PCE Duo reading CDDA fine, but not game discs

[Emtl]

As the title says; Duo reads audio discs just fine with low seek times and outermost tracks playing just as well. Game discs (pressed originals) on the other hand dont play at all. Pickup starts to read, but soon stops with the "click" and starts again and after few tries it usually gives "load error". Hucards work fine as well.

This duo laser pickup and one from Duo-r work fine on my Duo-r unit, so dead pickup is probably ruled out.

Duo stopped working about year ago and i started looking into it just recently. If i remember correcly, the sounds were crapped out (fading in and out, crackling sound, the usual bad capacitor related problems) before it stopped reading game discs completely.

First, i replaced all surface mount caps, majority of which had leaked seriously and then the remaining electrolytic caps (except for the odd green, NEC branded one, which i believe is the ram/save cap). Made no difference. Triple checked all capacitors and solder work, still nothing. CDDA works fine at this point.
I marked the default pot settings and fiddled with them for a day, but got no game cd working.
Checked all the connectors and cables and they are fine. Gone around pcb with a magnifying glass and see no damaged chips or resistors.

Next step i quess is to check every surface mount resistor..

Any help is greatly appreciated. Cap replacement chart was already a great help, so thanks to the author!

[Keith Courage]

That is very odd. Lens could be getting old/weak. Try turning the V102 pot slightly to the left and see if that gets it going.