Need help with Turbo Duo repair/region mod

[ddp72984]

Hello, I'm new to this forum, but I was advised by Assembler's to seek out you guys for you are regarded as the best.

I bought my Turbo Duo off eBay about 5 years back, but now, the system's gone to hell.  What happens is that I will play a game and one of the following things will happen.

1.  The sound cuts off in mid-game
2.  The loading times increases vastly or....
3.  The game freezes on a black screen

at the same time, the laser begins to make a grinding, yet whiny noise.  For this, I'm going on a guess to say that the laser is dead.  Also, I am interested in playing Japanese Hu-Cards, and recently, have discovered the magic of region mods.

If possible, I am looking for an experienced modder/repairer who lives in the States that would have no problem helping me fix this poor system, plus add a region mod so I can play some imported games.  Any help/advice would be deeply appreciated.  Thanks

[kattare]

Hi there,

    I've been repairing quite a few of these lately.  Below is the pricing (parts + labor) I'd charge.  You may find others on here that will charge less.  There's quite a few good modders here.

Diagnosis: $free

If it needs a laser: $50
If it has leaking capacitors: $30 (just the usual audio ones and a couple others)
If you want to future-proof the capacitors: $80 (replace all of them, not likely necessary, but many here would recommend it.)
If you want a push-button region mod: $60
If you want a blue access light: $10
If you want a blue power light: $10

Return Shipping: $10



If you want a region-mod'd (plays US cards, plays CD-R's) DUO-R: $300
Or a DUO-R with a region switch: $350

The DUO-R's are the white japanese units that were re-designed and seem to be a bit more reliable.  Most of the ones I've come across read CD-R's pretty well to boot.  On the DUO-R's I recess the region switch inside the card slot area, under the hinged lid.  Works great, and unit still looks normal.

Cheers.

[SignOfZeta]

If you want a region-mod'd (plays US cards, plays CD-R's) DUO-R: $300
Or a DUO-R with a region switch: $350

Wait, what?

[NecroPhile]

Wait, what?

Based on some of his ebay listings, I'd guess that he means $300 for a Duo-R permanently modded for US region use (which is utterly retarded) and $350 for one switchable between both regions ($50 to install a $2 switch?!?).

[SignOfZeta]

Ah, I see.

Well it is twice as much soldering to put the switch in, regardless of the price. I've actually charged customers $1000 to install a $6 car part before. Sometimes it just takes a lot of work.

But yeah, perma-modding a Duo R is such a waste. I did that with my US Saturn when I was in a hurry once, but I already have another modded JP Staurn.

[ddp72984]

ok, thats sounds fair

so with the region switch, my usa duo can play both us and japanese hucards right?

can you pm me your info with what you need?  thanks

[termis]

ok, thats sounds fair

so with the region switch, my usa duo can play both us and japanese hucards right?

can you pm me your info with what you need?  thanks

Right, and it also allows you to use accessories/upgrade like the tennokoe sram backup card and the arcade card.  Definitely worth having done IMO.

[kattare]

Wait, what?

Based on some of his ebay listings, I'd guess that he means $300 for a Duo-R permanently modded for US region use (which is utterly retarded) and $350 for one switchable between both regions ($50 to install a $2 switch?!?).

I'll agree with you that for the PC Engine enthusiast a Duo-R set to a permanent US region would seem pretty useless.  But there are lots of folks out there that are perfectly happy with their US Duo and US Games and just want a system that is more reliable and can maybe read CD-R's. 

If you could kindly show me where to get an 8P2T switch for $2, I'd be much obliged.

And then show me how to snap my fingers and have it magically appear inside the Duo, with all 40 (edit: it's actually 50) soldering points connected in all the right spots with nice neat ribbon cables, that'd be nice too - Cuz my time is apparently worth nothing?  For someone with over 5400 posts NecroPhile, I'm really surprised at your response.

