Goldstar GDO-202 3DO
 | |
| An all-grey GoldStar 3DO, the finish of the European GDO-202 | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | GoldStar |
| Type | Game console |
| CPU | — |
| Memory | — |
| Storage | — |
| Display | — |
| Sound | — |
| Media | Double-speed CD-ROM |
| OS / Firmware | — |
| Predecessor | GDO-101M |
| Successor | GDO-203 Alive II |
| Model no. | GDO-202; GDO-202P (PAL) |
The Goldstar GDO-202 is GoldStar's second 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, an updated GDO-101 sold in South Korea and Europe. GoldStar replaced the GDO-101's Sanyo disc drive with a drive similar to the one in Panasonic's FZ-1.[1] The PAL version, the GDO-202P, has an all-grey case and was sold in Europe.[2][3] The GDO-202 was replaced in Korea by the top-loading GDO-203 Alive II in late 1995.[1]
Hardware
[edit | edit source]The GDO-202 uses the Anvil chipset, the later 3DO design that merges the console's custom chips into one, also found in late Panasonic FZ-10 consoles.[4][3][5][6] The case is the GDO-101's shape; the photographs of the grey European console show the same front panel, tray and control port.[3]
Three differences from the GDO-101M matter for repair:
- The disc drive is different, and its laser has not been identified; the 3DO Development Repo lists it as unknown, probably the same as the GDO-101's or the GDO-203's.[7] On a GDO-202P the flexible cable to the laser does not move with the drive, so it does not fatigue the way the GDO-101's does.[2]
- The GDO-202 and GDO-203 are the only 3DO models that detect a CD-R and refuse to play it, by design.[8]
- RGB kits made for the earlier 3DO boards do not support Anvil boards, the GDO-202 among them.[6]
On a GDO-202P photographed with its drive removed, everything is on one main board marked 6870H-10EAA, including the power supply, with the transformer screwed to the case at the rear left; the GDO-101M has separate main and power boards. A parts list published with the photograph names the Anvil chip (IC1), a Sony CXD2500BQ CD signal processor (IC302), the "BOB" chip (IC303) and a Burr-Brown PCM1710U audio DAC (IC601).[9] The power supply on a GDO-202P has a 4700 µF reservoir and two 1000 µF capacitors, the same values as the GDO-101M's 6870S-263AA board; an owner replaced all three during a repair.[2][10]
Known faults
[edit | edit source]The 3DO Development Repo groups the GDO-101 and GDO-202 together for common failures: all of the electrolytic capacitors, and disc tray eject problems.[8] Fault-finding is on the Goldstar GDO-202 Troubleshooting Guide, care and cleaning on the Goldstar GDO-202 General Maintenance page, and what is known about the capacitors on the Goldstar GDO-202 Capacitor Replacement Guide.
Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Goldstar GDO-202 General Maintenance
- Goldstar GDO-202 Troubleshooting Guide
- Goldstar GDO-202 Capacitor Replacement Guide
- Goldstar GDO-101M 3DO
- Goldstar GDO-101M Capacitor Replacement Guide
- Goldstar GDO-203 Alive II
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 3DO, Wikipedia—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Sections "Variants" and "Decline", the latter citing Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 80 (March 1996), p. 18. Used for model history and dates only.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Goldstar 3DO problems, AtariAge Forums, 28 January – 4 February 2022—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Owner's report on a GDO-202P, with replies.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Region Exclusive Consoles, archive3do.com—link(accessed 2026-10-01)
- ↑ Consoles (hardware revisions), 3DO Development Repo—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Lists the models "Goldstar GDO-101", "Goldstar GDO-202 Anvil", "GDO-203" and "GDO-203P".
- ↑ 3DO:3DO Model Differences, ConsoleMods Wiki, 8 May 2026—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Section "Goldstar GDO-101M (1994 - 1996)". Community summary.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 3DO Internal RGB Installation for all models except ANVIL (Late FZ-10 and Goldstar GDO-202), Dan's Projects—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Lists the motherboard types the kit supports, including "Goldstar w/VP536a Encoder".
- ↑ Laser assemblies, 3DO Development Repo—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Table of the laser fitted to each 3DO model and the devices that share it.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 General Hardware Repair and Maintenance, 3DO Development Repo, 7 November 2022—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Community repair notes: common failures by model and common symptoms.
- ↑ alk0v (Alexander Kovalenko), The 3DO Company и 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (Panasonic и не только), Habr, 20 June 2016—link(accessed 2026-10-20) In Russian. Photographs of a GDO-202P with its drive removed (File:GoldStar 3DO GDO-202P main board 6870H-10EAA.jpg; board marking 6870H-10EAA read from the photograph) and a parts list of its main board by designator.
- ↑ Goldstar 3DO, Console5 TechWiki, 15 February 2024—link(accessed 2026-10-01) Capacitor lists for main PCB 6870S-260AA 940914-1, power PCB 6870S-263AA, CD interface PCB 1EA4B11A09900 and CD drive PCB 1EA4B11A09800. Secondary source, compiled from production boards.
