Will using CD-Rs on the SEGA-CD System 1 or System 2 (I have both) US, burn the laser out quicker? Thanks! Hugh
Thanks ASSEMbler, is it a bitch to replace? Why I ask is because I am playing a backup of my retail copy of Dark Wizard (US) (Best game, better then master of monsters). I don't want to play the real disk so it doesn't get scratched, since it's a hard to find game (at least it is for me). :/ Hugh
One word. Kids. LOL I try to buy dups of my games but Dark Wizard has been a little bugger ti find. Just like Lunar I and II are rare. If it means anything I have two copies of Ground Zero Texas. LOL Hugh
SEGA-CD/MEGA-CD is old enough to not suffer from using CD-R discs. Discs will either read or not read. I mean that because it's too old, the CD drive in it does not contain an automatic gain control. It can only adjust the laser power in response to temperature changes through the optical pickup internal calibration photo diode and the reference potentiometer on the pickup body. Newer systems not only do that, also take reference from the data acquisition photodiodes to increase the laser power (for better error correction rate, CDRW compatibility and for breaking down faster so the user has to buy another one every year) :lol:
You can fry the laser in about 3 minutes if you use a NES adapter instead of the proper power adapter. 9v is 9v, unless it's AC instead of DC... Oops.
Oops indeed. But what fries is the power supply circuitry on the analog board (TR4, F1 and maybe the 7805 voltage regulator on the heatsink). :thumbsup:
BAAAAD CAPS :lol: Seriously, bad caps and normal aging. I use CDR on my MEGA-CD all the time and it never had issues. I own it for more than 10 years now.
I never had an issue but I never used them extensively. I found the PC-Engine DUO was alot more picky as often with certain discs the laser would track out to the edge of the track and get stuck. I sometimes wonder if this is because the discs were 80 minute discs and not 74 minute, but I don't think you can even buy new 74 minute CD-Rs to put that to the test.
Model one usa system used sony KSS-240A as for model two the usa systems used two types of lasers jvc OPTIMA6s or you can use OPTIMA7 and a sony version KSS-210A. And other version aswell i think you would have to take the console apart so i can tell you what version laser it is.
If it might be better for the machine I still have a stack of 74 minute CD-Rs, that I never used. :/ Hugh
I use 80 min CDs from Maxell to burn my test stuff and even some games when I wanted to test/experiment with the region free bios. Didn't have a single one fail.
Again, the issue I had was with the PC-Engine DUO and CD-Rs. I never had any issue with Sega CD and CD-Rs, but I never extensively played CD-Rs on Sega CD.
I have 2 replacement model 1 laser assemblies, one is new, one is from a broken model 1...I broke it when changing the laser...now my disc motor is broken but I have 2 working lasers lol. So if you ever really need one I could probably hook you up.
I use CD-Rs in mine as well (there's actually a slight defect in my Sega CD drive that will scratch all but the most perfectly balanced discs). The only real problems I have is if I burn them at higher speeds. Then those discs will load, but start producing errors when I try to play them. Not sure why.
Yeh about that... From what I can tell it flowed well past the regulator and into the system due to me popping on a fuse that had a bit (something like .5) more amperage ceiling than the stock fuse was/is. The laser made a terrible noise and I'm pretty sure is toast and a good portion of the solder points are bubbly. And a few minor SMD components are blown quite nicely. Not sure how I did it but I did. Never had this happen before or since.
