SEGA CDX Repair Help

[ThatGamingKid]

Okay, so I'm literally one moment away from smashing this CDX to dust . . . I recently picked it up for $150 with a 6 button controller, Mk-4122 power supply, and stereo audio cable. I literally got 20 minutes into Sonic CD and this thing just freezes on me. I reset the unit, thinking the bios crashed, and it tells me 'no disc.' I've already ordered one replacement laser, and it didn't work, the moment I removed the anti-static solder point and put it in the machine, the motor refused to spin the disc. When I put the original dead laser in, the motor began to spin, stop, spin, stop, spin once more, then stop and told me 'no disc.'

PLEASE, someone must know what the issue is, maybe the laser I ordered from ebay was dead on arrival? Is the motor dead? I tried adjusting two of the pots, which got the motor spinning a little more, but after it refused to read the discs, I put the pots back to factory placement.

I ordered one more laser from an Amazon Seller, and if this fails, I'm out of laser options, because I REFUSE to buy a damn Goldstar 3DO for over $100 just for a laser, because I know that the GOLDSTAR 3DO and the CDX use the same Sanyo SF-C93AQ laser.

Any further tips? Any reputable sellers out there that you guys know of that sell quality SANYO Sanyo SF-C93AQ lasers for the CDX/ GS 3DO?

Any help would be much appreciated, because if I cant repair it, I'll just scrap it for parts and sell those off and stick with my Model 1 HDG Genesis and Model 1 SEGA CD combo.

- t.

[DemVil12]

Hey man, no need to do such things.
http://www.amazon.com/SF-C93AQ-Conso.../dp/B00W3QALWG when you said "Amazon seller" you has meant this?
This is correct, but expensive, considering it's being shipped from a Hong Kong. And there is no mention about originality of this particular laser.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sanyo-SF-C93...item235773799d
This is a lot cheaper and it's the same!

[ThatGamingKid]

The original laser I bought that arrived DoA, was from this ebay seller:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280711051471...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The new laser I bought from this seller on amazon:
\http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

If this one doesn't work, I'll just sell the CDX and keep the Stereo AV Cables for my Genesis 2, and the MK-4122 power supply until I find another one.

[DemVil12]

The original laser I bought that arrived DoA, was from this ebay seller:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/280711051471...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

The new laser I bought from this seller on amazon:
\http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

If this one doesn't work, I'll just sell the CDX and keep the Stereo AV Cables for my Genesis 2, and the MK-4122 power supply until I find another one.

I'm just amazed on how some people trying to make profit basing on buyer's small knowledge of the item.
This ebay laser, while promoted as "sega cdx", is NOT compatible with the cdx. It's regular SF-93, and the correct model is SF-93AQ.
The two link i gave you if for true cdx-compatible laser pickup, which works.

Don't know much about the laser model you picked up from amazon, hope it's compatible.

[Bibin]

I bought that eBay one, and it worked for me. I had to do a tiny bit of tweaking of the E/F BAL pot to focus it, but after that it was no problem. I have another one on the way for my other CDX.

[ThatGamingKid]

The drive is still not spinning with this new laser. I'm so close to just cutting my losses and getting rid of this damn thing. Which Pot did you adjust Bibin?

[Bibin]

It was the E/F BAL pot. In the past, on other CDXes, I've had to SLIGHTLY adjust the pot on the laser itself. If you do that, make note of where it was before you turned it, and don't go too far.

[l_oliveira]

Keep in mind that model of optical pickup (SF-093) has a flatcable which connects to the optical pickup body (it's detachable) so since you're buying a mech it's possible to disassemble it's bottom and swap the FFC (flexible flat cable) from the original pickup onto the new one you just got.

Mostly the letter variations on the name indicate the kind of flat cable and mechanical assembly it comes with. If it's incompatible you can always try to mount the actual optical pickup unit (the metallic thing with the lens in the middle) on the original mechanism which was assembled on your unit.

Also, before servicing the optical pickup, capacitors need to be inspected (best if tested with proper tools such capacitance meter and ESR checker) and replaced if necessary. Bad capacitors (even if not leaking) will lead to malfunctions. The first thing to fail is disc reading.

Leak are the next stage on the "life" of a bad electrolytic capacitor.

[ThatGamingKid]

Keep in mind that model of optical pickup (SF-093) has a flatcable which connects to the optical pickup body (it's detachable) so since you're buying a mech it's possible to disassemble it's bottom and swap the FFC (flexible flat cable) from the original pickup onto the new one you just got.

Mostly the letter variations on the name indicate the kind of flat cable and mechanical assembly it comes with. If it's incompatible you can always try to mount the actual optical pickup unit (the metallic thing with the lens in the middle) on the original mechanism which was assembled on your unit.

Also, before servicing the optical pickup, capacitors need to be inspected (best if tested with proper tools such capacitance meter and ESR checker) and replaced if necessary. Bad capacitors (even if not leaking) will lead to malfunctions. The first thing to fail is disc reading.

Leak are the next stage on the "life" of a bad electrolytic capacitor.

