC version way too many times, so it's more of a collection thing; i'm a Myst fanboy of sorts. When I get another 3DO, i'll deal with it then 8)

User avatar
3DOKid
3DO ZONE ADMIN
Posts: 4683
Joined: Sat Jan 13, 2007 4:21 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire, UK
Contact:

Post by 3DOKid » Sat Nov 01, 2008 12:10 am

That's right. I don't get it either. You burn a disc, you then scamp as quickly as you can to you 3DO, and guaranteed first time it won't boot. Neither the second time. The 3rd time, and for ever onwards it'll be fine. Sounds daft but maybe the actual disc (not the platsic bit) takes time to cool down or something...

GuruMeditation

Post by GuruMeditation » Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:14 pm

I think I must be quite lucky. I'm in the process of backing up all my software so I can just have a CD folder in the living room instead of a large collection of games in cases. The slowest I can burn my cheapo CD-Rs is 10x and all my games work first time, every time on my FZ-1! :D

GuruMeditation

Post by GuruMeditation » Thu Nov 20, 2008 8:25 pm

Thought I might add to my last post. I've had trouble with my new cakebox of CD-Rs. While the FZ-1 still read them... JUST... the videos in Demolition Man for example were skipping beyond belief. I managed to look through my old orders from an online shop, and just bought another batch of the same older CD-Rs. They work perfectly. I thought it was the colour of the dye that made a difference - it's not. It's just the brand. Same brand, different colour dye, and they work just as well. If you want to play backups on an FZ-1, give "Ritek CDR Full Face Printable CD-R by Traxdata (1x-52x)" media a try. Hope this helps! :)

User avatar
jesus 666
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 73
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:40 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Post by jesus 666 » Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:49 pm

I got my FZ1 second hand maybe 12 years ago and it's never given me any problems of any kind with real 3DO discs, where copies are concerned it seems to muck up fmv sometimes.
Juffo-Wup is the hot light in the darkness

User avatar
UnholyTancred
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 437
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:49 am
Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Contact:

Post by UnholyTancred » Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:19 am

Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim make the highest quality burnable CDs and DVDs.
"Democracy for an insignificant minority, democracy for the rich — that is the democracy of capitalist society."
-Vladimir Lenin

The_Legend
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:01 am

Post by The_Legend » Fri Nov 28, 2008 12:16 am

3DO systems are very durable. Cheap example:

FZ-1 and FZ-10...no problems whatsoever. (Made in the 90s)

Xbox360...died within 2 years. (Made a few years ago)

Yep, they just don't make them like they used to.

WindowsKiller
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 109
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:35 pm
Location: Germany

Post by WindowsKiller » Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:26 am

The_Legend wrote:3DO systems are very durable. Cheap example:

FZ-1 and FZ-10...no problems whatsoever. (Made in the 90s)

Xbox360...died within 2 years. (Made a few years ago)

Yep, they just don't make them like they used to.
So you compare the lifetime of a, by today's standards, very simple console running at 12.5 MHz and consuming only about 8 watts with a current-generation console that uses a multi-core cell processor running at 3.2 GHz and consuming 120 watts? Heat is the key here. The hotter the components get, the smaller their lifetime will be. Not the mention all the additional stuff that can fail in an Xbox 360: Hard disk, fans, etc.

User avatar
NikeX
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 505
Joined: Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:38 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Post by NikeX » Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:39 pm

Thank god people can decide: More advanced bling bling and faster cpu (360, PS3)
OR reliable, solid, quality (3DO, PC Engine, 16Bit, N64)

For some people 2nd point is more important.
After my 360 died I got it repaired and sold it on the same day,
cause I didn't want to support fake industry.
The PS3 has BR drive, HD and firmware problems rising.

The_Legend
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 41
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:01 am

Post by The_Legend » Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:01 pm

That's why I said "cheap example". I understand about heating and all that...but my main point is I've had at least 2 systems crap out on me...one was the 360 and another system just decided to stop reading newer games (newer at the time).

3DO...nope, just fine.