I was also pretty open about the fact that there may be other folks on here that charge less.  I just have (in the back of my brain somewhere) a minimum amount of $/hr I'm willing to do hobby work for, and I stick to it.  I certainly wouldn't fault someone else for it, as long as they're open and up front about it.

Cheers.

[Charlie]

I don't know if this will help resolve the issue, or add fuel to the fire, but I charge $250/hr for electronics consulting, both for design jobs and repair jobs (obviously, we're not talking flashlights here!).  Assuming it takes a good hour or so to do the mod, the price may not be too far outside the mark, even if there are a bunch of pre-wired switches in the stockpile just for making this kind of job easier.

Charlie

[SignOfZeta]

Yeah, the shops I've worked in charge $90-110 an hour plus environmental fees, and parts mark-ups. I get about 1/4 of that. This is why I don't do console mods for people. I don't really enjoy doing it enough to justify working for less than the minimum wage. A Duo could be modded in an hour by some people, but since I take forever to do the work (since I like my mods generally lasting forever*) its less profitable for me. I only do work for friends now.






*Except for that one Gamecube I did that one time.

[termis]

I feel the same way - there's no way in hell I'd regularly do the mods for the amount that a lot of people charge here.  (And I probably do crappier work than most of the folks here.)  Hence I don't bother doing mods for anyone -- I guess you can say I'm priced out of the market, which is fine, that's how the system is supposed to work.

Just as an example, I flipped a number of saturns after putting in a simple 2-region switch, and that mod only has a total of 12 soldering points.  End result? I'd regularly get a premium ranging from $50-$75 for the work.  (The premium wasn't determined by me - I sold the systems through ebay auctions starting at $9.99.)  I probably wouldn't have bothered at all flipping them if it was going to be any less than that.

[NecroPhile]

If you could kindly show me where to get an 8P2T switch for $2, I'd be much obliged.

That was a guess, but a quick look on the web turned 'em up for $3.50, perhaps even less if I bothered to look for more than a minute.  If you were honestly looking for a way to save a little, sorry I got your hopes up; if you were trying to make a point about 'value', then bravo - an extra $1.50.

And then show me how to snap my fingers and have it magically appear inside the Duo, with all 40 (edit: it's actually 50) soldering points connected in all the right spots with nice neat ribbon cables, that'd be nice too - Cuz my time is apparently worth nothing?

Snippy, eh?  My point was that most of the work is already done for a permanent region mod (grounding of whichever pin, cutting the HuCard slot leads, and soldering on new wires to rearrange the HuCard pins), and the only thing that a switchable mod adds is a switch and a hole.  You list the switched region mod for $60, so yeah, an extra $50 sounds a bit steep for a switch and a hole.  If you think it's so fair, then are you willing to do the permanent region mod for a mere $10?

For someone with over 5400 posts NecroPhile, I'm really surprised at your response.

Maybe if you'd read a few of those posts, you'd see that I abhor the illogical and I've no fear of speaking my mind.

[SignOfZeta]

Snippy, eh?  My point was that most of the work is already done for a permanent region mod (grounding of whichever pin, cutting the HuCard slot leads, and soldering on new wires to rearrange the HuCard pins), and the only thing that a switchable mod adds is a switch and a hole. 

Unless I'm forgetting something, this isn't correct. If doing a permanent region mod (btw, please don't) you only have to cut a the pins and solder a short wire between them (differently, of course). If installing a switch you need to run a much longer piece of wire from the pin to the switch, and then another wire from the switch back to another pin. Therefore there are twice as many wires, and twice as many solder points when installing a switch, as well as the logistics and labor of finding a place to put the switch, and all those wires, that won't mess with with stuff when the case is put back together.

I don't know why you've decided to be the CEO of Walmart about this anyway. Anyone who does a mod for less than $100 is either a hack or are grossly underpaid. If I were looking for someone to mod my shit I wouldn't be looking for the lowest price and with as many NEC fans as there are paying $250 for games these days I can't imagine why they would be such penny pinching cheap-asses about something that is rather important and can leave you will a busted system if it isn't done right.

