Random question: is it truly not recommended to use the official Japanese PC Engine Duo-R power supply in North America? Doujindance (eBay seller) says one must use another power supply (e.g. X'Eye, Genesis model 2, etc.) for it to be less risky or something. What do you guys use/recommended?
Thanks in advance.
I recommend upgrading to a regulated model, there is worthwhile benefit in doing so.
You want a 9 VDC adapter that's rated at 1.5 Amps or more. Here's the one I purchased on Steve's (our resident Electrical Engineer and PCEFX turbo repairman!) recommendation and at a great price of $2.50:
www.ebay.com/itm/Adapter-AC-100-240V-to-9V-1500mA-Power-Supply-Charger-ConverterThen you'll want the Duo tip as well:
http://console5.com/store/parts/dc-power-jacks/turbo-duo-power-connector.htmlAlternatively, if you don't care about preserving the original power supply, you can desolder the wire off of it and solder it on the new 9 VDC model once it arrives. Up to you. If you buy the tip and use a new wire, you'll have the option to make it nice and long, like 7 feet or so, as out of the box, only 3 feet is provided.
Another option: Don't have soldering skills or the time for a little DIY project ? You can buy ready-made power supplies then. Here's one at $13 (notice the price difference, but much worse at say RetroGameCave - don't buy from him, rip-off at $23!):
http://gamedoctorhk.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69&products_id=817&zenid=9u50rdo757m65iolfl0epo1jg3
Here's why you should switch: I learned from Steve that the CD motor area receives unregulated voltage which will be much higher on your Japanese power supply because it's a cheap, linear, unregulated model. The 2 regulators inside a Duo console for 5 VDC and 8 VDC are for the motherboard and sound processing, but yeah, the CD motor area doesn't receive its power from one of those regulators surprisingly!
My Turbo Duo power supply for 120 VAC input outputs 13 VDC, despite the 10 VDC range that it's labeled with. Now, since yours is targeted for the VAC used in Japan at 100 Volts, you're possibly getting like ~16-19 or more VDC out, would simply be a little higher. Now that's fine, the internal regulators are designed to handle up to 35 VDC, they'll just run more hotter the higher the voltage, but this will add stress to that motor area since as Steve says, that part is unregulated.
Aside from that, it's better you give the internal regulators the least amount of voltage needed so they operate with less heat and last much longer. It's better for the regulator on your power supply to burn out than the one inside your unit which would force you to open it up and replace it. A burned out power supply is much more easily replaced obviously.
In short, a modern, regulated power supply is much better than the cheap, "retro" OEM power supplies from the 198Xs (
"Retro" [power supplies] are NOT better in this case despite what say the Runyons of the Internet might think!). When used with the console, its internal regulators will produce less heat, and in principle, last longer and the CD motor area won't be subjected to varying voltages depending on what your incoming house voltage is (mine is 126 VAC). With all the extra smoothing capacitors, the new ones likely handle surges somewhat better as well.
FYI: I recently succeeded in upgrading my TurboExpress' power supply to the 6 VDC model that Steve also recommended. Also cheap at $2.59 and a million times better than the OEM brick model, which literally is big and heavy enough to kill somebody with! Here it is:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171414825591?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AITI was surprised, everything works fine thus far. He basically learned what the bare minimum voltage that the device will operate with. And logically, less is better, less heat, less wear, just what's needed with enough Amps.
