Duo R sound glitches but works flawless when standing on one side

oxazolina · 05/20/2013, 02:37 AM

Hello everyone. Im new to the forums
Recently a friend gave me a japanese Duo-R system not working well.
CD's spin but u always get an error when trying to load any game.
The surprise was that if you stand the console on one of its sides then it works perfect, the games load in a couple of seconds and there is not a single problem with the sound.
After reading this forum i decided to adjust the potenciometer of the laser.
Now the console is able to load games when standing in its normal position, but there is some sound glitches in all the games i have tested. Still if i put the console standing on one side the games load ultrafast, more than in normal position, and no sound glitches.

Should i play a bit more with the laser pot?
What else i can do to fix those sound glitches? Seems all the capacitators should be ok because everything is fine when u put the console in vertical position.

Thanks everyone for your help

Fidde_se · 05/20/2013, 06:08 AM

Try flexing the console while in operation, if the audio goes between good and bad there could be a small crack in the board somewhere or in a via hole.

Keith Courage · 05/20/2013, 04:09 PM

I would try and adjust the potentiometers more. Also, don't forget to try cleaning of the CD lens with a Q-Tip and rubbing alcohol.

PCEngineHell · 05/20/2013, 04:49 PM

This almost sounds more like a bad laser having focus issues due to gravity affecting the lens bobbing ability. Are the sound issues only related to the cd audio tracks? If so I'd swap the lens.

GohanX · 05/20/2013, 04:55 PM

You didn't sit it near a first gen Playstation did you? I think it caught something.

Fidde_se · 05/21/2013, 12:24 PM

yeah I was assuming it was on the ADPCM and HuCard audio aswell, but if it's only cd audio it could probably be one or both of the coils controlling the laser that are burned or damaged, they are non repairable, more or less, and placing it on the side might give the laser the focus it needs and therefor working. So bad laser then it's digital jitter, if it's overall audio it's more bad sound/distortion.

oxazolina · 05/21/2013, 06:17 PM

Quote from: Fidde_se on 05/20/2013, 06:08 AMTry flexing the console while in operation, if the audio goes between good and bad there could be a small crack in the board somewhere or in a via hole.

Yes, if i have the console on its side everything goes smooth but if i put it back to the normal position then sound glitches appear again.

oxazolina · 05/21/2013, 06:23 PM

Quote from: Keith Courage on 05/20/2013, 04:09 PMI would try and adjust the potentiometers more. Also, don't forget to try cleaning of the CD lens with a Q-Tip and rubbing alcohol.

The first thing i did was clean the lens but no effect until i adjusted the laser pot.

Quote from: PCEngineHell on 05/20/2013, 04:49 PMThis almost sounds more like a bad laser having focus issues due to gravity affecting the lens bobbing ability. Are the sound issues only related to the cd audio tracks? If so I'd swap the lens.

I noticed that the lens goes down when i clean but since i didnt had experience with PC engine systems I assumed it was a normal thing. Is it or might this be the problem?
I didnt tested any audio CD yet. I will do later.

Quote from: JKM on 05/20/2013, 04:55 PMYou didn't sit it near a first gen Playstation did you? I think it caught something.

I dont know in the past but right now is side by side with a PS1 hehehe.

Quote from: Fidde_se on 05/21/2013, 12:24 PMyeah I was assuming it was on the ADPCM and HuCard audio aswell, but if it's only cd audio it could probably be one or both of the coils controlling the laser that are burned or damaged, they are non repairable, more or less, and placing it on the side might give the laser the focus it needs and therefor working. So bad laser then it's digital jitter, if it's overall audio it's more bad sound/distortion.

If i recall correctly Hu card sound was fine.

Anyway i will try to do some more test tomorrow and come back with the results.
Thanks everyone

PCEngineHell · 05/21/2013, 06:52 PM

Quote from: oxazolina on 05/21/2013, 06:23 PM
Quote from: Keith Courage on 05/20/2013, 04:09 PMI would try and adjust the potentiometers more. Also, don't forget to try cleaning of the CD lens with a Q-Tip and rubbing alcohol.
The first thing i did was clean the lens but no effect until i adjusted the laser pot.

Quote from: PCEngineHell on 05/20/2013, 04:49 PMThis almost sounds more like a bad laser having focus issues due to gravity affecting the lens bobbing ability. Are the sound issues only related to the cd audio tracks? If so I'd swap the lens.
I noticed that the lens goes down when i clean but since i didnt had experience with PC engine systems I assumed it was a normal thing. Is it or might this be the problem?
I didnt tested any audio CD yet. I will do later.

Quote from: JKM on 05/20/2013, 04:55 PMYou didn't sit it near a first gen Playstation did you? I think it caught something.
I dont know in the past but right now is side by side with a PS1 hehehe.

Quote from: Fidde_se on 05/21/2013, 12:24 PMyeah I was assuming it was on the ADPCM and HuCard audio aswell, but if it's only cd audio it could probably be one or both of the coils controlling the laser that are burned or damaged, they are non repairable, more or less, and placing it on the side might give the laser the focus it needs and therefor working. So bad laser then it's digital jitter, if it's overall audio it's more bad sound/distortion.
If i recall correctly Hu card sound was fine.

Anyway i will try to do some more test tomorrow and come back with the results.
Thanks everyone

You don't have to test a audio cd. Most cd based games for the system use normal cd audio for the soundtracks and cut scenes. If your hucards audio is working fine, and the cd games sound fx during gameplay are fine and the only thing cutting out is the cd music then the problems are more likely then not simply laser related.

oxazolina · 05/24/2013, 04:35 PM

Problem fixed!!!
I will post the full thing in case someone comes to the forums with the same issue.

Hu card sound: it was fine with the console in normal position or standing on a side.

Audio CD: In normal position seems like the inner tracks sound almost fine but with outer tracks there were lots of glitches and cd lens moving back and forth from inner to outer tracks. Standing on one side all the audio tracks were ok. While listening audio CD if the console is moved from stand on a side to its normal position sound glitches appear again.

CD games: It seems there is problems just with the audio tracks, the FX sounds are ok.

I played with the lens potentiometer again but i wasnt able to find a point with no audio glitches.
I moved the potentiometer that seems to have less audio glitches and then tried to adjust the board potentiometers.
I just moved VR101 pot a bit to the right and the problem was fixed.

CD games now load very fast and not a single audio glitch when playing games or listening audio CD's

Thanks everyone for your help!

monads · 08/18/2013, 08:06 PM

My unit just started exhibiting CD sound glitches today

It was fitted with a new laser by doujindance so I'm hoping it's a pot/calibration issue. Currently awaiting the tools to arrive so I can successfully open the unit.

monads · 08/22/2013, 11:29 AM

Fixed last night! I adjusted the VR103 per the guide and all is perfect

Love this forum and resources!