Razzie.P Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I just picked up an N. America TurboDuo with several accessories and 1 CD Game, Ys 1&2. At first, the Video intro of Ys would skip randomly, and any burned CDs I made to test would take a long time to load, so I thought maybe I had a weak laser. I cleaned the lazer with a cd deck cleaner, tested again, and haven't found any issues yet. Still, due to the random nature and the reported Duo problems, I'm still a bit concerned. Anyone know of any surefire tests to find out if my system has a weak, potentially problematic laser? Thanks in advance for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGQuarterly Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 The only way to know is if it gives you problems when you play games. There isn't a diagnostic test or anything. Some people think that playing burned games, especially burned on 80 minute CDs, is bad for the laser. So you may not want to do that. I burn games on 74 minute CDs. It may not make a difference, but it makes me feel better. Considering that a TurboDuo is not something that's easily replaced, you may want to buy a replacement laser now, while they are still available. You should also consider replacing the capacitors if they haven't been changed out already. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzie.P Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share Posted June 25, 2011 Thanks. I didn't know that about the 74 min cds. I think I'll switch to those for peace of mind as well. Would you happen to know where to buy a replacement laser? My google search came up with a couple different parts, and each has a comment or 2 claiming that it doesn't work. I'm not sure I have the technical know-how to replace the caps. I'll definately read into it though. Isn't that issue related to poor sound on the system? You think it's something that I should go ahead and replace, or is it not needed until the sound goes bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGQuarterly Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 (edited) I'm not sure about the replacement part. The best guy to ask is a dude named "bluebmw" on pcenginefx.com. He refurbs duos and he is a super nice guy. When the caps fail completely, you will have sound issues. But in the mean time they could be leaking onto your system's mobo. If I were you, I would look for someone (and I would start by asking bluebmw) who could do a refurb job on the system by replacing the laser and the caps at the same time. I don't know how you feel about system modification, but I would also highly recommend a region switch (unless you buy a flash cart). Get those things done and you'll have a kick-ass system, and nothing to worry about anymore. Chris Edited June 25, 2011 by Jibbajaba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzie.P Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 I'm not sure about the replacement part. The best guy to ask is a dude named "bluebmw" on pcenginefx.com. He refurbs duos and he is a super nice guy. When the caps fail completely, you will have sound issues. But in the mean time they could be leaking onto your system's mobo. If I were you, I would look for someone (and I would start by asking bluebmw) who could do a refurb job on the system by replacing the laser and the caps at the same time. I don't know how you feel about system modification, but I would also highly recommend a region switch (unless you buy a flash cart). Get those things done and you'll have a kick-ass system, and nothing to worry about anymore. Chris Thanks a lot for the info. I've registered at pcenginefx to ask him, but I'm still waiting for the admins to approve my registration before i'm allowed to do anything. I'm eager to get this thing sweetened up a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FABombjoy Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 (edited) The laser is available from electronix.com, part HOP-M3 That said, I think I've only seen a duo that needs a new laser maybe 10-15% of the time. Usually they're dirty or out of adjustment. New lasers are cheap enough that it's not a big deal, but they still need to be properly adjusted. Just dropping in a new laser is like putting new tires on a car with alignment problems. It looks like everything is better... for awhile... Now that they're approaching 20 years in age, every US Duo needs new capacitors, and should probably have it's laser mechanism relubricated & electrical adjustments made. I've redone quite a few, although due to time constraints, I don't perform this service for people. Cap replacement should be done as a preventive measure. When they leak, they can damage the board and can cause necessary further repairs. Edited June 29, 2011 by FABombjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatta Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Hey, while we're talking about refurbishing duos, mine has an odd problem. It seems like the spindle has dropped slightly, so that the lid doesn't sandwich the disk as firmly as it should. This results in slipping of the discs, awful noise, and read errors. I work around this by removing the plastic shield that goes around the spindle and laser assembly. I also use TY CDRs which seem to be a bit thicker than original CDs. But I'm wondering if it's possible to readjust or replace the spindle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HARMIK Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I orderd some on 14-06-11 and was told they are on backorder after I paid. Emailed them 26-07-11 still no word, I don't mind waiting as long as they do come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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