[NecroPhile]

Unless I'm forgetting something, this isn't correct. If doing a permanent region mod (btw, please don't) you only have to cut a the pins and solder a short wire between them (differently, of course).

You left out the grounding of pin #29, which would be required for either type of mod.  Otherwise, isn't that precisely what I stated?

If installing a switch you need to run a much longer piece of wire from the pin to the switch, and then another wire from the switch back to another pin. Therefore there are twice as many wires, and twice as many solder points when installing a switch, as well as the logistics and labor of finding a place to put the switch, and all those wires, that won't mess with with stuff when the case is put back together.

Are you being intentionally obtuse, or does it just come to you naturally?  Obviously the switch would be wired up - it's not magic.  Anyways, that's my point (as clarified in my last post): the work entailed in a permanent region mod is as extensive (if not more so) than adding a switch between the HuCard slot wires, yet he's seemingly charging $10 for the first service and $50 for the second.

I don't know why you've decided to be the CEO of Walmart about this anyway.

Said the hypocrite that's made three decent sized posts to refute a six word comment not directed at him in the first place.  I guess your opinion is just more important than anyone's else, eh?

Anyone who does a mod for less than $100 is either a hack or are grossly underpaid. If I were looking for someone to mod my shit I wouldn't be looking for the lowest price and with as many NEC fans as there are paying $250 for games these days I can't imagine why they would be such penny pinching cheap-asses about something that is rather important and can leave you will a busted system if it isn't done right.

If you weren't so dense, you'd notice that I've never said that a switchable region mod isn't worth the $60 as listed.  I've clarified that what I originally meant was that it seemed silly to charge $60 for a switchable region mod while charging $50 to upgrade from a permanent region mod to a switchable region mod.

[ddp72984]

guys, guys, guys,

personally, I don't give a rat's ass about how much it costs to do the job, but as long as its done correctly.  Hell, I can't even mod a PSone, yet alone fix a Turbo Duo on my own.

Lately, I have been having crap luck on the older CD consoles.  First my Turbo Duo goes out, then my CDX (which I was forced to buy one because no one can replace the laser these days)

kattare, I appreciate your offer and will get on sending out the system as soon as I can.  Thanks again for the help (and to everyone else on the board)

[SignOfZeta]

Streuth, Necromancer, seriously, where do you even get the energy to keep these pointless arguments going? I just get so tired...I can barely keep up. You so grossly misunderstood so much of what I said though (which is different from a difference of opinion) that I have to just stick up for myself, if nothing else.

Fuck. Where's my walker and my Reader's Digest...

Unless I'm forgetting something, this isn't correct. If doing a permanent region mod (btw, please don't) you only have to cut a the pins and solder a short wire between them (differently, of course).

You left out the grounding of pin #29, which would be required for either type of mod.  Otherwise, isn't that precisely what I stated?

Yes, and I wasn't arguing about it any any way. Not even slightly. That was just an establishing sentence so you would know where I was coming from in the next sentence. Fuck. You're so touchy.

If installing a switch you need to run a much longer piece of wire from the pin to the switch, and then another wire from the switch back to another pin. Therefore there are twice as many wires, and twice as many solder points when installing a switch, as well as the logistics and labor of finding a place to put the switch, and all those wires, that won't mess with with stuff when the case is put back together.

Are you being intentionally obtuse, or does it just come to you naturally?  Obviously the switch would be wired up - it's not magic.  Anyways, that's my point (as clarified in my last post): the work entailed in a permanent region mod is as extensive (if not more so) than adding a switch between the HuCard slot wires, yet he's seemingly charging $10 for the first service and $50 for the second.

Well, I've only ever modded one Duo, but for me DOUBLING the amount of solder points adds complexity. Yes, its double minus 2 (for pin 29). I better point that out before you blow the fuck up on me about it. Also, all the wires that go into a perma-mod could be very short and require no logistics on running the wires, or where to put the switch. Also, it excludes buying, shipping, and installing the switch. IMO a switch is about double the work of a perma-mod.

