It begins...

[BigusSchmuck]

If you plan to sell one of these, I would like to be the first in line to get one.

[filler]

This is very helpful to me since I have 3 systems total which I've been meaning to service, one of which was known to not play FMVs when I got it. Now I know to try that middle pot. What lasers did you get? Is it just some generic CD drive replacement laser?

[NightWolve]

Huh, a translator and a PC-FX system saver to boot ? Nice! Sorry, no resumption on the Emerald Dragon script as of late, I'll be pretty busy for summer, but we'll get there eventually!

If Le Steve-o had one of these and cared to, he could likely tell you/produce a guide how to best adjust those pots using an oscilloscope as is the case with PC Engine/Turbo Duo.

[SamIAm]

This is very helpful to me since I have 3 systems total which I've been meaning to service, one of which was known to not play FMVs when I got it. Now I know to try that middle pot. What lasers did you get? Is it just some generic CD drive replacement laser?

You'll need a HOP-E1 laser, sometimes labeled as a HOPE-1 or HOPE1. I picked up the last six that a Chinese seller on alibaba had stocked at $3.50 apiece. Bear in mind, four didn't seem to work. But I do suspect that you'll have a higher success ratio than that if you buy from another source.

I recommend turning the pot counterclockwise 1/8 of a full rotation first, followed by slight 1/16 adjustments in the same direction as necessary. If you go beyond 3/4 of a full rotation, you laser might start to squeak as it moves, and that seems like a bad sign to me.

That pic I posted is upside-down, by the way.

[SamIAm]

Huh, a translator and a PC-FX system saver to boot ? Nice! Sorry, no resumption on the Emerald Dragon script as of late, I'll be pretty busy for summer, but we'll get there eventually!

If Le Steve-o had one of these and cared to, he could likely tell you/produce a guide how to best adjust those pots using an oscilloscope as is the case with PC Engine/Turbo Duo.

No problem with Emerald Dragon. I have plenty on my plate as it is.

It would certainly be nice to know what those pots do, at least. Maybe someday...

[rayxanber]

Good luck! That will be an amazing accomplishment when you are done.

[_joshuaTurbo]

Wow Sam!!  This is great to hear!  Good on you for saving the lives of those poor PC-FX's!!

Also, if you plan on selling, I might know a guy who knows a guy. 

[GreatBlueSwirlof99]

If you ever like to sell an FX id be glad to adopt one for the right price of course! It will look nice next To my Dreamcast or N64!

[seieienbu]

Huh, a translator and a PC-FX system saver to boot ? Nice! Sorry, no resumption on the Emerald Dragon script as of late, I'll be pretty busy for summer, but we'll get there eventually

I was debating about bumping the ED thread at some point out of curiosity.  I was afraid you'd gotten such a bad experience with scumbags stealing your work both years ago and more recently that you were just going to quit on the project.  I'm very happy to hear that you're just busy.  Good luck and god speed.

I don't know very much about PCFX systems.  Is their laser breaking a common problem?  Has nobody attempted to tackle this before?

[elmer]

Is their laser breaking a common problem?

From what SamIAm has seen with his purchase of "junk" systems off Yahoo Japan, it certainly seems to be a common reason for why they're sold off really cheap.

My purchase of a "working" one from a Japanese eBay dealer also has laser problems, but I've not had the time yet to try SamIAm's fix.

Has nobody attempted to tackle this before?

Not that I know off ... I think that the regular answer given is just to replace the laser.

AFAIK, that seems to be the usual solution in the PCE world, where the problem isn't exactly uncommon, either.

SamIAm's fearless tinkering has given us/me hope of avoiding having to do that replacement on our PC-FXs.

[EvilEvoIX]

WOW what an undertaking!  Keeping the system alive good for you.

[GreatBlueSwirlof99]

Are you capable to fix the lazier on the Dreamcast? Cuz I fear mine isn't holding out well

[wildfruit]

Are you capable to fix the lazier on the Dreamcast? Cuz I fear mine isn't holding out well

Probably just get a new Dreamcast.

[Dicer]

I know this is odd, but if you have one that is unfixable, I'd love to work out a deal for one, always pricey to ship from japan and I wanna do a case mod sorta thing eventually...

But by all means, rescue away you are doing great work.

[PunkicCyborg]

The laser adjustment information was extremely helpful. I didn't realize it was pretty much just the middle pot. I swapped my laser a couple years ago and could never get it just right but got it dialed in perfectly. Could you please make a new thread with the laser adjustment info so it can be stickied?
Thank you!