turbo duo repair

[chop5]

hi

I was wondering has anyone used retrogames to repair their turbo duo or tg-16? Im thinking of sending my duo to them for repair.

Also do any of you know where i can get the cd eye for the duo? Laser eye model Hop-m3 by hitachi,or do you know of any old cd models that used the same eye so i can scavenge from them. I looked on the net at the chinese import/export but they wont answer my emails.

[malducci]

How do you know it's the lens/laser unit?

[chop5]

oh,my turbo duo stopped working long ago. i have no idea why it stopped. No disc reads and the hucards show a blue pixleated screen.
I need the laser unit for another turbo duo that doest have a laser that i found in a dumpster along with a nes. This was when i lived in a huge apartment complex about 7 years ago. I use to find such interesting things in communal dumpsters.
My duo still has the screws so i dont want to mess with it and open it and do a transplant. The found one has no screws.
I want to try and save it

[vestcoat]

Welcome to the forum, Chop5.

As far as i can tell, Retrogames never officially "shut down" they just sort of dropped off the map.  From what i heard they are very honest and trustworthy but somewhat unreliable (in that they needed friendly reminders to get around to things.)
You could try to contact them, but their email address is no longer active.  If you know what you're doing it sounds like you could just take the lens out of your other Duo if you get the security screw bit.  people were talking about this recently here:
http://www.pcenginefx.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1448
if you don't know what you're doing, i'd recommend contacting someone who modifies systems and sending them both of your decks.

My old Duo has lens problems too and i've been meaning to look further into getting it fixed.  Everything works but it loses the music track on most CD games while i'm playing.  If i move to a new level or screen it loads the new music and everything works again for a brief amount of time before the music cuts out again.  I don't know if i can just get my lens "aligned" or synched-up or something or if i need a whole new one.  If anyone knows where a new CD eye can be found, i'm also interested.

[joe123]

try http://www.oldschoolgamer.ca/

[chop5]

I forgot to ask if anyone knows the size of the turbo duo screws so i can get flat/star replacement for the duo i found with no screws.
I found on search that turbo grafx-16 screws are 2.9 x 19mm. They dont quite fit in turbo duo holes even when helped by a drill

Also can a pc engine controller work on a turbo duo?


That oldshoolgamer site looks cool,il try them if i cant get through to retro.

[Keranu]

PC Engine controllers will work on a Turbo Duo, and Turbo Duo controllers will work on a PC Engine. The only controller that won't work on a Turbo Duo or PC Engine system is the Turbo Grafx 16 controller, though there are converters.

[chop5]

Woo hoo!,I found a place in ohio that sells HOP-M3 lasers for $18.95. I found it at: http://www.electronix.com/catalog/. Just put in their search hop-m3. No minimum orders and low shipping.
Finally i can stop emailing chinese laser pickup distributors.

It arrived fast in a few days and fits like a glove. All wires connect and everything.
But Im worried about the big cog that fits onto it. It was seperated and bouncing around inside the duo when i found it. I fitted it in place on its axel and couldnt find any screw or thingy to hold it in place. Is it supposed to be loose like that or is another cog missing?
I dont want to plug in the duo and have the laser pop right out of it.

Update:
Pluged it in anyway,no power getting through. Cant understand why.
Gonna see if i can send it off somewhere for repair.

Also found a good replacement screw. Size 4 sheet metal philips screws from ace hardware. !/2 inch long.

[chop5]

sweet gods,it took effort but i got my turbo duo working with the new laser. Works like its brand new. But i must tell the tale in case it can be of use to others and i have a new problem that i hope some of you can help.

First the problem i had powering up the duo when i first got the new laser months ago was 3 things. Too low power in my replacement ac adapter,problems with my home made av cable and with my home made turbo pad/duo pad converter cable.
As soon as i fixed all of those problems i turned it on with a cdr of castlevania x. It started with a lot of noise coming from the laser like clicking and searching noises. It showed me the intro and the sound was great then it stopped and the laser went towards the center and wouldnt budge.
I remembered reading about cdrs causing the laser to get stuck and to unstick the gears manually. I did this but would work for a few minutes on the games then go towards center or just stay on the main screen saying to center disc.

