USB Host Controller for FZ-10 3DO Console

USB 3DO

Installation of the MNEMO USB Host Controller for FZ-10 3DO. Removal of the drive controller chip, installing USB Host Controller. Testing and gameplay.

USB Host Controller

A customer contacted me asking if I could install the USB Host Controller by MNEMO in his FZ-10 3DO. I agreed and a few days later it was on my workbench. personally own a Dreamcast USB-GDrom by the same developer and found it a very good product (if a little expensive) so I was interested to see a similar device for another console.

Installation

The FZ-10 USB Host Controller requires quite a lot more installation then the Dreamcast device, and should only be attempted if you know what your are doing.

Firstly I dismantled the console and removed the CD-Rom drive. All removed parts were returned to the customer with the console at the end.

The next step was to carefully remove the original drive controller chip. The USB controller will take over all operations of this chip and will require installing wires in its place.

I covered the area in Kapton heat resistant tape, and fired up the hit air gun. The chip was removed very cleanly and could be reinstalled if needed in the future.

Next I soldered on the 17 wires required to make it work in-place of the CD-Rom drive. Some of the install points are very small, care must be taken.

 

Testing

At this stage the USB Host Controller can be tested. I had been sent a USB stick by the customer that contained a couple of ISO’s. Initially I could get it to work. The solution was to use another stick formatted to FAT32, and making sure the game ISO’s were in the correct Mode2/2048 format. Now with these changes I was able to access the selection menu and get a game running.

Sucess, it works. I played some Blade Force and found the USB Host Controller to operate just as good as the original drive. 

Console reassembled and returned to the customer.

If you are planning to get the Host Controller for 3DO, please contact me for an installation quote.

Neil – 8bitplus – 2019

2 Responses

  1. ilia says:

    Russ: I know somebody living here in Switzerland who is very experienced in soldering and modding consoles. In case you are interested just drop me an e-mail.

  2. Russ says:

    Over the years I’ve had a 3DO stolen from me back in the late 90’s another dropped and broken and two that the drive went on. I still have my most recent one that a drive went on. I know you don’t mod units anymore but is there anyway to have this unit modded with a usb drive. I’m a strange person who actually really likes the 3DO. If not you who? Please help me preserve this cherished device from my youth.

    Thanks for your time.

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