REPAIR GUIDE - TurboExpress: Sound Fix

[thesteve]

just a note on capacitor failures in these units.
these capacitors not abused and should not fail.
meaning the failures are from poor part quality and apply to all similar caps used in the unit.
I tested my old caps after removing and found them running @ about half their original value.

another note. my internal speaker didnt work after cap replacement due to tarnish in the headphone jack.
I disassembled the jack, cleaned and reassembled.
works great now

[megamatt]

hello, just wondering if anyone around here would be willing to repair my Turbo Express. i have no soldering experience and i'm afraid i would mess up my Express if i tried to fix the sound issue myself

(i know an offer is in the original post, but that was back in 2005 and i don't know if that offer stills stands. i'm a noob around these parts)

[BlueBMW]

hello, just wondering if anyone around here would be willing to repair my Turbo Express. i have no soldering experience and i'm afraid i would mess up my Express if i tried to fix the sound issue myself

(i know an offer is in the original post, but that was back in 2005 and i don't know if that offer stills stands. i'm a noob around these parts)

I do these repairs.  Shoot me a PM if you're interested.  I can also do a switchless region mod on it if you're interested.

[megamatt]

hello, just wondering if anyone around here would be willing to repair my Turbo Express. i have no soldering experience and i'm afraid i would mess up my Express if i tried to fix the sound issue myself

(i know an offer is in the original post, but that was back in 2005 and i don't know if that offer stills stands. i'm a noob around these parts)

I do these repairs.  Shoot me a PM if you're interested.  I can also do a switchless region mod on it if you're interested.

PM sent, although it's not showing up in my outbox. Let me know if you got it or not

[BlueBMW]

Got it and replied!

[farankoshan]

If the sound is the only problem, should I just have the 100uF & 33uF capacitors (speaker & audio) replaced, or go and do a full cap replacement?

[thesteve]

considering speaker and audio seperately is a misconception.
the speaker connects to the headphone jack directly.
a full cap change will fix things you may not have noticed were degraded yet, while avoiding future failures

[farankoshan]

considering speaker and audio seperately is a misconception.
the speaker connects to the headphone jack directly.
a full cap change will fix things you may not have noticed were degraded yet, while avoiding future failures

I figured as much. Thanks for affirming the right thing to do with these old systems of ours.

[farankoshan]

I swapped all the old caps out (the 470uF 6.3v cap was especially leaky, as were the caps dedicated to audio) for new electrolytic ones, and now my PC-Engine GT is loud, clear, clean and ready for action! Thanks so much to everyone who helps out in their own way on this forum; some little bits of help go a long way for the rest of us.

Lemme know if you guys need me to post pics of how we fit the new caps in.

But for now, excuse me as I make a test run by paying King Fossil a surprise visit...

[coyo5050]

I get the same hum, and im pretty sure its normal. I dont know how it is on yours, but on mine it only occurs when the volume level is pretty high. My portable dvd player does the same thing (as do a lot of electronics).
It is also possible that one of the other dry caps on the board is allowing interference to bleed into the audio. When I have time I may replace all the other caps on the board, but its no rush because it sounds normal to my ears.

Finally got around to replacing some caps on my TE, did the one for the video and it now works and replaced the 2 100 6v for the sound plus the 100 16v next to those 2. Also replaced 2 other 100 6v that looked suspect. The sound is now very loud but I am getting a hum/buzz. Is this normal? Is this the sound the quoted poster is referring too? I've never had a working TE before so nothing to compare too. Thanks!

Edit:

I notice another post talking about a 60 cycle hum and replacing the 100 6v under the metal shield I am guessing that would be the fix? I tried to get the shield off but was having a hell of a time and gave up.

[farankoshan]

Finally got around to replacing some caps on my TE, did the one for the video and it now works and replaced the 2 100 6v for the sound plus the 100 16v next to those 2. Also replaced 2 other 100 6v that looked suspect. The sound is now very loud but I am getting a hum/buzz. Is this normal? Is this the sound the quoted poster is referring too? I've never had a working TE before so nothing to compare too. Thanks!

Edit:

I notice another post talking about a 60 cycle hum and replacing the 100 6v under the metal shield I am guessing that would be the fix? I tried to get the shield off but was having a hell of a time and gave up.

If the hum doesn't drown other sounds, I personally like it. Adds to simulate the experience of mild imperfection, as were the memories we had with this beloved system of ours..

[Keith Courage]

The hum is normal and is especially louder with an AC adapter not so much with batteries.

[jasonbar]

Another TurboExpress resurrected! I added just the 1 capacitor detailed in the 1st post. Nice & loud. Woohoo! Thanks!

-Jason

[v.g.lover]

I got a broken PCE GT at a garage sale with hopes of fixing it and am happy to report that after replacing the one video cap outlined in the other guide as well as adding in the one from this guide, I now have a fully working PCE GT! Ah, portable unrated Splatterhouse, how I enjoy thee now.

[BlueBMW]

Please please please!   If you have the thing open pleeeease do all the caps!  Its asking for trouble later on down the road!