REPAIR GUIDE - Laseractive NEC PAC-N1 / N10: Total capacitor replacement chart

[thesteve]

and that is a worn belt

[choijimmy]

This belt:

[hardgb]

I did not have time to repair my LaserActive
but now I could replace the belt, and it worked it's returned to work perfectly. I am very happy with everyone's help. Thank you
See how was:

[choijimmy]

awesome

[wmsteele]

Hello, I've recently replaced all 80 smd caps on a Sega PAC for the laseractive. Very pleased with the result, have been working on my soldering skills for a few years, this was by far the largest job I've attempted. Luckily the caps weren't that bad, most had started leaking but not to the extent of doing much damage. By some small miracle all the caps were removed without lifting a single trace, result!

The laseractive is now almost fully functional... LD movies and mega LD play just fine, have a few movies and one mega LD game (Pyramid Patrol) all working without a hitch. The CD drive is also fully functional, audio and JPN mega CD games play perfectly. I've successfully changed the region on a few USA games and they are working fine as well (using SCDToolz 3.55).

The one issue I have is cartridge based games, all I get is a black screen when powering the unit with a cart connected to the PAC. I had originally thought this was due to me having a JPN region PAC-S1 but no JPN cartridge games. The mega CD games I have running are all JPN, USA/PAL discs don't work without altering region. So I ordered a JPN cartridge game, this arrived today but gives the same black screen as my PAL cartridges (I'm in the UK so everything easily available is PAL here). I also have a mega Everdrive and this also results in a black screen... weird.

Both PAC cart connector and cartridges have been thoroughly cleaned with no change in behavior... same black screen. I'm now lost as to what to try next... any ideas??

Have attached some pics of my soldering wizardry





app.photobucket.com/u/williamjohnsteele

[thesteve]

flip it over and try again

[wmsteele]

OMG... Thanks so much, thats it!

Cant believe that 

It just makes sense the label should face up, guess not!

Oh well, Sega PAC is fully working, plays PAL carts just fine as well, Everdrive also works perfectly and can be used with a region free bios for mega CD games 

Time now to start looking for a N1 PAC...

[BlueBMW]

Most pacs originally had a little sticker on them instructing you to insert the cart label face down.  I suspect someone removed it already

[wmsteele]

For future noobs like myself...

[Bloufo]

For future noobs like myself...

The one good thing about it connecting that way is that when one uses one of those tototek converter carts, the Mark III cart and MyCard games stand nicely upwards.

[esteban]

TRANSBOT!

Wow, I forgot how much better the Japanese coverart was for Le TransBot.

Amazing.

[Bloufo]

Yep. You are not wrong.

[Supercom32]

Can anyone who owns a Laseractive with the Sega Pac be so kind to tell me if its normal for the IC in the pic below to get scorching hot after just a few minutes of gameplay?
My unit is a bit under the weather ATM (even after replacing capacitor & parts all across the boards), and I've had bad chips gone bad before and that's usually one of the symptoms but in this case I don't know. Thanks in advance for any help!

[choijimmy]

Can anyone who owns a Laseractive with the Sega Pac be so kind to tell me if its normal for the IC in the pic below to get scorching hot after just a few minutes of gameplay?
My unit is a bit under the weather ATM (even after replacing capacitor & parts all across the boards), and I've had bad chips gone bad before and that's usually one of the symptoms but in this case I don't know. Thanks in advance for any help!

Play pc engine cd game for 5 mins and the chip is around 50c  based on my feeling

[BlueBMW]

That could be why they left an opening in that plastic cover.  They were anticipating that chip getting hotter than others and didn't want to melt the plastic.

[Supercom32]

Play pc engine cd game for 5 mins and the chip is around 50c  based on my feeling

That could be why they left an opening in that plastic cover.  They were anticipating that chip getting hotter than others and didn't want to melt the plastic.

Thanks for the replies! It does seems normal for this chip to get hot, and the plastic cover opening makes total sense.

I have three Laseractive units two of them are American (they were in storage until today) and one of them is Japanese, this last one is the one giving me problems.

Basically what happens is, it plays all Laserdisc games and movies not problem every time all of the time. But when playing Mega Cd games after a few minutes during gameplay, the discs will stop/pause spinning, and then start to play again at random. Almost feels like this happens when the system temperature raises.

