NAMCO 246 - Soul Calibur 3 Arcade - Tried everything... can it be fixed?

[Tangufire]

NEW MEMBER! Woot!

Alright, So I've searched the far ends of the internet and cannot find the answer to this question.

Really hoping someone on here has had this issue or knows what to do.

I have a Soul Calibur 3 Arcade. Has a Namco 246. Has the SC3 Dongle and DVD. 200W Happ Controls Power Pro Power supply (black case ones you find online). Vizio 24" Flat Panel (Vga) with a VGA Converter Chip. (After reading a lot online, not even sure VGA converter is necessary on these). Has the Namco I/O Board.

I've had this machine for over a year and it's been great so far. One day I had all my machines running, checking coin doors and lights, and I return to this SC3 game and the screen says "No Signal". I have never had any issues with this machine before.

So I check inside, it appears to be getting power. Fan is running, but doesn't show DVD-Drive Activity. Tinker with it for a bit but can't get that dvd light to come back on at all.

Pulled the drive, tested on a PC. Works great. Plug back into Arcade and Nothing. Everything else seems to get power but the DVD drive (reading light).

So I bought another compatible DVD drive. Works great in PC, but nothing in arcade... no power light.

Took the whole Namco 246 apart. Checked all connections.. cleaned what I could. Put it all back together and still doing the same thing as before.

The only way I can get the Drive to come on in the Arcade (Besides the PC) is to unplug the Ribbon Cable from the back of the dvd drive. The DVD Drive will then light up, spin up the disk and everything. But as soon as I plug that ribbon cable in, it shuts off all power to it.

Ribbon cable on right side of the Namco 246 doesn't seem to do anything whether it's plugged in or not either.

Dongle (and port) has been cleaned a few times and plugged in snug on the connector. Port 1. 2nd Port has an old SC2 memory card that came with it. Tried without that as well.

Checked Voltage on power supply:

+5V/15A is at 5.22v
+12v/4A is at 12.66v
-5v/1A is at -5.05v

Voltage at I/O Board: Molex

Red 1: 5.13v
Red 2: 5.13v
Orange: 12.66v

Voltage at Jamma

Red: 5.11v
Yellow/Orange: 12.66v

Namco 246 Molex (Front pins)

Red 1: 5.11v
Red 2: 5.11v
Orange: 12.65v

DVD-Rom Drive Back Connector

Red: 5.09v
Orange (w/fan): 12.65v

What else can it be?? Seems like it just won't boot from Dongle to DvD drive. Didn't think those Dongles could die... but who knows.

Any ideas I haven't tried?? Been Racking my brain at this for over a week.

((BTW I have no other Namco 246 Games/Dongles to try))

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

Try powering the CD drive from an outside source.

 

[Tangufire]

Should I just run a new line from 5V power supply straight to the Red wire on the molex, back of the DVD-Drive?

Do I need to do the Orange as well?

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

Do you have a different ATX computer supply you can try just for testing?

 

[Tangufire]

I have a spare desktop computer that I used to test the 2 Dvd-Drives..

Lemme just rip that out real quick...

Looks to be a ATX 250.

Would this suffice?

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

yup

 

[Tangufire]

So just power the DVD drive with this little guy and connect the ribbon cable to the Namco, correct?

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

yes

 

[Tangufire]

Okay, so here are my findings.

The DVD-Drive came on when I powered on the Power supply and began reading the disk.

I turned on the Cabinet and the dvd drive almost immediately turned off. Stopped spinning and light stopped working. Drive will not open.

Unplugged the Ribbon, it came back on and began reading. Plugged ribbon in and the drive turned off again.

Even tried the reverse, powering on the cabinet first then power supply.

Whatever the Cabinet is doing, it's keeping the DVD Drive from coming on.

 

[plasia]

Try reseating/replacing that ribbon cable. Also try a different environment, like a supergun setup or something.

