PCE Duo sound question

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 8:40 pm

Hey all, I just recently got a PCE Duo, and I was wondering if anyone's ever had problems with the CD soundtrack in CD games cutting out. It's only happened twice to me so far, but I'm kinda curious if it's a sign of something failing or what, and if so, what I can do about it.

Basically, what would happen is is that the game will start with its music playing, everything seeming fine. Then, the soundtrack cuts out, but the game keeps playing and the sound effects are also present. Even weirder is that in the other time, the soundtrack would play very quietly, cut out, then come back full strength.

Any comments/solutions? Thanks!

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 10:03 pm

The lost of CD music is a common plague in most Turbo Duo and Duo/R/RX units. Theres no solution to this, and replacing the cd laser won't solve it either.

Your Duo might not have that problem yet. Since you live in the U.S I suggest you buy yourself a step-down transformer 120v -> 100v if you're not using one already. I used to have the same problems you did few years ago, but ever since I bought a step-down transformer I have never had problems with CD music loss again.

I think its because of my old apartment with old outlets that don't go any low than 120v. That extra 20volts make my DuoR go nutz when I play cds. Grinding noises, and increased loading times, and of course CD music loss.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 10:36 pm

On my USA Turbo Duo console, NEC had produced an AC adapter for use with the 120 voltage usage in the USA.

The USA version Turbo Duo A/C adapter (the one manufactured by NEC) has the following specs:

NEC AC Adaptor
Model: HES-ACA-05

Input: AC120v 60Hz 16W
Output: DC10v 1000mA

I haven't experienced any problems on my Turbo Duo even though I got it brand new in November of 1995. It still keeps on ticking. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 10:55 pm

Thanks guys! Yeah, I've been just plugging it to the wall, like I do with my JP Saturn (which has no problems at all), but I didn't know the Duos were sensitive to the voltage difference. I'll look for that ac adaptor right away. Hopefully, that'll do the trick - it would suck immensely if the Duo crapped out after only a week of owning it.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:01 am

Does it generally happen after an extended period of time? Is your Duo well-ventilated? Regular Duos supposedly have poorly positioned sound chips right in the way of the heat flow.

I've plugged my Duo-RX for years directly into a surge protector without any issues.

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:43 am

The problem's only occurred twice in a span of 4 days and it both occurred when I first started it up, so the system should be cold. It's also placed in a very open area on top of a coffee table.

I'll hunt for an ac adaptor at a radio shack and use a surge protector, and see if it helps any. Cross your fingers!

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 12:12 pm

rolins wrote:The lost of CD music is a common plague in most Turbo Duo and Duo/R/RX units. Theres no solution to this, and replacing the cd laser won't solve it either.

That's not correct, it ONLY affects the PC Engine Duo (and only some), both Duo-R and RX don't exhibit this problem. D-Lite discovered that is has something to do with the condensators on the DUO's board drying out and stopping to conduct electricity, IIRC.

It has nothing to do with overheating, and a different ac adaptor won't make a change.

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:00 pm

Ceph wrote:
rolins wrote:The lost of CD music is a common plague in most Turbo Duo and Duo/R/RX units. Theres no solution to this, and replacing the cd laser won't solve it either.
That's not correct, it ONLY affects the PC Engine Duo (and only some), both Duo-R and RX don't exhibit this problem. D-Lite discovered that is has something to do with the condensators on the DUO's board drying out and stopping to conduct electricity, IIRC.

It has nothing to do with overheating, and a different ac adaptor won't make a change.

Not quite, all Turbo Duo, Duo/R/RX, and CD-ROM2/SuperCD2 unit models are all prone to CD music lost. Its just the Duo-R and Duo-RX models, being newer, don't experience these problems very often.

I agree that changing the AC adapter won't help. But I have a japanese model, and my outlets are not 110v instead they're always at 120v. So its a must that I need a step-down converter 120v to 100v. Otherwise, my Duo-R goes on the fritz.

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:28 pm

rolins wrote: Not quite, all Turbo Duo, Duo/R/RX, and CD-ROM2/SuperCD2 unit models are all prone to CD music lost. Its just the Duo-R and Duo-RX models, being newer, don't experience these problems very often.

Sorry, but you are really wrong in this case. read this (again):
TURBO DUO SOUND FIX!! (56k beware)

D-Lite wrote:Here are typical issues with Duo systems:
1. CD plays and loads fine, but all redbook audio (soundtrack, not sound effects) is dead.
2. audio is scratchy and may fade in and out, but the CD games load and play no problem (well, except for sound, duh)

D-Lite wrote:I blame the sound issue on overheating with the Duo model and have stated that the later DuoR and RX should be problem free due to placement of the audio components in relation to the heat sinks.

D-Lite wrote:I found that the POST op-amp caps are indeed the ones responsible for the sound level and the scratching you sometimes hear. Sweet! These come from an era in the early 90's when there was rumored to be a problem with capacitor production. Dry cap likely.

So it's a mixture of overheating and bad capacitors (my bad; I thought it was only the capacitors and I got them confused with condensators).

rolins · Post by **rolins** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 1:40 pm

D-Lite wrote:I blame the sound issue on overheating with the Duo model and have stated that the later DuoR and RX should be problem free due to placement of the audio components in relation to the heat sinks.

I've read this post before and D-Lite said it "should be problem free" and not that it's 100% true. I know he's still doing more testing on it.

And there are some members at pcenginefx who have said their DuoR/RX no longer plays CD music anymore. I just have to go find those threads...

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 2:58 pm

Heh, as I said, it's entirely an overheating issue. But that doesn't mean the R series Duos may not have general issues of their own, like the notoriously weak laser.

ahnslaught · Post by **ahnslaught** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 3:34 pm

Oh man, thanks for the link, Ceph! A great help, and it hits on all the problems I had with the Duo!

Ceph · Post by **Ceph** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:40 pm

Ganelon wrote:that doesn't mean the R series Duos may not have general issues of their own, like the notoriously weak laser.

If those Hitachi CD-Rom pickups that were recently found to fit the Duo/R/RXs are indeed compatible, then that is no longer a problem. We'll soon know for sure

ahnslaught wrote:Oh man, thanks for the link, Ceph! A great help, and it hits on all the problems I had with the Duo!

You are welcome! Hope you manage to exchange those capacitors.

Ganelon · Post by **Ganelon** » Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:54 pm

Does that mean somebody actually buy that bundle of lasers to test one out?