PCE Duo CD Problem

[Refia]

I recently got a PC Engine Duo off Ebay for about 110 dollars and obviously for that price it needed some work, but it came with the controller, AC adapter, and video cables. It's missing the hucard cover, but I've been thinking about trying to mold one or something, it doesn't quite make me comfortable not having it there.

Anyway, I recently recapped the whole board, and it doesn't have any sound problems anymore, but I have a problem where the disc will only spin sometimes (very rarely) and I don't know what's different that makes it spin on occasion.

If it spins or doesn't spin, either way the CD Rom 2 screen just says "Please set disc!"

I put a new laser on it and changed all the caps, so i'm not sure if I did something to the ribbon cables or what but I checked continuity and it seems alright. No clue how i'd even replace those little ribbon cables though...

I do know both DC motors function though, in some capacity (setting the lens to the right causes the motor on top to retract the lens to the origin position, and the CD spinning means the other one at least works somewhat)

I somehow don't think the disc not spinning is a laser pot issue but i'm not sure.

Thought I'd ask you guys since there are a lot of helpful threads here on this stuff and I couldn't figure it out on my own so far. I haven't had a physical PC Engine in ages so I've never had to bother with repairing these things.

Thanks!

[wyndcrosser]

The screen says "set disc" no matter if it spins up or not? Did you remove the solder blob from the laser lens?

[Refia]

Yeah, it says that either way, and the lens bangs the switch on the left whether there's a disc there or not before displaying it. I don't think I removed the blob from the lens, but i'm not sure exactly where that would be. The problem existed before I got it, but apparently it would spin discs, so i'm not sure.

[Refia]

Here's a few pictures of the top gears, lens assembly, and ribbon cables.

EDIT: didn't realise how bad the pictures would end up compressing them to fit in the limits. Here's a link to an album with better quality ones. https://imgur.com/a/9ssSC

[ApolloBoy]

The solder blob should be on the ribbon cable of the new laser.

[Refia]

If it's anything on the laser, it should still be there, since i just plopped it in. I can't find exactly where it is, but the laser itself is basically identical to my old one, so I think it's fine.

[Keith Courage]

There isn't any solder blob to worry about on a DUO lens. The solder blob is only on TG16 Black or pc engine white CD drives.

[Refia]

There isn't any solder blob to worry about on a DUO lens. The solder blob is only on TG16 Black or pc engine white CD drives.

Good to know, I was looking for one desperately lol

[wyndcrosser]

haha okay, my bad. I thought there was were always ones on HOP lasers