Game Gear powers itself off?

17daysolderthannes · Post by **17daysolderthannes** » Tue May 13, 2008 11:36 pm

I actually already solved this problem, but I'm just posting it in case others have the same problem and out of curiosity to know wtf is causing it. Tonight when I pulled out my Game Gear I plugged in the AC adapter as usual and turned it on, but it shut off automatically shortly after. I switched it on and off and all it would do is display the copyright screen for about 1/2 a second and then turn off, like it would do if the batteries were low or something. I was getting pretty pissed and was about to open it up, and I would've if it didn't have the one security screw on the back (I don't have the 4.5mm bit...yet), then I thought "maybe it has something to do with the brightness/volume." So I turned the brightness all the way down and tried again, and this time it booted. I had to turn it up a little to see anything, but after that it was fine. I don't recall this happening as a kid (though I may have forgotten about it) so I was wondering what could cause the brightness dial to somehow get to the point that it would cause the system to shut off. I mean, that would be pretty lazy of Sega to make a mass produced dial that went further than the game system could handle.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Wed May 14, 2008 10:58 am

How old are the batteries? It sounds like a battery problem. Old batteries.

project_failure · Post by **project_failure** » Wed May 14, 2008 1:11 pm

Kurt_ wrote:How old are the batteries? It sounds like a battery problem. Old batteries.

He is using an ac adapter.

Dr. KillGood · Post by **Dr. KillGood** » Wed May 14, 2008 3:46 pm

OMG Did you even read the whole post. XD

I in fact had a similar issue, you just have to wiggle the power cord around till it is in really good. I never turned the brightness down though.

Try soldering the end of the power thing so it is thicker and will fir in tighter?

17daysolderthannes · Post by **17daysolderthannes** » Wed May 14, 2008 5:24 pm

Dr. KillGood wrote:OMG Did you even read the whole post. XD

I in fact had a similar issue, you just have to wiggle the power cord around till it is in really good. I never turned the brightness down though.

Try soldering the end of the power thing so it is thicker and will fir in tighter?

well, like I said, it doesn't do it if I turn the brightness down, the plug fits very well, its the official Sega plug purchased way back in ~91 when I got my first Game Gear. I imagine its a potentiometer and somehow the resistance has increased so that the calibration is wrong. That's the only thing I can think of. Like I said, this was as much to help others with this problem as it was to figure out what the cause was since I recently had someone tell me that their Game Gear was doing the same thing and thought it was broken.

rikitheshadow · Post by **rikitheshadow** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:00 pm

I had the same exact issue, i pulled out my game gear to play some streets of rage "WITH" the AC adapter......And it did the half second shut of thing as well, sat there trying my best to see if it was the cartridge, had pleny of problems with that. It pretty much ended in the same way, i adjusted the brightness dial and it was able to power on and stay on! Guess of must of been some time of bug they made that would appear in later years, something either shorting it or some fail safe feature.....no idea "/shrug"

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Game Gear powers itself off?

WoW!!! LOL