User avatar
bonefish
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 351
Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:22 pm

Post by bonefish » Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:37 pm

WindowsKiller wrote:
The_Legend wrote:3DO systems are very durable. Cheap example:

FZ-1 and FZ-10...no problems whatsoever. (Made in the 90s)

Xbox360...died within 2 years. (Made a few years ago)

Yep, they just don't make them like they used to.
So you compare the lifetime of a, by today's standards, very simple console running at 12.5 MHz and consuming only about 8 watts with a current-generation console that uses a multi-core cell processor running at 3.2 GHz and consuming 120 watts? Heat is the key here. The hotter the components get, the smaller their lifetime will be. Not the mention all the additional stuff that can fail in an Xbox 360: Hard disk, fans, etc.
Good point. At a local game store they sell old dead consoles. You don't see 2600's but once in a blue moon. Almost never an NES. A few random SNES, and a few more Genesis. Then a pile of Playstations. Now a few Gamecubes, Xbox, and PS2 systems are slipping in. Heat and complexity are becoming more of a factor than ever before.

User avatar
mattyg
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 890
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:23 am
Location: Australia

Post by mattyg » Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:33 am

The main problem is consumers will not pay a premium price for something that really needs to be over engineered

Although heat is an issue it doesn't explain why a 3do's cd drive will outlast most music CD drives.

I've sighted the example previously of the original blu ray players already outlasting the newer ones - why - because either crappier fans or no fans at all are present to save production costs

Windows killer has a good point but my argument is as components increase in complexity so should the corresponding reliabilty solutions.

But who's gonna pay for it - no manufacturer wants another 3do, CDi pricing disaster on their hands
"purge with fire Bretheren"

3DO is dead , long live 3DO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K2kuP_anAc

"The greatest games in the world take seconds to learn but months to master. The worst take months to learn and minutes to finish."...MattyG

WindowsKiller
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 109
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:35 pm
Location: Germany

Post by WindowsKiller » Sat Nov 29, 2008 11:20 am

mattyg wrote:Although heat is an issue it doesn't explain why a 3do's cd drive will outlast most music CD drives.
This can be explained, too. If you really mean "music CD drives": keep in mind that they are constantly working as long as music plays. If you play 2 hours of music, then the drive is working constantly for 2 hours. But if you play a 3DO game for 2 hours, the drive will maybe utilized for only 5 to 10 minutes with gaps in between (of course, that's not true for all games, but for a good part).

It will also last longer than modern drives because of its low speed. Low speed means less vibration, and that in turn means longer lifetime.

And finally, the 3DO filesystem has a very clever design that avoids seeking whenever possible, stressing the mechanics much less than ISO9660-based filesystems.

User avatar
mattyg
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 890
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:23 am
Location: Australia

Post by mattyg » Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:33 am

Once again some good points both for and against from windowskiller.
Yes 2 x cd drives do less work and are less stress than music drives

But.............


[/quote]And finally, the 3DO filesystem has a very clever design that avoids seeking whenever possible, stressing the mechanics much less than ISO9660-based filesystems.

So why cant the 360/ps3 have a clever file system ? or smarter operating systems?
because R & D costs and consumers wont pay, anyway , why not get suckers to buy again and again when their systems fail outside of warranty :wink: [/quote]
"purge with fire Bretheren"

3DO is dead , long live 3DO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K2kuP_anAc

"The greatest games in the world take seconds to learn but months to master. The worst take months to learn and minutes to finish."...MattyG

WindowsKiller
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 109
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:35 pm
Location: Germany

Post by WindowsKiller » Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:15 am

I think it's because they rather like to put all the money for R&D in copy protection schemes instead of using it for something more reasonable.

User avatar
mattyg
3DO ZERO USER
Posts: 890
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 7:23 am
Location: Australia

Post by mattyg » Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:34 am

Bingo!

They seem to think that bootleggers would buy their games if they couldn't copy them.

I've always believed that the guys who copy/bootleg do it because they can not because they specifically want something

No gamer minds paying a reasonable price for box art , manuals etc if the games worth it.

I mean look at the 3do collectors among us CD-Rs are considered worthless in comparison to a nice original in long box

The current console industry is a mess. We're back to the '90s - same games appearing across all platforms . The same arguments often aimed at the 3do then can apply now - only now they should know better
"purge with fire Bretheren"

3DO is dead , long live 3DO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K2kuP_anAc

"The greatest games in the world take seconds to learn but months to master. The worst take months to learn and minutes to finish."...MattyG

Post Reply