Mad i decided to do some part swapping with my original turbo duo that still has the original screws in it to see if i can find out the problem.
It took some time to get the safety bit to open it but soon as i looked at the laser assembly i saw the problem. I didnt push the cables on the new laser all the way in. As soon as i pushed them in all the way(be careful doing this cause the wires seem extremely fragile) the clicking noise stopped and it worked as good as new accepting every game i put in it without the laser going to the center. And thank the gods this turbo duo had no sound issue like my old one did. So let this be a confirmation that the new laser from electronix.com works. Spread the word.

Now the other problem. Now that i had my original turbo duo open i think i figured why it stopped working. At first i thought it was the laser so i took off the new one from the other one and put it on. The laser was jammned,wouldnt move at all. Just like the old one did so i knew it wasnt the laser. So i moved the gear and it wouldnt budge so i took it off and noticed the gear was eaten in some parts.

I suspect its the tiny motor(sled motor) that turns the gear cause after i removed the gear it was hard to move. I wanted to transplant the gear from the other one but was afraid it would also get eaten up.
I need help from anyone that has info on the gear and the tiny motor that moves it. Where i can find replacements. And any other helpful hints and ideas. Thanks.



forgot to mention the plastic laser cover thingy. My old one has one but the duo with the new laser didnt. So i did a swap to make it look complete. It wouldnt work with it on for some reason. I guess there all custom fit for each console.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/lasercoverduo.jpg
But i must say that the nes and snes were first on my list for badly made consoles. Mainly the 72 pin in the nes and the use of inferior brittle plastic on the snes shells. But now the Turbo duo is number one on my list. Its so fragile and so many things can go wrong with it its frustrating. But i still love it. Its on my list as my most favorite console next to my neo geo.

[KingDrool]

Don't forget this:
http://www.teamfremont.com/features/TurboDuoRepair.shtml

[chop5]

oh snap,cool site. I did some search on the forums and there seems to be much discussion on the laser from electronix.com. Shows how late i am and should be beaten for not coming to the forums regularly.

I thought they were sold out but they seem to have some in stock. will order another just in case. Nuts for winter

But theres always other sites. Il just look for more. Plus ive decided to look for the HOP-3MA wich is the mechanism and laser combined. The laser is the same but the mechanism is slightly diffrent but seems to have similar parts and same gear size and gear motor and i should be able to repair my original duo with that.
This will take time but i will find one here in the U.S.A. and cheap. Motherland china will not get my buisness. I will post the sites here that i find.




I forgot,heres some miscellaneous tech i discovered during my turbo quest:

The little motor that turns the gear(sled motor) is a RD-050Y mabuchi motor.

NO LONGER SOLD,DISCONTINUED BY SEARS
The sears professional 5/32x2-1/2 usa 41866 by craftsman mini screwdriver/nut driver works good to unscrew those pesky td & tg screws if your desperate and want a cheap alternative. pictured here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/nutdriver.jpg
you have to make sure its perfectly center to the screw head and turn slowly with light pressure going down on the screw head. It may take you a while and make your hand sore but once you get that first screw off youll be a pro and use nothing else.

The HOP-M3A,laser with mechanism,are 2 versions that i see on the net. These pictured here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/DSC00384.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/200673122917850.jpg
are very diffrent and are useless.

