Problem with a few discs being read on my Turbo Duo

[Dracosavarian]

Hey all,

Hoping someone can help me out here and provide to me some answers. Or at the very least, suggestions.

A while back I got my Turbo Duo recapped and RGB modded, and I also had the lens replaced as well just as a precaution. Which I am now kind of kicking myself for, but maybe I shouldn't be.

See, I have several reproduction discs from PCE Works that aren't working in my Turbo Duo, for some unknown reason. Now, I've bought tons of stuff from PCE Works in the past and have had zero issue with them. Before and after the recap work etc.

But now, these 3 discs, and even the replacement discs that were sent to me, refuse to work. I don't even get a please set disc error on my Turbo Duo. I just get endless disc spinning and a blank, black screen. Again, it's just these games like Space Fantasy Zone for example, and Seirei Senshi Spriggan and Sapphire that won't work. And yes I have the hucard to load Sapphire.

I saw a youtube video where a suggestion was that EMI was causing the issue for one person, not sure if that is true in my case as testing that would be difficult right now since I had surgery on my left shoulder and even typing this out is...painful, to say the least of matters.

I've been in touch with PCE works and they've been helpful, giving me replacement discs for the 1st ones that don't work while investigating the matter on their end.

They suggested one thing it might be possibly is the caps responsible for the drive. I've also seen weird things on youtube where a CD R wouldn't load until the lens plastic cover was removed.

Since my system was recapped, is this something as potentially easy as adjusting the pots? Anyone have any suggestions? I'm honestly open to all thoughts, etc. Generally speaking I don't like using CD-R's at all and try to stick to official media or just repros like PCE Works since some official releases now go for an eye, kidney, and liver alongside your first born on Ebay etc.

Any and all thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. I'm curious if this may indeed be a cap issue or if it is related to something silly and easily fixed. I'd really love to be able to play these games.

[Keith Courage]

Adjusting the pots could help. Does your system read regular CDs fine or do you only have pce works games on hand for testing?

[Dracosavarian]

Sorry for the late reply. Been busy with Physical Therapy today.

Aye, I ran a Music CD through it and it loads up instantly. The Lens has no issue switching between the tracks etc.

I should note, that the Turbo Duo is very near the TV and the AC Adapter has a lot of power cords in alongside it. Not sure if that means anything for EMI or if the disc reading should still be a non issue, but, felt it was worth mentioning just in case.

[Keith Courage]

Actually the multiple power cables can sometimes cause CD reading issues with DUOs. I have come across a few people whose Gaming setups interfered with their DUO cd function. In some cases moving the DUO away from the other game systems fixed the issue. In other cases turning off most or all of the other AC adapters plugged in fixed the reading problems. Give both of those a try and see what happens.

[Dracosavarian]

Unfortunately, No dice.

I moved the console to the floor, far away from the TV and other sources of EMI. I ran my RGB Scart cable to my OSSC from there, and had the power supply plugged into it's own outlet with everything else unplugged.

The Drive still won't read those discs. The behavior of the system is odd. It's like it's trying, and trying, and trying. It never gets to a set disc error, even when left alone for over half an hour.

It just keeps trying. The Symptoms are that it will spin up, the activity light is red, and then I hear something that sounds like a " Skip ", or a click, like the cd is skipping or something? The red activity light also blinks every time the skip happens as well.

Almost like the drive is resetting itself or something. I just...I'm not sure what the deal is.

I'd love any feedback you have or anyone else has. For now, I've put the system back where it was.

[Keith Courage]

Sounds like you might need to turn up the lens gain slightly. There is a white potentiometer on the lens itself that you would need to turn to the right(clockwise) a little.   

[Dracosavarian]

Thanks. Do you have any pics or anything to show me the specific part? I'm admittedly a complete noob to dealing with Turbo Duo and modding etc.

I know the basics of PCBs, traces, resistors, caps, etc. But I am by no means an electrician. So any pointers would be helpful.

I do appreciate your correspondence with me Keith. Thanks Man.

[Keith Courage]

It's the white potentiometer bottom right of this pic
 

[NichlasEk]

Ihave had to turn the pot right, but on two aucations when the laser was whining, i turned it sligtly left and that fixed the problem. My guess is that before iminent cap fail. Sometimes the owner upps the gain in order to getting a little more life out of the system. After a cap change, the gain is suddenly way to high. Same thing on the saturn, especialy the model 2.

[Dracosavarian]

Thanks. I appreciate all the help.

I assume a screwdriver of appropriate size would work to adjust the pot yes? Should I remove the two connections of wires into the lens or can I adjust the pot without doing this?

Also, is there a way that I can test the system and adjust the pot while it is still open, safely, to see that it is reading disc after each adjustment? Thoughts on how I can do this? Or is it recommended to seal it up after adjusting and rinse and repeat the take apart process?


I'll try and open it up tonight, see if I can get this working.

[Keith Courage]

Yes you can adjust it without disconnecting the wires. You will want to put the lid back on for testing because lots of times the CD lens will read differently with the Lid on vs off. I've worked on a few systems that required adjustment because they read CD great with the lid off but not with it on.

[NichlasEk]

Maybe there are better ways of doing it and more experiensed people here would suggest another way. But without a scope this is how i have done it:
Take the top of. Ohm out the big pot on the laser mech. Also connect it. Take the magnet out of the lid. Insert problematic disk. Put something heavy on the lid switch. Turn it on and listen carefully. If all the other small pots on the board are adjusted according to the guide and to the best of your patience.

1: if the drive makes a loud whining noice, turn the big pot a small way to the left. (I do it with the power of and the black laser cover off) then put the cover (not the top) back on and power on. If it works flawless: all is perfect and done.

Or 2: if the drive makes allmost no noise, do the same procedure but turn the pot slighley right. Try the disk.

Find the perfect spot between loud whining and silence and your all set!

I guess the best way would be something like messuring the voltage and looking at the waveform. But im not quite there yet. Please correct me if im way off.

[Dracosavarian]

Well,

That was a massive exercise in frustration. I took it apart and adjusted the pot on the CD Rom Lens time and time again, each time, doing what seemed to be hair thin turns of the pot for the lens.

The most luck I got was the splash screen of spriggan loading once, then the system crashing into a load error, and two splash screens from Sapphire saying it needed the Arcade Duo card...

Despite their being an Arcade Duo card right in the system.

I'm admittedly frustrated. Aside from trying these in another system which I do not have, or taking these specific discs to a professional resurfacing service for the discs and see if they load after that...I'm not sure what else I can do. I hold no ill will towards PCE Works, I just got the bad luck of the draw on these. I mean, they sent me replacement discs for crying out loud. I wish I had multiple systems to test these on but I don't.

Only other thing I can think of is try any other suggestions you guys have, or ask PCE Nuggets to check out my system as he was the gentleman who did a phenomenal job modding it and send him the discs and the system though I fear his results may be the same as my own. Not sure.

It's just frustrating, because the other PCE Works discs load fine. My other games load fine, freaking magical dinosaur tour loads fine.


I'm genuinely open to any suggestions you guys may have. I'd like to get these working.

[Keith Courage]

What kind of AC adapter are you using?

If you want to try more adjustments there are some pots on the motherboard that might get it going. V102 and V103 would be the two to try. Leave the others alone because they will not help the issue you are having in any way. These potentiometers are located on the motherboard just below where the CD lens plugs in.

[MNKyDeth]

All other discs work just fine?  Original and burned discs?  It's only Pceworks pressed discs that have the issue?