10/31/2023: Localization News - Dead of the Brain 1!
Console Repair/Mod Center
Hey guys,
this is my first post in this forum, but I thought it might help anyone attempting to get their Duo/Dou R/Dou RX reading audio soundtracks properly.
Recently I replaced the Hop3 laser lens modules in two Pc Engine Duo Rs and a Pc Engine Duo RX. After replacing the lasers I found that games loaded perfectly but that the cd audio sound tracks would either not play at all, or would start playing and cut out abruptly after a random time period (usually between 5 and 30 seconds).
I assumed this was to do with the 5 resistor pots on the Duo R/RX motherboard, so I followed this guide. I tried measuring the resistance values specified but found my units were very different to the values listed - so different in fact that even by turning the pots to their extreme positions would not bring the resistance value anywhere near the listed values.
So, I tried using the "By Ear" approach. The weird thing is that when I tune the pots on all three Pc Engine Duo machines to the quietest settings, nothing will load any more!
Luckily I had marked the original positions of the pots with a sharpie pen.
After spending 3 nights playing constantly with the pots etc I was on the verge of giving up when I noticed the resistor pot on the hop 3 laser module itself. I thought, "why not?" I had tried everything else.
The pot had a drop of resin holding it in its original position, so it took a firm grip with a philips screwdrive to move the pot. I moved it about 5 degrees clockwise - all of a sudden everything was working perfectly - including all audio soundtracks and even CD-Rs.
I replicated this adjustment to the two other Pc Engine Duos - same result!
At firsst I thought the caps on the motherboards were getting sad and so the adjustment on the laser was compensating for the reduced current being provided by the caps, however on close inspection of all 3 motherboards I can safely say there is NO leaking of ANY caps at all, and since they now run absolutely perfectly I can only assume that the replacement lasers are adjusted in a such a way that the Pc Engine does not like.
I just thought I would share this experience with everyone in case anyone else is experiencing the same problems tuning the Pc Engine Duo.
Hope this helps.
this is my first post in this forum, but I thought it might help anyone attempting to get their Duo/Dou R/Dou RX reading audio soundtracks properly.
Recently I replaced the Hop3 laser lens modules in two Pc Engine Duo Rs and a Pc Engine Duo RX. After replacing the lasers I found that games loaded perfectly but that the cd audio sound tracks would either not play at all, or would start playing and cut out abruptly after a random time period (usually between 5 and 30 seconds).
I assumed this was to do with the 5 resistor pots on the Duo R/RX motherboard, so I followed this guide. I tried measuring the resistance values specified but found my units were very different to the values listed - so different in fact that even by turning the pots to their extreme positions would not bring the resistance value anywhere near the listed values.
So, I tried using the "By Ear" approach. The weird thing is that when I tune the pots on all three Pc Engine Duo machines to the quietest settings, nothing will load any more!
Luckily I had marked the original positions of the pots with a sharpie pen.
After spending 3 nights playing constantly with the pots etc I was on the verge of giving up when I noticed the resistor pot on the hop 3 laser module itself. I thought, "why not?" I had tried everything else.
The pot had a drop of resin holding it in its original position, so it took a firm grip with a philips screwdrive to move the pot. I moved it about 5 degrees clockwise - all of a sudden everything was working perfectly - including all audio soundtracks and even CD-Rs.
I replicated this adjustment to the two other Pc Engine Duos - same result!
At firsst I thought the caps on the motherboards were getting sad and so the adjustment on the laser was compensating for the reduced current being provided by the caps, however on close inspection of all 3 motherboards I can safely say there is NO leaking of ANY caps at all, and since they now run absolutely perfectly I can only assume that the replacement lasers are adjusted in a such a way that the Pc Engine does not like.
I just thought I would share this experience with everyone in case anyone else is experiencing the same problems tuning the Pc Engine Duo.
Hope this helps.