These 2 are more similar to the duo's mechanism and are the ones im trying to get:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/HOP-M38169.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/21235g.jpg

A good replacement turbo duo ac adapter that i use for my duo is walmarts Powerline 1300 mA high power universal ac adapter,3-12 volts dc,pictured here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/acadapter.jpg
I think it costs $15 unless they discontinued it.
Just buy a "Q" tip at radio shack and attach it to the end of the cord and set the tip to positive. Then set the voltage selector to 9v. Your good to go. Always double check the tip that its positive. And that the voltage selector is 9v and not its maximum of 12v. Wrong polarity and too much juice and you have a fried box of circuits.
Do not use this configuration for a turbo grafx! Diffrent polarity and voltage. Will not work.

Will post more stuff here in modified post as they come...

[termis]

Oh cool.  Electronix was often sold out on this part, and just a month or two ago, people couldn't even backorder it from them - it seemed as it they had taken the part off from their website completely for some time.

I haven't found a cheaper place myself, so for those of you that want some spare laser pickups, it'd be a good time to place an order!

And definitely let us know if you find the whole laser assembly, that would be some GREAT info for all of us!

[GUTS]

Do these work with Duo Rs?  My duo R works fine, but it refuses to play any CDR games, even ones that played on my old regular Duo.  I've been wanting to play through Ys IV again for months but I can't find a CDR media that will play on my stupid Duo R, it's frustrating, so if a new lens would solve the problem I'd buy it in a second.

[rolins]

@GUTS

Yeah, the HOP-M3 laser will work on all Duo models US/JP. Good luck finding a domestic distributor, I think everyone here bought out the last stock.

[chop5]

I was at my local salvation army last night eying an old stack-on-style cd player made by Scott,1989 and wondered if it might have a hop-m3 and mechanism so i can use it to rebuild my turbo duo's mechanism. It was the same age as my duo and it only costed 6 bucks so i thought what the hell,if its useless il just leave it at the donation bin on my next trip.
When i got home and opened it up i struck paydirt. A nice hop-m3 laser inside:

Sorry for the crappy pictures my camera takes,i took many and this was the best one where you can see the letters HOP-M3 on the laser. I plugged it in and it plays cd's so the laser eye is functional.
The sled motor,not pictured but i can see it on the side,that i mainly need is square and not round and the main cog is slightly smaller than the duo's. But thats ok I still have many usefull parts here. The fragile connectors and the laser eye.
 
But now im gonna hit as many thrift stores as i can and look for old stand alone and stack-on-style cd players of the same time period as the duo and see if i can get more parts. I know its butchering old cd players but its for a good cause.
Il tells ya,my search for a hop-m3 with mechanism aint yielding fruit. The chinese company's i emailed say they will only sell in 100 pieces or more. And this one place in ireland: www.donberg.ie/search/search.pl?query=hop-m3&maxlines=100&wordflag=and&group=&page=0
wants almost 50 bucks for a mechanism and im not even sure they will ship overseas. But man thats pricey and its not an exact match.

If you guys find other cd players with the same laser or mechanism post them here,maybe we can make a database  or something. Cause theres way more cd players than duos. Even after all these years theres still enough of them around to build walls and dams with. This sucker was heavy,thick gauged steel casing and i had to walk 4 miles home with it in a trash bag cause they didnt have a bag big enough for it.

Heres other pics of the unit:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/Pictures006gh.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/Pictures005ef.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/Pictures003bc.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v238/jetbue7/Pictures002cd.jpg


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cd players with hop-m3 lasers and stuff:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CD player/model:                compatible mechanism:              Useful parts:                        has been opened                                                                                                                                       and confirmed:

Scott DA970-manu.1989                    no                          connectors,                                  yes
                                                                                      laser.

Denon UCD60,UCD70,
UCD100,UCD110,UCD250                unknown                        laser                                unconfirmed,only pics   
dates unknown                                                                                                     of the units laser online

Linn Karik models from                    unknown                        laser                               unconfirmed,only notes
01/1992 to 11/1996 to                                                                                                 online.
serial number 12999

Hitachi DA-C501                           yes,identical               mechanism,spindlemotor,                 yes
                                                                                    laser and connectors.
                                                                                       everything.