I don't know why you've decided to be the CEO of Walmart about this anyway.

Said the hypocrite that's made three decent sized posts to refute a six word comment not directed at him in the first place.  I guess your opinion is just more important than anyone's else, eh?

OK, I guess I used language that was too creative there...I think. I'm not sure WTF you are talking about there, but I assume you thought that I was saying you should mind your own business. This is not the case at all. If you thought that someone was ripping someone off here then of course you should say something about it. I do the same thing. All the fucking time.

So instead of assuming that I'm telling you not to do something that I do all the time myself and calling me a hypocrite, maybe you could use your brain instead. You could say to youself, "Gee, he's constantly interfering in the threads about $300 copies of Bonk and stuff. He's terrible at keeping his mouth shut. Why would he tell me to butt out? Wait...maybe that's not what he's saying at all..." At which point you might decipher my (in retrospect, poor) metaphor and guess that I wasn't accusing you of being a nosey hall monitor type, but just of being a cheap-ass Scrooge. See, it was the Wal Mart part that I was getting at. Wal Mart is a place where everything is affordable, but everything is shit, and I hate to see that in the world of system mods. Mods should outlast the system.

...fuck, this is tiring.

Anyone who does a mod for less than $100 is either a hack or are grossly underpaid. If I were looking for someone to mod my shit I wouldn't be looking for the lowest price and with as many NEC fans as there are paying $250 for games these days I can't imagine why they would be such penny pinching cheap-asses about something that is rather important and can leave you will a busted system if it isn't done right.

If you weren't so dense,

Damn. Seriously. Is this necessary? I'm a lot of things, but I'm not stupid. Neither of us are, regardless of how much you pay for TG-16 games. So lets stick to the point, OK?

...you'd notice that I've never said that a switchable region mod isn't worth the $60 as listed.  I've clarified that what I originally meant was that it seemed silly to charge $60 for a switchable region mod while charging $50 to upgrade from a permanent region mod to a switchable region mod.

Yeah, but, that's you extrapolating a price from partial data.

You know that a mod costs $60. You know that he has two Duo Rs for sale. One perma-modded, and one real modded for a difference in price of $50.

However you don't know that he charges $10 for a perma mod. That isn't listed, or even offered. I understand how you could assume that he charges $10, but you don't know. There might be other factors, and I think there probably are. Hell, the perma-modded one might be scratched up or something.

For example, Apple charges $299 for a 32GB iPod Touch, and $399 for a 64GB one even though the cost of the labor to produce them is exactly the same, and the difference in the price of the part is probably $5, if that. They do this because the perceived value of the 64GB one is $100 higher in the minds of the customer. Up there I stated that a switch about doubles the work that goes into a Duo R mod, give or take. Since you and I both agree that a perma-mod is fucking stupid I think we can also agree that it is worth far less than a real switch mod regardless of the amount of work performed. IMHO it considerably devalues the Duo R below what it would be worth if left "stock", but that's beside the point. People charge what they can get.

Also, we don't know the whole story on these Duos. For example, we don't know what he would charge for a stock Duo R. $300 is a lot more than most people pay for a Duo, so the perma-mod probably adds more than $10 to the price of that Duo, and the one with the switch is worth even more, from his experience. Maybe he just has a perma-modded Duo R laying around and he thinks its worth about that much from his experience. You don't know because the bulk of the price is the system in this case, and not the mod. Anyone who has run a business knows that you have to move numbers around in ways that bring in customers, which often leads to selling two things at the same price but with enormously different profit margins.

Either way, please try to be less of an exploding insult machine, or at least save it for the assholes selling $50 obi strips. I was just trying to get you off this guy's back. I wasn't accusing you of being bossy, or insulting your technical knowledge. If you call modders crooks on this (very influential) forum it will likely be much harder for them to sell their services and the scene needs more good moders, not less. If his prices alone are the only problem then they will adjust as he learns what people want and are willing to pay.

