Laser info for TG-16 CD/PCE Cd Rom 2 drive replacement parts.

[Michael Helgeson]

Keep in mind everyone the other name for the laser is the KSS-220A. And now,because I am your beloved god,here are your links. You can find even more if you google the revised name of the laser.
http://www.donberg.ie/descript/k/kss_162a.htm

http://www.chsinteractive.co.uk/electrical-components/misc/kss-162a-220a-laser-sony.htm

http://jianhongwei.hisupplier.com/product/86756/KSS-220A.html

http://www.laser-lens-supplier.com/cdlens/cd1.html

[nat]

So the -220a is a direct drop-in replacement for the -162a? That's great to know.

Unfortunately, the one site you listed there that actually listed a price wanted over $100 (!!!) for one laser.

I'll inquire with the others and see what I come up with. Thanks.

[chop5]

www.electronix.com has the KSS-220A and KSS-225A but there picture isnt right so i emailed them and they said its not the right picture and it is the right sony model. But man when i looked into it last year the price was $19.99 and now there $51 and $61 






old thread:        http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=4098.0

[nat]

That's just too much for me to justify the expense. I need to find a cheaper source.

I may start aggressively seeking old Discman D-34's and harvesting the lasers from those.

[kid_rondeau]

So, the laser itself looks OK, but the mechanics are wrong...it doesn't look quite like that. It's not a direct drop in replacement in that sense.

[chop5]

this thread should be stickyed.
mmm,nice looking pizza in your avatar kid rondeau

[nat]

So I tracked down a couple lasers via used Discmans.

I have a few more on the way (different models), and I plan on reporting what models carry compatible lasers. I'm going to try and check the lasers in every model Discman released between 1988 and 1991 and get a chart going since it's become very apparent to me finding new optical assemblies at a decent price is no longer feasible in 2008. It seems buying the lasers (new) these drives require is almost as expensive as just buying a whole new drive.

The Discman D-34s I got had KSS-220a lasers. I had some question whether these were drop-in replacements for the KSS-162a, and they are not. Almost, though. The optical unit itself is the same, but the mechanics that connect to the driveshaft are different. Actually, the KSS-220a is designed not to use a driveshaft at all but is driven by gears.

It's easy enough to get around this since the mechanics are attached to the eye by only two screws. Remove the two screws, and swap out the gear carriage for the driveshaft glide used by the 162a and you just transformed your 220a into a 162a.

I replaced the dead 162a in my CD-ROM^2 today with one of the 220a's in this manner and so far it's working perfectly. I had to tweak the laser sensitivity pot a little bit since it was singing initially but I found the "sweet spot." Anyone "attempting this at home," don't forget to tweak that pot when you're all done. You can significantly decrease loading times & re-seeks and enhance the laser's ability to read CD-R media by optimizing that sensitivity. Also beware if you're doing this at home that the process is very tedious and time consuming. Not difficult, just laborious. It took me about 2 hours to remove the bad laser from the drive, remove the good laser from the Discman, and install the new laser into the CD-ROM^2. It took another 30 minutes playing with the sensitivity pot to find the sweet spot for optimum performance.

[Michael Helgeson]

Oh you know I read that somewhere that people had to do that sometimes depending on what they were sticking the laser into. I should have mentioned that,but either way its cool that part didn't stump you. Its amazing how sometimes little things can trow people off and they give up too easily. Yea I expected a new laser to be expensive due to the fact they are a older rarer part.If you have to have  anew laser only though for  a restore project its kind of worth it.

[nat]

If you have to have  anew laser only though for  a restore project its kind of worth it.

Yeah, I haven't given up completely on that front. I'm still hunting.

[nat]

I just got sniped out of a 20 year-old Discman on eBay. My high bid was $10, the closing bid in the final seconds was like $11.01. You've got to be kidding me. Who does that?

[Necromancer]

I just got sniped out of a 20 year-old Discman on eBay. My high bid was $10, the closing bid in the final seconds was like $11.01. You've got to be kidding me. Who does that?

Discman Ninjas, they're a sneaky bunch.

If I don't get too drunk to remember (as if I need booze to forget  ), I'll ask a buddy in the electronics repair biz if he knows of a lazer source for da turboz.

[nat]

Well, the Sony Discmans seem to be a pretty reliable source, and there sure are a surplus of them on eBay. I've already scored a few, and have more on the way.

I just thought it was ridiculous that someone went out of their way to SNIPE an auction that up until the final few seconds was sub-$10.

If your buddy has any leads on other electronics that use the KSS-162a and/or KSS-220a optical unit I'd love to hear about it, though.

[SignOfZeta]

I once got an email from somebody asking me to sell them my D-66. I'm thinking, "Who the hell are you and how do you know about my ancient Discman"? They really really wanted it and I had to explain that it was old and while it did work it skipped really easy, the NiCad was shot, and, seriously, do you really want this thing?

I ended up selling it to them for something like $10. I guess I don't need stuff like that laying around but it was kind of sad too since that was at one point the nicest piece of electronics I owned (1991). That was back when Discmans cost $200+, were made in Japan, and weren't total crap like pretty much everything nowadays. It actually outlasted the Discman I bought in 2001.

[nat]

Heh, it's funny you mention that as the unit I was sniped out of was a D-66.