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

Do you have a different ribbon cable you can try?

 

[Tangufire]

Unfortunately I don't have any other computers or Cabinets that have this style ribbon cable.

However, I did some more tests today.

I tried flipping around the ribbon cable... did nothing.

So there's a 4 wire connector on the board where the ribbon cable connects down inside. Has 2 Red wires and 2 Black. I tested the volts on the Reds and I get 5.21V.

Interesting enough, when this 4 wire clip is unplugged, the DVD-Drive comes on when I turn on the cabinet, even with the Ribbon connected.

I assume this is the main power wire feeding the board, which feeds something through the Ribbon, telling it to not turn on. Because board unplugged, it works... and ribbon unplugged, it works. But both plugged in, it doesn't.

Any more thoughts? I'm leaning towards Dongle issue or Main Board myself.

 

[xodaraP]

Those 4 pins are usually the CD Audio out pins I'm fairly sure - maybe in the 2x6 they're connected to the JVS system somehow?

 

[chacal231077]

Hello


your cable is tired because of the heat you need to contact.


Remove it carefully and try to smooth it with your fingers on a table.


Check if the IDE connectors on the motherboard are straight!


Try to boot without a battery without a CR2032 backup battery without a dongle and DVD player for 2 minutes.


Reconnect everything and check the drive jumper on Cable Select.


Change the battery CR2032 by a new one like that it's done


insert the dongle.


Open the drawer of the DVD player manually using a paperclip.


insert the game & start all.


check your + 5v

 

[Tangufire]

A friend of mine found me a ribbon cable from one of his machines. However, it Didnt change the outcome.

Im going to replace the Cr2032 battery next and see what that does. Appreciate all the advice!

What would most Namco 246s do if you were to remove the dongle and try to turn everything on? Would the dvd turn on at all?

Just trying to see how these things think...

 

[majors]

Took the whole Namco 246 apart. Checked all connections.. cleaned what I could. Put it all back together and still doing the same thing as before.

Did you get into the mem card/controller port section? I've had a 246 that the ribbon cable that connected the ports to the mobo got loose inside...but the boot beeps told me to check that section. Are you getting the normal 6 or 7 beeps when you power on?

As you prolly know, the drive does not immediately power on(or at least able to eject) for 15-30 seconds. If I remember, with no dongle you can still eject the tray after it initializes.

 

[Tangufire]

I have left the machine on for at least 30 minutes in its current state, trying to see if it would ever come on, but it never did.

I do recall the mem card ribbon cable getting hung up when i was trying to put it all back together. But idk why it would have done that before anything was ever taken apart.

However...

I just went ahead and took it all apart again. Cleaned a few more of the inner ribbons and connections. Main dvd drive ribbon looks fine, no bends and clean.

Ill go ahead and change the battery too while im here. Recleaned the dongle too... Took apart and polished the tips.

Also, im not too familiar with the beeps. When it turns on the only sound it makes is the fan running. Other than that its quiet.

Ill put everything back together tomorrow or this weekend and we shall see. Cant think of much else to try.

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

So you don't hear the dongle beeps when you boot it? Do you have a different game dongle you can try?

 

[Tangufire]

I dont have any other dongle or dvd to try

I changed the battery... Ribbon cable.. Cleaned everything that makes a connection.

Cleaned the card slot on all connections.

Nothing.

It makes no sounds when you turn it on. Just the fan on the namco 246.

Tried adjusting the volume both ways to make sure i wasnt missing the tone when i turned it on each time.

The only thing besides the fan running is the lights, vga converter board, monitor (no signal), and the little green warning light on the namco I/O board. Solid, not flashing.

I may check the ribbon on the card slot on both ends and check the ohms to make sure its connecting through. Bought the only thing i havent checked.

 

[Tangufire]

i do have a soul calibur 2 dongle that came with it, but thats just the game save memory card for sc2. Dont remember it doing anything when i put that one in instead.