The Official Pioneer LaserActive Player thread-

[McKie1]

I took a karaoke pac apart but didnt find leaking caps.  The karaoke one doesnt use the SMT caps like the other pacs.  They will eventually fail due to age but they wont be destructive like the leaking SMT caps are.

Good to know. Thank you

[Neurosis138]

I wonder if one of us should write up a similar PDF for our experience with the LA on the American side...  clash or saibot would be better candidates than me as their collections are much more extensive than mine   I'll just cover the repair side of things...

McKie.. do you know if any of your sega or NEC pacs have had their capacitors changed?  If not, please get it done ASAP.  These units all suffer from the same capacitor problems that other systems like the Turbo Duo etc have had.  They leak and it will destroy the pac over time.  I have two completely dead unrepairable PACs already.  The NEC pacs are less prone than the Sega ones, but still should be done as soon as possible.

Here's some info I wrote up concerning the CLD-A100 repair...

http://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4434.0

Finally dropped off my four pacs to the local Pioneer authorised repairer. Thanks to your schematics he said he should be able to replace the caps. Cheers. Does the karaoke pac need any work?

I didn't realize pioneer repair centers would still service these.  I sent mine out to Console 5 and got my Sega PAC refurbed with capacitors and a new battery for $129 including return shipping.  I'm not sure if this is the going rate, but I was more than happy to pay the price so I could resume my MUSHA session.

[BlueBMW]

I've been charging $75 including return shipping to do a Sega PAC... probably on the low side since its such a pain in the butt.  Though my theory is you have to compete a repair price with a replacement price.  When you can find them, loose Sega PACs seem to sell for $75 to $100 or so.  Though that reasoning is losing value every day since any non-refurbed PAC is bound to fail and fail soon!

[Neurosis138]

I've been charging $75 including return shipping to do a Sega PAC... probably on the low side since its such a pain in the butt.  Though my theory is you have to compete a repair price with a replacement price.  When you can find them, loose Sega PACs seem to sell for $75 to $100 or so.  Though that reasoning is losing value every day since any non-refurbed PAC is bound to fail and fail soon!

Good to know.  Thanks for the info bmw.

[BlueBMW]

A Sega PAC usually takes me 4 - 6 hours to recap depending on how severe the leakage is.  NEC pacs are much easier and only take maybe 3 hours to complete.

[Turbotracks]

That is very valuable info. I'm going back and forth between LA and PC-FX for the next addition to my collection. This will definitely help me make my decision. On the subject of cap replacement, how much does a Duo cap rep go for?

[Keith Courage]

I used to own one of these systems with both the US TG pac and the US sega pack. I also owned 6 Laser disc games. It was a fun system but just never kept my attention like a good old Turbo DUO did so I sold it. I do have to say that Power stone and Quiz Econosaurus were awesome. I sold it all on ebay 9 years ago for like $700.

[TheClash603]

I used to own one of these systems with both the US TG pac and the US sega pack. I also owned 6 Laser disc games. It was a fun system but just never kept my attention like a good old Turbo DUO did so I sold it. I do have to say that Power stone and Quiz Econosaurus were awesome. I sold it all on ebay 9 years ago for like $700.

Triad Stone I assume?  Power Stone on Laseractive with sprites in front and FMV in the back would be badass though...  where are our programmers for this idea?

[Keith Courage]

Ah yeah that was it. Triad stone, my mistake. I remeber the saying from the game. You must have more power power power!!

[McKie1]

I wonder if one of us should write up a similar PDF for our experience with the LA on the American side...  clash or saibot would be better candidates than me as their collections are much more extensive than mine   I'll just cover the repair side of things...

McKie.. do you know if any of your sega or NEC pacs have had their capacitors changed?  If not, please get it done ASAP.  These units all suffer from the same capacitor problems that other systems like the Turbo Duo etc have had.  They leak and it will destroy the pac over time.  I have two completely dead unrepairable PACs already.  The NEC pacs are less prone than the Sega ones, but still should be done as soon as possible.

Here's some info I wrote up concerning the CLD-A100 repair...

http://nfggames.com/forum2/index.php?topic=4434.0

Finally dropped off my four pacs to the local Pioneer authorised repairer. Thanks to your schematics he said he should be able to replace the caps. Cheers. Does the karaoke pac need any work?

I didn't realize pioneer repair centers would still service these.  I sent mine out to Console 5 and got my Sega PAC refurbed with capacitors and a new battery for $129 including return shipping.  I'm not sure if this is the going rate, but I was more than happy to pay the price so I could resume my MUSHA session.

I'm guessing they usually don't but somehow the guy was comfortable with the pics provided by the guys here. Remember neither the pacs nor cld-a100 was ever sold here so he probably thought about the novelty of it too?

[xelement5x]

Ah yeah that was it. Triad stone, my mistake. I remeber the saying from the game. You must have more power power power!!

Haha, totally true.  I think it should be represented as: power, Power, POWER!  Since feels like it gets more  exciting each time I hear them say it

[Turbotracks]

What dollar value are these commanding now?  I see them go for $900-$1200+ which considering the price new doesn't seem too bad.  The downside though is definitely their longevity.

[SignOfZeta]

$1200? What?

[Joe Redifer]

power, Power, POWER!

That always makes me laugh.  Makes me feel a bit uncomfortable as well.

[SignOfZeta]

"Take the stone. It will give you...POWER."