Replacement Laser for Dreamcast

Hi all, does anyone know of a replacement laser for the sega dreamcast either a new laser or a laser from another device please. I have a few with dodgy lasers.

 

You can try to find SPU3200 or R48 in old CD-ROM's. PXR-550X, PXR-560X and HOP-A1 also will fit (almost, you'll need to cut off some plastic from GD-ROM shell). Also, it is possible that you'll have to lower the spindle hub and slightly increase current through laser diode, since CD-ROM's usually work with 36-40mA, while Dreamcast requires 45-50mA. And most of these laser heads are 17 pin, while Dreamcast uses 16 pin. Pinout is still the same, so just ignore leftmost pin (or rightmost, i can't remember). Either way, there will be no damage to GD-ROM or laser head if you insert ribbon cable the wrong way.

Also, if some of your Dreamcast's have SPU3200 lasers, you can try to wash them : 5min in warm soapy water (use cheap soap with no extra aromas/cleaning agents) -> 3min in flowing water -> 1min in distilled water (twice, each time in new water) -> wrap in clean A4 sheet, put in warm place and let it dry for one day. If done right, this algorithm does miracles - laser head starts working better than new (literally, I compared RF signal from new laser head and washed laser head, and washed laser head works slightly better).

 

Wow washing your laser... never heard of that method. Do you really put your whole spu3200 in the water even the motor of it, or only the lens??

to the op

You can get a new spu3200 unit here - quite cheap- he also sells the 16 pins version!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-origina...mplifier_Parts_Components&hash=item2a20d03813

 

Only laser head (lens, laser diode, photodiode matrix, focus/tracking coils, etc.). And it works only with SPU3200. Much more popular R48G have weird brown liquid (damping fluid) in focus/tracking coils. If you try to wash it, this liquid will get everywhere.

Also, this method works with PS1 laser heads (KSM-440). Actually, it works even better, since PS1 laser heads have much simpler structure.

 

hmm pretty cool might try it out

 

Them lasers never worked don't wast your time.
lasers are discontinued now and not all will work unless you ajust you spindel hub due to the new lasers not haveing a higher lens eye just wait for the sd card reader.
i does make me sad there's no replacement.
just get other console.

 

With what attitude it will never work. Not so long ago I got about 20 PAL Dreamcast units. In two big dusty boxes. Disassembled by parts. From service center, which means somebody already attempted to repair them. I'm pretty sure that about 80% of these parts were broken. And you know what happened? I repaired, assembled and sold almost all of them.

Also, don't buy cheap laser heads from china if two out of three old CD-ROM's have laser head suitable for replacement. I mean at least you can be sure that laser head from CD-ROM is original and working.

 

They do work perfect, and if they don't you have the wrong lens on it - because of focus point. I can't remember where but I have heard that the philips lens is one of the best if you use it for your dreamcast... That's why I posted that one

 

I have about 7 dreamcasts just sat gathering dust. I know for a fact one of the drive chips is bad as its bubbled on top and gone black also the disc doesn't even spin. Ill have to have a look for old cd-rom drives to see what i can come up with there is a I.T recycle place near me so may have to give them a shout and what they have got. The ebay link you gave me will be used as back up but thanks for posting the link and knowing me i may even buy one just to see what happens if it does or doesn't work.

 

shame Philips don't make the lasers anymore shame we can't even get them made.
If we where i wonder what the cost would be for a 1000pcs.

 

Do the ones on eBay really not work :/ I was planning on getting a couple for my dead units.....

EDIT :

I thought it was these ones we were talking about, my mistake! I've never seen those other ones before, they look good value for the money.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OPTICAL...527?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41661ecbcf

 

If disc doesn't spin, that means that there was a short in CJ900 spindle motor at some point. Solution - replace BA5986FM driver, SMD fuse near it (if it blown) and CJ900 (this is MANDATORY, even if the motor appears to be working).

 

Ideal cheers orion217 when i get to it again ill have a look as its in the bottom of my cupboard now. If i remember rightly one of the chips on the board bellow the drive is bubbled up which i assumed was from a faulty drive motor which caused the chip to over heat.

 

It says 16 or 17 pins.... Which drives are which guys?

 

for the dreamcast you should get the 16 pins. But 17 works just as well (you can ignore the outer pin on the right)

 

Phew, went with the right one then! Cheers!

 

Just thought I'd point out that the laser jp1357 referenced does work. There seems to be a lot of people out there with poor success getting replacement lasers to work on Dreamcast, so I was hesitant in trying it out. I did have to adjust the pot/diode screw as it would not read discs when initially dropped in. I have not had a chance to play extensively, but I have tested a good number of CDR and GD discs with good success so far. I wanted to update this thread since I had been looking for a suitable laser for a long time. Might pick up one more as a backup.

 

My Dreamcast is finally going in next week to my tech guy at work to have the anti-static point removed from the new lens I fitted from eBay so I will also report back my findings, if this works I will probably buy more and sell some of the back up units I'm sat on!

 

I bought an old dreamcast recently, the old owner must have been trying to fix the laser because the ribbon cable had been removed. I replaced it by cutting down the width of an old saturn ribbon cable, tested with a multimeter and it seemed fine.

Should I be able to see the laser turn on? I've adjusted the pot by 90 degrees both ways (in increments) and I never see the actual laser turn on, it moves up and down but doesn't light up.

 

So you didn't use a multimeter !? You probably burn out the diode when you turned the pot 90!
id just replace the whole pickup, look on eBay or aliexpress (use the actual part number)