I have ruled out the Sega Pacs because they all have been recapped and they all work fine in my other American systems. I've also replaced capacitors all over the Japanese Laseractive boards making very little difference.

The Japanese Laseractive model seems to be the newest revision of them all (judging by the 1996 date) and yet, it seems to be the less reliable. In my other two units, the boards show some type of last minute modifications (such as the addition of smaller IC board fixes) but on this one there aren't any. Also this is the only unit (out of the three) that the power supply has the additional IC protector like the one seen in the pic below (Thanks to BlueBMW for the pic)

I've also tested for bad/shorted/open ic's but they all check ok. When I first got it, the power supply had some leaky caps and it also looked like someone had messed with some of the potentiometers (I manage to tweak them until the unit was able to read all discs again), also replaced the laser with a known working one thinking that could be the obvious culprit, but still works and behaves exactly as the old one did. And finally, I've followed all of BlueBMW's recommendations I've found on the net, with little success.

Is there some sort of trick for these Japanese models that I'm not aware of?
Your help is greatly appreciated, thanks again!

photobucket.com/albums/ac253/bmcdanold/Repair/LA_PowerSupplyTest.jpg

[choijimmy]

In the power supply board,  there is a 2.2k resistor in position R301 , can you measure it's value by using multimeter?  I have two laseractive produce unstable -5v due to this resistor.

Also, I assume you replaced all the caps on the PCB board in laser active which directly connect to the pac, right?

[Supercom32]

In the power supply board,  there is a 2.2k resistor in position R301 , can you measure it's value by using multimeter?  I have two laseractive produce unstable -5v due to this resistor.

Hmmm, I think you may be onto something  . After the PSU capacitors leaked there was definitely a big mess afterwards. I did a lot of cleaning but maybe I missed something (even though I added new solder to most of the contacts ) . I'll double check everything including this resistor and will get back on this, thanks!

Also, I assume you replaced all the caps on the PCB board in laser active which directly connect to the pac, right?

Yes all of them. There was no difference between the before and the after, sadly 

[thesteve]

could be a weak laser, oddly the sega cd games require better laser control then the LD stuff

[wmsteele]

Discovered I had a dead RAM backup battery, original ML2016 now replaced with a shiny new ML2032 rechargeable battery. Slightly thicker than the original but a perfect fit.

[choijimmy]

Discovered I had a dead RAM backup battery, original ML2016 now replaced with a shiny new ML2032 rechargeable battery. Slightly thicker than the original but a perfect fit.

Me too. somehow I am UNable to find rechargable ML2016 with fitted legs.
I am able to find ML2032 with correct legs which works perfect for few years

[wmsteele]

Me too. somehow I am UNable to find rechargable ML2016 with fitted legs.
I am able to find ML2032 with correct legs which works perfect for few years

Is the ML2032  not a direct replacement? I had thought so... as the ML2032 is rechargeable I though this would last more than a couple of years!?!

[choijimmy]

Me too. somehow I am UNable to find rechargable ML2016 with fitted legs.
I am able to find ML2032 with correct legs which works perfect for few years

Is the ML2032  not a direct replacement? I had thought so... as the ML2032 is rechargeable I though this would last more than a couple of years!?!

ML2032 is correct replacement (3v rechargable ) but just thicker and thus more storage than ML2016

[Supercom32]

Ok so I just find out my Japanese Laseractive power supply for some reason has a 1A 250V Fuse. It isn't supposed to be a 2.5A 125V fuse instead?. Is this some kind of last minute factory modification? or did the previous owner installed the wrong fuse rating?

Also,the Japanese Laseractive has a DWR1155 power supply, while my American unit has a DWR1156 one. I can see there a few differences for example, the big cap near the front (470uf 180v  VS. a 390uf 200V cap), some of the resistor values around the same area, and the additional IC protector at the bottom (Japanese unit only).

if it's indeed the wrong fuse, how the heck did it manage to live this long without blowing up?

American:



Japanese:

[choijimmy]

confirmed my Japanese cld-a100 has 125v 2.5A fuse. Yes, some power supply board somehow has extra icp-n50 at the bottom side of the pcb

[hardgb]

I had a problem with my LaserActive, someone dropped it and is no longer working.
I'm trying to eject the tray LD is not working. I'm turning this gear but is only ejecting the CD compartment. (./hardgb/How_to_eject_tray_when_No_power_zpsfqhf4lf7.gif)
I need help to eject the tray completely and to see Which laserdisc problem.
Please help me.