[kattare]

Necro, I really was interested in your switch source.  Can you please post the URL?  Most places I found them I placed orders, then found out later that they really didn't have any in stock.  Note also, if I have to order more than 10 of them to get the $3.50 price... then that doesn't really help much.  I don't need 1000 of them.  ;-)  I think the ones I have were around $9/ea if you count shipping.

Zeta, I appreciate your input on this thread.

To be honest, when I made my initial post I was expecting to see more modders post their prices and for this fellow to have a few different folks to choose from.  I really did not expect to see someone knocking down a service offering just because they didn't agree with the price.  (especially from someone not even looking for the service...)

It's unfortunate, because this is the second or third time I've seen this happen here.  A while back some guy came on and posted about his new repair website and this exact thing happened.  2-1 the posts were people complaining about the prices instead of encouraging the guy in his new endeavor.

Regarding my pricing for the DUO-R's on ebay... You can all see what they go for out of Japan.  So you're wondering why mine cost more?

Say you see one for $150, which seems to be the norm for Hit-Japan. ($150)
Shipping from JP is ~$65 - $70. ($215)
1 in 4 needs a laser, ~$30 averaged to $7.50 per unit ($222.50)
All need cleaned up, connections reflowed...  Case, control pads, vid/power/pad jacks, internals, etc.  I frequently have to use Deoxit, canned air, etc. Many pads I get need dis-assembled and cleaned up.  ~1 hr labor + supplies ~$30 ($252.50)
Then there's the actual region mod.  Call it $25 for parts + labor.  ($277.50)
All need a game or two, I usually include one CD game and one HuCard game.  ~$20 ($297.50)
Putting together an ebay listing w/ photos, description, etc, takes time.  $15 labor ($312.50)
Ebay takes their cut for the listing + final value fees ~$18 ($330.50)
Paypal takes their cut for the transaction ~$11 ($341.50)
Then I have to pack it up and take it to the post office.  $15 labor ($356.50)

Damn... I'm overestimating what I'm getting for labor, cuz I was using an actual recent sale on ebay that should have cost $356.50 when I actually sold it for $329.95.  heh.  damnit.

[NecroPhile]

I shouldn't overly vex poor Zeta, but I've eaten my Wheeties..... 

Yeah, but, that's you extrapolating a price from partial data.

You know that a mod costs $60. You know that he has two Duo Rs for sale. One perma-modded, and one real modded for a difference in price of $50.

However you don't know that he charges $10 for a perma mod. That isn't listed, or even offered. I understand how you could assume that he charges $10, but you don't know. There might be other factors, and I think there probably are. Hell, the perma-modded one might be scratched up or something.

Of course I was guessing, that's why I used the word 'seemingly'.  Keep up that condescension though.

Kattare could've explained the apparent inconsistency, but instead chose to interpret my questioning of said inconsistency to mean that I believe him to be some sort of crook and that everything he's doing is overpriced.  That was definitely not my intention.

Either way, please try to be less of an exploding insult machine...

Hypocrite, dense, and obtuse; harsh words indeed.  Kinda like alluding to someone as a 'penny pinching cheap-ass', a 'cheap-ass Scrooge', or someone not using their brain. 

Necro, I really was interested in your switch source.  Can you please post the URL?  Most places I found them I placed orders, then found out later that they really didn't have any in stock.  Note also, if I have to order more than 10 of them to get the $3.50 price... then that doesn't really help much.  I don't need 1000 of them.  ;-)  I think the ones I have were around $9/ea if you count shipping.

It was the second link shown when searching for '8pdt switch' via Google, so you've likely already tried 'em and found that they didn't actually have 'em.  If I ever come across any for cheap, I'll let you know.

