GUIDE: use a PC-CDROM lens in your DREAMCAST

The laser is small and inexpensive to ship.

 

Will give you the name when i come home, but usually the laser unit is the same for the same model of cd-rom drives. The drive is a creative 5233E

EDIT: The lens unit is HOP-A1. I think it's hitachi, but i'm not sure...

 

Nice post. Is it possible to use a Blu-Ray lense?

 

No, blu-ray, dvd and cd-rw lens assemblies have a different pinout than the cd drives

 

Very interesting. I didn't know that you could replace the DC's laser lens with a PC CD-ROM drive's lens. Good to know.

 

Neirther did I, it was just luck methinks...

 

thanks cOcO!

 

De nada, Pikmin

 

Hmmm it should be pretty easy getting some old CD drives, dumpster diving is one of the techniques, but there are also other ways of getting the old drives cheap, if not free.

 

Just saw this guid for the first time. Very nice!! A great way to save a Dreamcast for pennys!

 

The original 1998 laser (I think it's NEC SPU3200), which is used on the Yamaha GD assembly can be purchased online and you don't need to break anything on the mechanism. It also fits nicely in the Samsung mechanism.

 

I know the lasers are still available, but they are not going to be there forever...

 

i finally found 2 cd-roms: one is no name, recognized by the pc as atapi 48x cd-rom and the other one is a sony. both have the same laser: SANYO SF-P151. i had to cut some plastic so the small white piece of plastic that moves the laser will fit fine. after mounting everything back, the disc spins, the laser turns on, but nothing happens.

l_oliveira, where can i find the spu3200 laser at a decent price?

 

Have you tried tweaking the pot?

 

Was the cd rom drive working in the first place?

 

yes, the cd-rom was working and i tried to tweak the pot.
cOcO!, have you tested other cd-roms, or just the creative one?

 

I have personally tested ONLY the creative one, but i have reports of people got it working with other cd drives, the main one was LG CRD-8322B, so i guess you'd probably like to try with these 2 drives before giving up. The LG drive was untested with GD-ROMs.

 

I'm waiting for 3 cd-roms to arrive. I think i will have them monday.

 

Neat. Let us know how it turned out

 

I found another cd-rom: LG GCR-8522B. It has the same SANYO SF-P151 laser like the other two cd-roms. I just hope the 3 drives i'm waiting for, have a different laser.