[choijimmy]

The system is completely no power and just the ld  tray is not out? If it still have power, out probably wait for the system turn on for 30 seconds,  so the tray is completely unload, then try to turn the gear. If still only the cd tray comes out but not ld tray, I bet the tray or loading mechanism is broken or misalignment .

I used to have this problem (loading mechanism or tray is broken and only cd tray comes out when turning the gear  )，the only way I can do is force it to come out but it will break the tray or load mechanism for sure!!! The reason I did this is I have complete tray/load mechanism replacement from eg, cld-s260.  Thus, I force the tray come out and replace both loading mechanism and tray.

If you don't have replacement, don't force the tray to come out, I am so sure it will break it. Try to play around with the gear and sometimes , the ld tray may come out in certain position I guess. However, I am pretty sure either your tray or loading mechanism is broken or misalignment during the drop, otherwise, the ld tray should come out when you turning the gear.

[hardgb]

The system is completely no power.
Today I managed to eject manually tray LD, and not break anything.
But I realized that the "power supply board" is in trouble.
No continuity in 5 IC protector in power supply board and the fuse (125V 2.5A) was burned.
I have replaced the 5 IC protective. I did not find the fuse "125V 2.5A" I used a fuse 250V 2A, but failed. I called but the fuse blew again.
(Note: It confirms the protective IC 5 have not burned.)
The fuse has to be the "125V 2.5A" or can I use any other?
Even as a fuse 225V 2A is normal burn it instantly?
What should I do, please help me.

[thesteve]

you can use any 2.5A fuse at or above 125v
that it failed says you likely have something shorted in the supply

[hardgb]

I purchased the fuse 250V 2.5A but the two fuses esplodem (2A and 2.5A) before I hit the power button the LaserActive.
They esplodem at the time I plug the power cord into the power grid.
What problem can be doing esplodir fuse?

[Vimtoman]

Possible bridge rectifier

[thesteve]

bad diode or bad fet likely

[NecroPhile]

bad diode or boba fett likely

Fixed. 

[hardgb]

So what should I do to test and repair the "power supply board" my LaserActive?
I have little esperiência with repairs but I'm quite dedicated.
Please I need help.

[thesteve]

first step is get the repair manual (its posted online)

[hardgb]

I found "Service Manual" at this link:

/new_laseractive_pics/misc/clda100_repair/servicemanual.htm

This image shows the "power supply board"
But now what should I do ?

Forgive me, understanding very little of electronics. Need help.

[thesteve]

http://console5.com/wiki/File:CLD-A100_Service_Manual_-_ARP2757.pdf

[choijimmy]

updated the FAQ in page 1 with missing -5v issue ( which cause the laser lens bouncing up and down rapidly )

[choijimmy]

deleted-- please refer to my post in first page 

[BlueBMW]

Very good stuff!  I should add your findings to the first post here

[hardgb]

When I turn on the laseractive, I found that the laser lens is bouncing up and down crazy.
I believe the solution to this problem is to "update 3" but I did not understand.
Please, I need help because I'm unable to play cd/ld

[choijimmy]

When I turn on the laseractive, I found that the laser lens is bouncing up and down crazy.
I believe the solution to this problem is to "update 3" but I did not understand.
Please, I need help because I'm unable to play cd/ld

I recall you said the fuse blown everytime when you turn on the machine,  now the fuse no longer blown?

In my update 3, what I mean is you should measure if you get -5v from the power supply board or not.  You can find -5v measuring point from the PCB which have a lot of pots. 
If you missed -5v, then most likely the resistor r301 in the power supply board has issue.  This resistor suppose 2.2k,  check  the resistor value by taking out from power supply board.  If the value is far away from 2.2k, replace it

[hardgb]

Regarding the problem of my LaserActive. He was not working ... but found that the transistor "pcb power" was not working, I will replace and my LaserActive returned to work.
I hope you can understand my English.

[choijimmy]

congrats!

[hardgb]

Please, what are the values of resistors R301, R302, R303 and R304?
They're very light color, I can not identify.

