PC Engine CDROM2 help

[Phar]

I've had one of these for a while now and although the laser seems fine, as it doesn't have any problems reading discs sometimes when I turn the machine on the laser doesn't move.
I read that sometimes the laser can get stuck on the CDROM2 or it might be a connection problem with the interface unit, has anyone experienced this and managed to fix it.

[NeoStuey]

I've had one of these for a while now and although the laser seems fine, as it doesn't have any problems reading discs sometimes when I turn the machine on the laser doesn't move. I read that sometimes the laser can get stuck on the CDROM2 or it might be a connection problem with the interface unit, has anyone experienced this and managed to fix it.

A briefcase set-up?

I've done quite a bit of reading on stuck lasers in American TurboDuo's but haven't directly read or heard about it happening to the Japanese units.

AFAIK, if the lens is stuck it should be all the way out to the left/ outside edge of the drive, away from the centre spindle. Another thing of note, if you power off the CD-ROM2 the lens will stay in the last place it was rather than reset itself to a standard starting postion. On powering up, it will only start moving the lens into position when you run a CD-Rom.

Have you tried the CD drive on it's own outside of the interface unit? Using the PSU you have, you could then try playing an audio disc and use the headphone socket as an audio out.

If the drive is working, I would be inclined to believe that the PSU isn't up to the job of properly powering the briefcase setup. I have seen plenty of people use a Megadrive PSU for this setup, but although it is the right voltage it's power rating is too low to provide the necessary current consistantly. i.e. It could power the unit and spin the drive, but the current drawn would eventually cause the PSU to fail.

I use a 9Vdc PSU from Maplin that is rated up to 2A which is ample for the 1450 mA that the breifcase needs.

If it isn't power related then I wouldn't really no what to suggest.

I hope I have been able to provide a little help.

[Phar]

Yes it's a briefcase setup, usually when the laser doesn't move it's all the way down next to the spindle, as for the power supply I'm using an adapter set to 9Vdc with a maxium of upto 3.6A, if I push the laser away from the spindle it usually works and is fine until I disconnect it from the mains and leave it a few days then I get the same problem, like you suggested I'll try just connecting the power supply to the CDROM and see if that works, anyway thanks for the help

[NeoStuey]

Yes it's a briefcase setup, usually when the laser doesn't move it's all the way down next to the spindle, as for the power supply I'm using an adapter set to 9Vdc with a maxium of upto 3.6A, if I push the laser away from the spindle it usually works and is fine until I disconnect it from the mains and leave it a few days then I get the same problem, like you suggested I'll try just connecting the power supply to the CDROM and see if that works, anyway thanks for the help

Oh, that adapter should be plenty good enough to power the whole system then.

Out of curiosity I did some playing about with mine, to check for the things I posted, I should really have done that first I guess.

When I tested the drive with a music CD and pressed stop I found that the CD lens did indeed return to a start position next to the centre spindle, so at least we know where it should be. But powering off the consolse without pressing stop ment the CD lens stayed where it was. Exiting a CD-Rom game to the systems screen using RUN+SELECT results in the lens staying in it's last played postion as well.

Let us know what happens, I'm hoping that you get it sorted.

[Phar]

Just tried plugging the adaptor into the cdrom on it's own and the disc spins fine, then I put it back onto the interface unit and it works as well first time, very strange, might leave it a couple of days and see if it's still ok, I'm half tempted just to stick it on ebay and buy a Duo-RX but it seems a shame to as when it works I have no problems with it reading discs etc, anyway thanks Neostuey for clearing up the details on how the laser works