Author Topic: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off  (Read 534 times)

sonicx64

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PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« on: May 20, 2017, 04:24:37 PM »
Hi, I am new to this community and PC Engine in general.

I bought a PC Engine Duo-R RGB modded off ebay from a seller named 8bitterz. The console came very well packaged and clean, and looked just as advertised. This is the listing here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEC-PC-Engine-DUO-R-Console-System-RGB-Output-034-Excellent-034-Tested-Properly-/272665255150

The issue I am facing is when I play a game, the audio will play and cut off after a couple seconds, it is entirely random, the sound effects and game work fine, but the audio is gone which is a major bummer for games like Castlevania and Gates of Thunder. I paid quite a pretty penny for this console, so I would like it to work perfectly.

Also I would like to add, I played an audio CD on the console and it played fine with no hiccups or anything.

Are there are suggestions from the community or would anyone be able to diagnose my problem?

Thank you so much,
« Last Edit: May 20, 2017, 04:26:39 PM by sonicx64 »

crazydean

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2017, 07:44:04 PM »
Are you playing on real discs or CD-Rs? The players are also extremely sensitive. The slightest bump will cause the music to stop. However, the music should come back in when it switches to the next track.
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sonicx64

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2017, 04:43:37 AM »
Are you playing on real discs or CD-Rs? The players are also extremely sensitive. The slightest bump will cause the music to stop. However, the music should come back in when it switches to the next track.
I have been using CD-Rs as I'm waiting for my original games to arrive in the mail. And you are correct the music does come back after the next stage. I wasn't sure if this was because I was bumping the console slightly or something. If this is normal behavior because the players are extremely sensitive I am not so worried and will place the console in a much more stable place, right now I have it on my coffee table next to my PVM.

Thanks


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SignOfZeta

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2017, 06:52:39 AM »
"Audio" is everything that comes out of the speakers. It sounds like you mean CD audio.

So yeah, on a PCE if the track skips it doesn't come back and you don't get CD audio again until it has to load or change tracks on its own.

If you're using CDRs and banging into it (no such thing as skip buffers in 1980s) this will happen. If it plays legit CDs on a stable surface then the system is doing everything it was designed to do. CDRs were not part of the original spec (didn't exist in the 1980s) so if they play, good, if they don't, tough shit. I've personally not had a problem with CDRs but I usually play real copies. A lot of people here have issues with it.

crazydean

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2017, 06:58:05 AM »
I had this problem when I first got my duo. Turned out that I wasn't burning my discs correctly. Everyone says to burn discs at the lowest possible speed but I found that my burner worked best at 8x and not 2x. Try to find what works best for your burner.

I also found that I would pull on the controller cord, causing the system to move slightly and disrupt the audio.
Arkhan: Im not butthurt by your enjoyment.  Im buttglad.

sonicx64

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2017, 08:06:11 AM »
Thank for the tips guys.

Learned a bit about the system. I recently also got a Sega CD which I am guessing has the same kind of faults.

I'll be sure to test out the burning speeds and keeping the system stable during gameplay. Once my real disks arrive I'll see how better or worse it fares.


NichlasEk

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2017, 09:05:46 AM »
Sometimes ihave had a replacement laser set on to high of a gain. At least five lasers has been set to high when bought from aliexpress. I guess that if you bought it modded, the modder would have changed the laser to, just to be sure of a working system? Altering the gain might solve your problem (the big orange pot on the laser)

sonicx64

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2017, 03:16:43 PM »
Sometimes ihave had a replacement laser set on to high of a gain. At least five lasers has been set to high when bought from aliexpress. I guess that if you bought it modded, the modder would have changed the laser to, just to be sure of a working system? Altering the gain might solve your problem (the big orange pot on the laser)

Excuse my ignorance, but does this require any soldering? Do I have to open the console to adjust the gain? I don't think I see it by just opening the lid of the console. If you could point me to any pictures or guides on doing this task, that would be great.

mario_pic

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2017, 01:07:47 AM »
what speed u burn the disk at

sonicx64

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2017, 03:23:50 PM »
what speed u burn the disk at

Been burning at 8X. Is that too fast?

MobiusStripTech

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2017, 03:29:46 PM »
It could be the media you are using, the way you are burning it, or the laser adjustment. If you get original discs and they work correctly then take a look at the media and the pot adjustments.
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sonicx64

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Re: PC Engine Duo R - Game audio cuts off
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2017, 06:33:43 PM »
Happy to report I got some legitimate games finally and they work fine, and I bought some high quality CD-R's and those work great too. Thanks, guess this is solved.