[choijimmy]

Please, what are the values of resistors R301, R302, R303 and R304?
They're very light color, I can not identify.

R301 is 2.2k
R302 and R303 are both 220ohm
R304 in my board is a bridge, not resistor

[leonk]

Hi. I got my laseractive today. The seller showed me video of it working but of course it doesn't now. PAC games work fine but I got no spin on CD.

When I put in music CD, the laser moves to the first track and screen says "compact disc" and CD light is on. When I press play, the disc just ejects. At no point does it ever spin.

With PCE CD games (with super system card in hu slot) the laser mech cycles a few times, disc never spins and eventually I see "set disc" error.

suggestions?

[leonk]

More info:  Tested F101 / F102 on main power board (under silver cover) and they're good

The CD spinner drives plugs into power board (red/green wire) Once in a while it actually does spin (not always) and voltage goes up to 8V on it but tray still ejects.

Is this a sign of a bad laser?  Is it possible for laser to see disc but not play it?

[leonk]

More testing .. more results.

- I tested every fuse on the power board.  All good.
- The boot process is as following:

No disc:
- laser rail comes up
- laser moves to track 1 position
- laser detects no disc
- moves back down

With CD:
- laser rail comes up
- laser moves to track 1 position
- laser white eye moves up down and stops
- Tv shows "Compact Disc"
- after a few seconds the disc ejects!

At no point did the CD ever spin!!  On some rare cases (once every 20 tries or so) the disc does spin! But then stops and ejects.  So I can't imagine it's any of the fuses (fuse either blown or not blown)

NOTE: This is the Japanese LA being plugged into USA mains.  But that should not be a problem as it worked this way for YEARS (I think the first thing after the fuse is it runs into a transformer that converts it to DC power).  The only thing that recently changed was it got shipped to me across the country and I have video of it working before shipping.   

So the problem is either bad motor or something else.  I believe the motor gets its power from the main power supply board (red/green wire that plugs into 2 pin molex closest to back of LA). 

I get the same behaviour when that molex is unplugged.  So I put my voltmeter on in.  Always reads 0V.  On the rare case it spun, it read up to 8V, but never steady voltage (a lot of bouncing around). and then down to 0V and tray ejected.

At this point, I'm thinking it's once of the power regulators on the power PCB under that shield.  I traced one of the pins on that connector to a cap, resistor, and then regulator there.

I've made a youTube video showing the problem:

Thanks for any suggestions you guys might have.

[choijimmy]

More testing .. more results.

- I tested every fuse on the power board.  All good.
- The boot process is as following:

No disc:
- laser rail comes up
- laser moves to track 1 position
- laser detects no disc
- moves back down

With CD:
- laser rail comes up
- laser moves to track 1 position
- laser white eye moves up down and stops
- Tv shows "Compact Disc"
- after a few seconds the disc ejects!

At no point did the CD ever spin!!  On some rare cases (once every 20 tries or so) the disc does spin! But then stops and ejects.  So I can't imagine it's any of the fuses (fuse either blown or not blown)

NOTE: This is the Japanese LA being plugged into USA mains.  But that should not be a problem as it worked this way for YEARS (I think the first thing after the fuse is it runs into a transformer that converts it to DC power).  The only thing that recently changed was it got shipped to me across the country and I have video of it working before shipping.   

So the problem is either bad motor or something else.  I believe the motor gets its power from the main power supply board (red/green wire that plugs into 2 pin molex closest to back of LA). 

I get the same behaviour when that molex is unplugged.  So I put my voltmeter on in.  Always reads 0V.  On the rare case it spun, it read up to 8V, but never steady voltage (a lot of bouncing around). and then down to 0V and tray ejected.

At this point, I'm thinking it's once of the power regulators on the power PCB under that shield.  I traced one of the pins on that connector to a cap, resistor, and then regulator there.

I've made a youTube video showing the problem:  https://youtu.be/ykSUIgLfOKg

Thanks for any suggestions you guys might have.

Do you have laserdisc? if yes, would you try to put in a laserdisc and to see what happen?
I suspect few things

1) belt
2) the motor itself ( when you try to spin the motor by hand, does it spin easily )
3) the main board has loose component ( see attached picture for the board )

Let's try easy one first, put the laserdisc in and to see what happen