If the capacitors are bad, I'm pretty much screwed, because I'm pretty sure there isn't one damn reputable repair technician within 100 miles of me that can service the system. The only Retro Game Shop that I know of that MAY be able to service this thing is Luna Video Games in San Diego, but I'm not even sure they can. I mean, I can buy the capacitor replacement kit from Console5, but I again; I have no one nearby that can actually replace the capacitors.

Anyhow, I may try that next, but I ordered two more lasers from this seller on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151791040925...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

If they fail, and the replacement instructions you tell me fail, I'm really out of options for this thing. So I'm really hoping that these things work, and that it ISN'T the capacitors. I honestly am hoping none of the caps are bad.

The lasers will be here in about 2 weeks according to the seller. I'll keep you guys posted.

Regards,
- t.

[l_oliveira]

Well I thought you were buying the whole mech assembly not just the pickup. It's obvious that the Sanyo/Goldstar 3DO pickup is the same one as the CDX. If you can find a working 3DO of that type you could test your lasers.

[Bibin]

If the capacitors are bad, I'm pretty much screwed, because I'm pretty sure there isn't one damn reputable repair technician within 100 miles of me that can service the system. The only Retro Game Shop that I know of that MAY be able to service this thing is Luna Video Games in San Diego, but I'm not even sure they can. I mean, I can buy the capacitor replacement kit from Console5, but I again; I have no one nearby that can actually replace the capacitors.

Anyhow, I may try that next, but I ordered two more lasers from this seller on ebay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151791040925...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

If they fail, and the replacement instructions you tell me fail, I'm really out of options for this thing. So I'm really hoping that these things work, and that it ISN'T the capacitors. I honestly am hoping none of the caps are bad.

The lasers will be here in about 2 weeks according to the seller. I'll keep you guys posted.

Regards,
- t.

Hey, I'm in San Diego until December. I ordered such a cap kit for one of my CDXes the other week.

[ThatGamingKid]

UPDATE FOR THE UPDATE: IT LIVES!!!! IT MOTHER-F*CKING LIVES!!!

All that was wrong with it was the PLL potentiometer in the back! I had checked the picture I had taken on my phone, and realized that it was off by a a smidge, I turned it clockwise, and BAM the thing started reading discs! It takes the machine less than five seconds to detect a disc from a cold boot! I DID IT!!!!

BUT . . . there's a problem.

Problem 1: In the process of me disassembling this, the two brown ground wires severed, and I tried to resolder them, but the wiring broke off at the base of the wire, and isn't long enough to make the connection. Now the new situation is finding the replacement wire. Where can I buy this wire? The [two] brown wire[s] say[s] TR-64 -F- DAIWA AWG22. Now I have no idea where to buy this from, I tried looking it up & I came up empty. Is this something that can be bought at RadioShack? (Yes I still have one of those lol)

Problem 2: There seems to be some kind of resistor[?] that connects from the bottom board (not the one that holds the CD drive) to the copper shielding. This too broke off at the base and there is no way to reconnect it. What kind of resistor is this? As far as I can see; there is not markings that indicate what in hell it is. And the CDX seems to be working fine without it, but it's my understanding that this is there to protect the PICO 2.5 MA fuse from surges, so until I can find a replacement the CDX will remain unplugged when not in use.

Any tips to resolving these two issues would be great. But they don't seem to be harming the unit at all. The two ground wires have been severed and it still powers on, and there hasn't been an issue since the resistor[?] has been disconnected. But some help finding replacements would be great so we can get this thing as close as it was when it left the factory.

[segasonicfan]

*facepalm* I wish people would read what I posted on this:

http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthr...l=1#post727565

we're beating a dead horse here folks. Lets reuse the information that others collect on this forum (specifically the repair threads).

As to your newer issues:

1) the 2 brown ground wires are irrelevant. They were removed on later models. Remove them completely if you like or resolder them to the ground terminals under the copper shielding.

2) the part on the laser board attached to the copper shielding is actually a CAPACITOR. Took me forever to figure this out lol. I think it's a 1100 pf but thats going off memory, I can check later. It also doesn't affect much from what I can tell. I've run systems for years without it, its just for filtering audio ground noise.

-Segasonicfan

[ThatGamingKid]

*facepalm* I wish people would read what I posted on this:

http://www.sega-16.com/forum/showthr...l=1#post727565

we're beating a dead horse here folks. Lets reuse the information that others collect on this forum (specifically the repair threads).

As to your newer issues:

1) the 2 brown ground wires are irrelevant. They were removed on later models. Remove them completely if you like or resolder them to the ground terminals under the copper shielding.

2) the part on the laser board attached to the copper shielding is actually a CAPACITOR. Took me forever to figure this out lol. I think it's a 1100 pf but thats going off memory, I can check later. It also doesn't affect much from what I can tell. I've run systems for years without it, its just for filtering audio ground noise.

-Segasonicfan

Oh, so I'm good then, awesome! Thanks SegaSonicFan! I don't wander Sega-16 often, so if this was already here, I sure as hell didn't know about it, so sorry about that.