Turbo Duo problem!!! Please help

[benchmarkbubi]

Hello.

I've buyed a Turbo Duo System a year ago on ebay.
Now it started to make strange "cd-seeking" noises and games (no scratches or fingerprints) won't boot anymore. After a short peroid the system told me to set disk properly. Audio CD's are played correctly. If i switch my console upside down like the first psx series games will work a short time.

I think it is the laser of the system! Can you help??
 

[Platinumfungi]

I know this topic has been inactive for a long time now but I'm having the same issue.  I just got a Turbo Grafx CD and it plays music cds just fine but when I put games it the system just makes a lot of noises and gives a disc read error/reset disc.

Any help?  I'm thinking it's probably the laser assembly but I'm not sure which model # it takes.

Thanks for anything!

[termis]

It does sound like a laser pickup-issue to me.  With some reservation, I say you can check out the HOP-M3 laser pickup.  It supposedly works on all duo models (I've only verified it with a black PCE Duo myself).  There is a good chance that it'll fit in the TG-16 CD also, but I don't know for sure. 
http://www.electronix.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/1_23/products_id/14472


You can also try asking the folks in gamesx forums here.

[Michael Helgeson]

That is a completely different laser assembly in the Duo then what is found in the discman units found on the Tg-16 cd system and PcEngine cd system and Super Cd-rom 2 system. The Duos use a newer type with a different fit.

[Michael Helgeson]

This HOP-M3 laser replacement,is it the complete drive,cd spinner motor,laser and all,or just the laser?

[Black Tiger]

This HOP-M3 laser replacement,is it the complete drive,cd spinner motor,laser and all,or just the laser?

Here's a poorly scanned pic of the one I removed from my Duo RX.



I don't know anything about this kinda stuff, but it looks like just the laser to me.

[Michael Helgeson]

K,I guess the part is just the laser itself then,thats still cool info to know.

[termis]

MH, do you know if the laser pickup is also incompatible between the duos and tg16 CD/PCE briefcase CD-ROM systems?

I ask cause in the case of the sega saturns, I have successfully transplanted a 21-pin model laser pickup to a 20-pin model w/o any modifications, even though the whole laser assembly was different...

[Michael Helgeson]

If its possible it would require heavy modification that I wouldn't even attempt. The laser uses a very thin ribbon that
is attached to the laser. I hate the cable too because they tear easy if your not careful taking apart the drive. Also they use  a screw type bar to move the eye back and forth,not the typical plastic cog stuff so Im not sure how all that would work out.

If you could figure then pinout of the ribbon cable plug,find a similar cable like it to use plus the other wires,get past the space requirements and get the laser mounted on the slide bars,it should all be possible with tons of hours of work,just unlikely anyone will try. What Id really like to see is a adapter to use a ide or scsi cd-drive on a briefcase or TG-16 cd docking station. That would be awesome.

[termis]

I also just remembered seeing a white screw on the laser unit of the Turbo Duo - there's likely some similar screw like that for the TG16 CD system - and I've a good suspicion that this is the laser intensity adjustment screw.  You laser unit is partially shot anyway, so why not try fiddling around with it?  Give it a good 25-30 degree turn each way, and see how it goes first with an audio cd, then data cd, and repeat this pattern until you hopefully get both of them working well. 

I've fixed a Saturn that had the same problem (reading audio cds okay but not data cds) by adjusting this screw - and Joe Redifer's Dreamcast reportedly behaved better after he adjusted his.
http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=2430.0

[Michael Helgeson]

I also just remembered seeing a white screw on the laser unit of the Turbo Duo - there's likely some similar screw like that for the TG16 CD system - and I've a good suspicion that this is the laser intensity adjustment screw.  You laser unit is partially shot anyway, so why not try fiddling around with it?  Give it a good 25-30 degree turn each way, and see how it goes first with an audio cd, then data cd, and repeat this pattern until you hopefully get both of them working well. 

I've fixed a Saturn that had the same problem (reading audio cds okay but not data cds) by adjusting this screw - and Joe Redifer's Dreamcast reportedly behaved better after he adjusted his.
http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=2430.0

I never spotted a screw adjuster on the few discman units I took apart. That doesn't mean it isn't there,I just may not have noticed.

[Ninja Spirit]

Uh guys I'm in the club myself now. I put Riot Zone in my Duo-R and the thing won't spin and I get this orange message on the screen saying "PLEASE SET DISC!" Then I tried out Red Alert and it happened to that too. I got really scared at this point.

I also have a dead Sega CD system that caught a fuse, can the Sega CD laser lens be swapped with a Duo-R also?

[termis]

Uh guys I'm in the club myself now. I put Riot Zone in my Duo-R and the thing won't spin and I get this orange message on the screen saying "PLEASE SET DISC!" Then I tried out Red Alert and it happened to that too. I got really scared at this point.

I also have a dead Sega CD system that caught a fuse, can the Sega CD laser lens be swapped with a Duo-R also?

Does you duo spin music CDs?  Try what I suggested above - try adjusting (what I believe to be) silver laser intensity screw.  I never tried this, but that's something you can try before buying anything.
If that doesn't work, I'd say it's time to get a new laser lens pickup.  I had the same error message on my JP Duo, and it worked fine after I replaced the laser pickup. 

[Ninja Spirit]

The laser's shot. It wouldn't even play my music CD. Before I do anything online, is it possible to get a HOP-M3 in public?

[Michael Helgeson]

Doubtful anyone locally is going to carry that part. Order it online.