Graphical Problems on Sega Hikaru from Brave Fire Fighters, Please Help

gamemaster14

Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2012
Messages
443
Reaction score
3
Location
Pennsylvania
Graphical Problems on Sega Hikaru from Brave Fire Fighters, Please Help

I recently received a Sega Hikaru board with Brave Firefighters. It has some graphical glitches in the Sega and Insert Coin text and then the first scene of the intro it freezes but the audio keeps going. (Picture Hikaru4)

I put the rom board on the Hikaru board from my Planet Harriers set and it has none of these problems so that leads me to believe the system board is the one at fault.

The chips on the BFF system board do not have as much hot glue around them as the ones around the chips on the PH system board but that's the only visual difference I can see between them.

Does anyone know what could cause these problems? I have included a few pictures below showing exactly what the Brave FireFighters game does when it is plugged into its original system board.

Is it possible to replace the thermal compound on the Heat Syncs of this board without breaking the chips, as I know they are quite delicate. I know I have had computer and ps3 systems that had glitches like this and rethermaling them fixed it.
 

Attachments

  • hikaru1.jpg
    hikaru1.jpg
    161.6 KB · Views: 21
  • Hikaru2.jpg
    Hikaru2.jpg
    160.3 KB · Views: 21
  • Hikaru3.jpg
    Hikaru3.jpg
    67 KB · Views: 17
  • Hikaru4.jpg
    Hikaru4.jpg
    100.7 KB · Views: 22
  • Hikaru5.jpg
    Hikaru5.jpg
    97.2 KB · Views: 17
The hikaru system is a problematic board. The reason your PH board has a lot more glue around the heatsinks is probably because the board originally came from one of a few people that knew that it's the best way to help keep the chips from disconnecting.

You can't do the same thing you would with a PS3 to the Hikaru because the Hikaru was flawed the first moment it came out of the factory. The balls on the BGA aren't tinned, so the slightest hit of the board will cause them to fly off (IE even if you put it on an oven or apply heat to it, the solder won't flow correctly.) Most graphical problems with the Hikaru board can be attributed to a loose BGA and not the thermal compound. Talk to Ken @ irepairsega.com for more details (he is on the forum).
 
Sega Hikaru

Yes this is all correct. Problem is loose BGAs due to a manufacturing issue. Once these come loose, you most likely will not get them to reseat due to oxidation of pads on IC since they were never tinned. Don't try to remove heatsinks or you will probably tear IC in half of cause severe trace damage to pcb. Not like it matters at this point I guess. Its not a thermal problem. You need to start thinking about either replacing the CPU bd from a local sale / vendor or just collect ROM bds to swap onto you PH unit. I say local because you most likely will not be able to purchase one and have it shipped without breaking. I was the last one taking these sets in for repair. I recently stopped because every one one for one was breaking in transit.
 
Thanks for the reply, I figured it was one of those issues that would be beyond normal repair but figured I would ask. Swapping rom boards is no problem for me as I am used to it from Naomi.

Just wondering, The Brave Firefighters set came without the AICA EXT soundboard (CONN5) that was included with the Planet Harriers set. Does Brave Firefighters just not need that board

Also, what would be the method of fixing such a thing or would it be one of those things with these boards that's nearly impossible?
 
BFF was only 2 channel sound out so that little pcb was not needed on it. Pcb is only for 4 channel sound out and jumpers on CPU Bds are set to use that pcb.

No you will most likely not find any way to repair the CPU Bd if its BGA issues. I suppose you could press on them lightly to see if that helps. Rare but does occur. If you get luicky with that, then you can wedge something in there between that IC and lid to help keep it seated... I can't believe I just said that.

Truly I was the last one working on these CPU Bds. There was a guy at Sega Japan and one at Sega Europe. They stopped years ago. I stopped because every pcb one for one came in broken, even though BGA issues were not issue to start. Trying to find one and getting it shipped in one piece will be nearly impossible. I have had many calls from customers that did locate working units elsewhere, only to have them arrive bad with loose BGAs.
 
Back
Top Bottom