Duo: paranoia, sound prob.. need your advice

[MurderDate]

So I bought a used Duo from Ebay that said it had the laser replaced and the pre and post amps added to crisp up and perfect the sound..   but so far I'm not convinced.  The first time I turned on the CD there was a ton of background noise and lots of louder static sounds and stuff - I thought I had got ripped off for sure.   I have had the system over night and when I put the CD back on this morning all of that seemed to have gone away..  so maybe the machine just needed some warming up?

Secondly, as far HuCards,   I kind of have this feeling that for some reason the audio is a lot more quiet than it is on my regular TG16.. and it even seems quieter than the CD output.  Is that possible?

Also.. I can't seem to save a game. Am I going mad?   Do I need to have a HuCard ROM/RAM/whatever in the slot in order to save?  Or is it that this system is a dud?

Please, give me your advice.  The seller wants me to ship the Duo back and he'll fix it up etc, free of charge to me.

I'm kind of thinking I'd just like to return it altogether.. but I really do want a Duo, and this was a good price (and I'm not a rich guy who can afford a $300 boxed one on Ebay).  I don't want to get stuck with a machine that isn't going to work well.

Any advice from you guys?     Things to look for,  ways to test this machine?    Your experience?   Put my fears to rest ..

MurderDate

[MurderDate]

yep.. played Cosmic Fantasy 2 for a half an hour and built my guy up to level 4..  Saved the game, turned off the machine,  and now I'm trying to load it up again and the system is just stuck at "loading data 1"..   I'm  pretty sure this system is busted.

edit :  I'm a moron. I pressed a button while it said loading and it brought me into my game.  I noticed the CD wasn't spinning or anything, I knew that couldn't be right. 

So the real problem on this machine is the audio..

[Necromancer]

I can't say much about your audio issues, but I'll try to tackle your save problem.  Try formatting your Duo's memory (if you haven't already), as it could be corrupted.  If that doesn't help, then the cap(s) for the save memory are likely kaput.

[nat]

Your sound problem could be as simple as the A/V cable you're using. Aftermarket A/V cables don't fit the Duo's A/V socket correctly and if they are sitting just ever so slightly off balance you will get all sorts of interference (exactly as you described) on the audio channels. Since you got this Duo second-hand, you probably have no idea if the cable is the original or one of the aftermarket ones.

Try wiggling the A/V connection at the Duo and see if it causes sound distortion and static. If so, that is your problem. If not, then I'd guess your system has an issue internally... Keep an eye on it.

[MurderDate]

yeah..  I kind of got the impression it may be that monster A/V cable too  but I just jumped right to the internal due to the reputation of the system.     The guy who sold it to me knows all the hotwiring stuff (saw him buying raw video games board on Ebay so I assume he has some idea of what he's doing, electronically speaking) and said he would add post amps (he said he already added pre-amps) and that it would be good as new.  I'm just debating wether I want to return the whole thing or not.  I don't want to blow all that money on a machine that is constantly going to give me problems.     Harumph.    I really need to get a job...

[ceti alpha]

I don't want to blow all that money on a machine that is constantly going to give me problems.     Harumph.    I really need to get a job...

Yeah, it's like having a used car. When do you stop throwing money down on the damned thing.

I would personally let him work on it. He seems like a good seller if he's willing to take it back and work with it. If you buy another one from someone else, you're likely to have similar sound issues as it's common (I'm suffering from the same thing) and the seller may be less willing to make you happy.

I think for my Duo, I'm going to go take it to a local electronics store and print off the Mod/Repair instructions that D-Lite so kindly made for us.   

[MurderDate]

I would personally let him work on it. He seems like a good seller if he's willing to take it back and work with it. If you buy another one from someone else, you're likely to have similar sound issues as it's common (I'm suffering from the same thing) and the seller may be less willing to make you happy.

You know, that is some very good advice.   Thanks.

[Necromancer]

I'd be leery of him adding a post-amp to your Duo, rather than just fixing what's wrong.  Usually, the only thing that kicks the bucket is the plethora of poopy caps, and if those were replaced along with the dodgy a/v cable, then the problems should disappear.  Assuming that something is fixed properly, I wouldn't worry that it will soon fail again.

[Kitsunexus]

LOL, this guy is smart! He'll fix this problem, and later on down the line something else will pop up, he'll fix that as well, and before you know it, he's making a killing! 

[ceti alpha]

LOL, this guy is smart! He'll fix this problem, and later on down the line something else will pop up, he'll fix that as well, and before you know it, he's making a killing!  Laughing

haha. Yeah, honestly if there's a problem with it, just take it to a local electronics guy. Give him the instructions that D-Lite provided.  Oh and buy the Duo toolbit.

[Necromancer]

LOL, this guy is smart! He'll fix this problem, and later on down the line something else will pop up, he'll fix that as well, and before you know it, he's making a killing! 

Why, does he own the post office?  MurderDate clearly stated that the dude was willing to repair it free of charge.

[MurderDate]

yeah, he is a crazed gamer like us.  seems like a 100% good guy.  I just freaked out about the condition of the Duo's sound because I went out of  my way to buy one that had been refurbished, so to speak, so I wasn't paying for a half dead piece of junk from someone who doesn't even know what it is.  I'm pretty sure this dude is for real.. just have to give it another go inside the old Duo..  we'll see how it goes !

[kid_rondeau]

If that doesn't help, then the cap(s) for the save memory are likely kaput.

Necromancer, this is probably worthy of a different discussion, but do you know where to find the caps for the save memory? Has this been addressed in an older thread? I searched, but found nothing.

[Necromancer]

Necromancer, this is probably worthy of a different discussion, but do you know where to find the caps for the save memory? Has this been addressed in an older thread? I searched, but found nothing.

I think they're the round ones. 

Seriously, I don't have a clue which ones would need to be replaced.  I believe D-Lite had a thread going many moons ago that discussed faulty memory, so he might have an answer for you.