To be honest, when I made my initial post I was expecting to see more modders post their prices and for this fellow to have a few different folks to choose from.  I really did not expect to see someone knocking down a service offering just because they didn't agree with the price.  (especially from someone not even looking for the service...)

It's unfortunate, because this is the second or third time I've seen this happen here.  A while back some guy came on and posted about his new repair website and this exact thing happened.  2-1 the posts were people complaining about the prices instead of encouraging the guy in his new endeavor.

Let me make this as clear as I possibly can: $60 for a region mod is fair, as are the prices of the other services listed (I alluded to the former in my last post, but you apparently missed it).  As I've stated twice before, I failed to see the logic in charging $60 for a switchable region mod while simultaneously charging $50 to upgrade a permanent region mod to a switchable region mod.  If there are other circumstances (such as condition or whatever), you've passed up two opportunities to explain.

[SignOfZeta]

I'm just going to let this dog keep his bone. I really don't want it bad enough.

[kattare]

Necro, ahh, yea, I've tried that place for the switches... maybe even twice accidentally.

Let me make this as clear as I possibly can: $60 for a region mod is fair, as are the prices of the other services listed (I alluded to the former in my last post, but you apparently missed it).  As I've stated twice before, I failed to see the logic in charging $60 for a switchable region mod while simultaneously charging $50 to upgrade a permanent region mod to a switchable region mod.  If there are other circumstances (such as condition or whatever), you've passed up two opportunities to explain.

I think I'm beginning to understand.

"upgrading" a permanent region mod ($50) is easier than a switch mod from scratch ($60) because I would have already clipped and tinned all of the card slot pins I need access to, plus the ribbon cable (8 wires) in the permanent mod gets removed and re-used as the crossover piece in the switchable region mod.

Cheers.

[Charlie]

Aha!  So that price differential is for upgrading a unit already having your own previous-modification installed?

 I, and apparently many others, read it as if you were asked to update an unit that, yes, was modded, but done by who-knows-who/where/when, or even how, and thus not knowing what kind of workmanship resulted, or how much work you had to "un-do", etc,etc.  From that point of view, it would seem that a pre-modded unit would be more work = more $.

So, does that mean you now need a disclaimer listing the limitations/definition of "pre-modded"? O:)

Final comment:  Did any of the posts here actually help solve the original issue?

Charlie

[esteban]

Final comment:  Did any of the posts here actually help solve the original issue?

Hahahahahahaha.

[kattare]

Final comment:  Did any of the posts here actually help solve the original issue?

I'm here for the entertainment.

[Charlie]

I so enjoy my  role as comic relief!

Charlie

[D-Lite]

I'm feeling compelled to reply to this thread.  I was cruising through looking for the specs on the DuoR AC adapter (not that I don't have 12 sitting here) and saw this thread.  Intrigued I was and being a lightening rod of sorts around here from all sorts of angles, let me throw in my 26¢.

So I've done a ton of mods, imported over 100 DuoR and RX systems, and stocked all the parts needed for this.  I think I can give a reasonable estimate of what it takes/costs/involves.  Please, to kattare or any other modder out there, I am not posting this for any reason other than to give some info to the people that want mods done so they have a real idea of what this COULD cost.  As others have mentioned, people's time is worth something and it's worth something different to different people.  That's a true variable.  The cost of materials is largely static, but changes based on volume of course, but not so much to affect the price of the mod too dramatically.  And perhaps the cost that's most difficult to gauge is the economy of loss regarding items you receive that are basically scrap (false advertising from the seller, damaged in transit, DOA components, etc).  As mentioned, you can expect some of the systems you get as a modded system reseller to be problematic and mostly good for parts, but 1 in 4 DuoR systems is a bit much.  Over time I'd say I've seen 3 truly dead DuoR systems, and that means DEAD.  The laser is usually not the problem and in fact you'll find that taking a seemingly "dead" laser from a Duo works perfectly fine in a DuoR. 

