PSX media detect laser issues - help

It's a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) so it has a writer pickup. And because the PS2 laser cannot read blank discs, it AWAYS tries to detect discs with the writer pickup first...

Currently the only way to take video recordings out from it is writing the said recordings onto DVD-R.

 

But why couldn't they just have the writer's laser also be the one that reads disks in PS2 mode? Seems like a weird and expensive design this way. I dunno, maybe they didn't want to spend the engineering resources to make the PS2 DSP and mechacon able to understand the signals coming from the differently-designed laser?

 

Possibly a video editing feature? Disc writers designed as a all in one editing system often gave 2 lasers, allowing reading with one and writing with the other. We all know Sony likes to shoot for the moon but usually stops before launching the rocket. It could also be a matter of design practicality, writable DVDs contain configuration data that identifies the burn speeds and manufacturer among other things, also note that on the PS3 (at least the one lens units) uses the bluray laser for the disc check. The PSX also uses Sony's usual routine of using hardware solutions where software would do instead.

 

This part of his reply seems to explain nicely what's going inside of the PSX.

 

This for DVR-mode (recording discs, read DVD-Video Audio CD) correctly ?

For CD games PS1 PS2 and DVD games PS1 PS2 please models lasers

 

It uses a KHS-400C for the PlayStation 2 laser. However, it will not read PlayStation/PlayStation 2 game discs if the main laser cannot read discs.

 

Re-phrasing what SP193 said, if the DVD/CD writer laser doesn't work it will not try to read a disc as game. It always check for discs first with the writer laser, because attempting to read a blank disc with the PS2 laser pickup would cause damage to it.

This also replies this post from Myria, which I didn't see before:

So now I have replied you. Detecting discs with the PS2 laser would put the PS2 laser pickup at risk of coil/laser damage as it's not designed to focus blank media. The mechacon could fry the laser or the coils trying to detect a disc.

So the PSX detects first with the writer laser because it's designed to take blank media for it's "DVR DUB" feature.

 

1) CD or DVD PS1 PS2 games ?

DESR-5000/7000/5100/7100 use SONY KWS-200A
DESR-5500/7500/5700/7700 use SANYO SF-DB11
2) Main laser KWS-200A and SF-DB11 ?

3) DVD/CD writer laser , this KWS-200A and SF-DB11 ?

 

1) And CD and DVD.(PS1,PS2)
2)Yes (KWS-200A can be found at Ebay (I bought it), SF-DB11 - maybe also. (Not sure))
3)Yes

 

Can you swap the whole dvd drive into the PSX DESR 5100. Or do you have to swap a daughter board like on the PS3 and PS4? I'm other words are the optical drives married to the PSX?

 

So does that mean that if you put a blank DVD-R into a PS2 it damages the optical pickup? I always thought that PS2 DVD drives were crap, but I never realized they were that crap...

 

Do that with ANY ROM only drive and you will ruin it. Anything from a PS1 to a Dreamcast. PS2 to Wii.

They can't find the disc wooble (only recorders can find a wooble on blank media) and a blank has no groove yet.

For all effects a blank disc appears like a flat mirror to a rom only drive. It will try to focus until give up or suffer damage. (PS2 will attempt to auto adjust and that's how it will damage itself)