OK, so here's a breakdown of a mod for me:
8PDT switch:  ~$3
OR  PCB mod board and chips:  ~$7  (remember I ordered hundreds of these PCBs stamped using Ben Moran's template, so bulk discount)
switch for PCB mod:  ~$1-2

Typical time to clean and mod a DuoR for region:  40-45 minutes
Of course I've done nearly 100 of those, so I can crank the sucker out pretty fast.

Testing time for the system:  ~2 hours on CD mode (usually 60-90 in attract mode, 30-60 play time), ~1 hour HuCard
Since I consider it a pleasure to play the system, I'm not counting most of that test time in the mod time.  It's fun, ya know?

Regarding systems, if you are serious about doing these mods, you shouldn't be buying through eBay one at a time from Japan.  Get on Yahoo Japan and start accumulating systems, generally going about $100-150 at most, usually with games.  Get them through a site and ship directly to you in bulk.  Yes, there's a problem with this in that it's not exactly convenient in terms of effort or storage or whatever, but that's the deal if you want it to be reasonable (well, meaning if you're trying to keep the price in the range of what most people would consider "reasonable").  Sure you'll end up with piles of systems, some worthless.  And you'll also have to invest in a bunch of systems ahead of selling them, so the cost is prohibitive in some regards for many would-be modders.

For me I think the region mod is about $30-40 given price of components and the roughly 1 hour I spend.  I typically think my time is worth about $20/hour on mods and that same rate applied when I did superguns.  It's been much debated here and elsewhere if my prices were fair, but much like most other modders, you'll find that most of us burned out because of all the BS around the whole process.  People want it for basically nothing sometimes and it wears you out with all the debating. 

At the height of modding for me I was cranking out systems because I loved the hobby aspect of it.  I made a little money on it and had a ton of fun.  But it becomes a chore at a point, too much for me with everything else happening.  For me especially, the biggest "cost" was delivering what I considered a high high quality product in a very timely fashion for the most reasonable cost.  And because of all the stress involved in meeting those expectations I got gunshy trying to please people.  For me it was no longer worth it for the price I wanted to charge.  And because I didn't want to charge more, I just stopped.  No longer do I take mods for people, I'll only mod then sell completed systems.  This way it's still a fun hobby where I can do a mod if I'm feeling spunky and not like it's a chore.

I think it's great that some people still do the mods and I've been trying to get back into it recently.  People should feel free to charge what they think their time is worth.  $300 or $350 for a modded system is fine if someone is willing to pay for it.  And if not, then either the price comes down or the modder moves on from that project since they don't consider it worth it for the price they could get.

[pixeljunkie]

props to ANYONE offering the community quality mods/repairs. Prices sound okay, I'm just stoked there's still people wanting to work on these things to keep them going as long as humanly possible. Thanks!

[kattare]

Hey man, thanks a ton for weighing in.  Very insightful and useful.

To be clear, I wasn't saying 1 in 4 is completely dead, just 1 in 4 needs a new laser to get reliability up to where I expect it.  I'm not even saying all the ones I replace are dead.  Probably 50% of the ones I replace still read some CD's ok, just not all.

Another thing that really caught my attention was your mention of taking a seemingly dead laser and putting it into a Duo-R(x) and having it work ok.

Got me to thinking... what do you think the main difference is between the Duo and Duo-R units that they can (usually) read things so much more reliably?  Of course the ultimate question being... is there a mod that could be done to a Duo to bring laser reading abilities up to Duo-R specs?

Just seems like only 1 in 10 Duo's read a CD-R, but 9 in 10 Duo-R's read 'em fine.  Something's different and it's more than just age.

And... all these lasers I'm replacing... if they'll work in a Duo-R... I may be tossing out perfectly usable units!  heh.  *goes digging thru the trash*

You mentioned buying hundreds of those mod boards... you have any left you might like to offload?  I don't think I'll ever get into the hundreds... At one point I thought I might, but I'm having second thoughts after having a few ebay/paypal issues.  Right now I'd like to get 10-20 or so so I can work through my existing stock.