Help repairing a Model 1 Sega CD, no guides match mine.

[Caz]

I recently got a used Sega CD Model 1, and I am having three issues with it:

1. The CD Tray always get caught about 2/3rds of the way in, jiggling it allows it to go all the way in. It DOES eject just fine (from my understanding, most of them that have problems won't open at all).

2. Audio is scratchy.

3. It seems to have issues loading CD-R games, is this normal for a Model 1?

I tried to lookup as many teardown/repair guides and videos as I could to see if I could at least fix the tray getting stuck issue.... but when I opened it, it was nothing like what the guides showed (and yes, I specifically looked for Model 1 guides). None of the gears are in the right place, the optics seem to be made by JVC instead of Sony, and there was a screw in the CD Tray I had to remove in order to get it out. The entire CD drive itself is drastically different from any other guide I have seen.

This is what the drive looks like with the CD Tray removed:
http://i.imgur.com/bgdr3M1.jpg

The tray was definitely not fitting correctly though, since even retracted it was clearly preferring to lean on one side instead of be centered.... but I could not find any slots or grooves that it was out of place on, nor anything broken or missing that could be failing holding it correctly.

What model even is this? Any advice on how I can try to address any of these issues?

[Ziggy587]

Any advice on how I can try to address any of these issues?

I have never even seen a model 1 Sega CD in person, but I can at least offer general advice.

1. The CD Tray always get caught about 2/3rds of the way in, jiggling it allows it to go all the way in. It DOES eject just fine (from my understanding, most of them that have problems won't open at all).

Sounds like an alignment issue, this sort of thing that can be very tedious to get right. You have to have a lot of patience and go slow, else risk making the problem worse.

Some parts might need to be lubed.

2. Audio is scratchy.

First rule out it isn't the AV cables. After that you'll want to rule out bad power adapters. Failing those two things, you may need to recap the console. A recap would be a good thing, even if it isn't causing your current problems.

3. It seems to have issues loading CD-R games, is this normal for a Model 1?

Older consoles can have a harder time reading burned discs. I would recommend burning at a slower speed (try 8x). You may have to switch brands of CD-R. Sometimes certain brands don't play nice with certain drives. What brand(s) are you currently using?

[Caz]

Sounds like an alignment issue, this sort of thing that can be very tedious to get right. You have to have a lot of patience and go slow, else risk making the problem worse.

Some parts might need to be lubed.

I actually found two small plastic tabs missing that a guide-rail on the tray seems to glide on..... great, going to have to figure out how to repair this, I could only find one of the broken pieces, and I doubt just gluing them in place will work.

Older consoles can have a harder time reading burned discs. I would recommend burning at a slower speed (try 8x). You may have to switch brands of CD-R. Sometimes certain brands don't play nice with certain drives. What brand(s) are you currently using?

Unfortunately, 16x seems to be the slowest speed I can burn at, I tried slower speeds and it just defaults back up to either 16x or the highest. And Taiyo Yuden brand disks.

[Ziggy587]

The burning speeds allowed will be determined by what specific disc you're using.

Some quick Google'ing showed that recapping can sometimes get a model 1 to read discs again. Recapping is a good idea anyway, being that it's 20-30 year old hardware.

Have you cleaned the lens?

As a last resort, you could always try adjusting the trim pot for the laser power: http://www.theisozone.com/tutorials/gen ... djustment/

[Caz]

I cleaned the lens, but the unit is still in pieces ATM due to having to still trying to figure out a way to fabricate the broken tabs on it, so I haven't had time test if it works better now.

And I am afraid recapping is beyond my experience level with soldering.... which is near-zero.

[Ziggy587]

Well I don't recommend recapping a retro console be your first step, but you should learn to solder. You currently have the console disassembled, some people can't even get that far. Others get to that point then realize "SHIT! I don't know how to put it back together!" If you're figuring out how to fabricate broken parts, then soldering isn't something that's beyond you to learn. You really just need to learn a few basic principles, a few do's and don'ts, have a steady hand and some patience. It'll take a little practice, and I recommend starting on stuff of no consequence, but it's really not hard. You can quickly get to where you need to be to start recapping stuff.

There's lots of great videos on YouTube, but this is the best intro to solder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpkkfK937mU

Knowing how to solder will unlock a large amount of new things you'll be able to do. Lots of repairs and modding. If you want some tips how to jump start learning, I'd be happy to help.

[Caz]

If you're figuring out how to fabricate broken parts, then soldering isn't something that's beyond you to learn.

Well, to be fair, I am just going to be fabricating a single plastic part about the size of a tic-tac... and roughly the same shape too. Not exactly master craftsman level work there.

You really just need to learn a few basic principles, a few do's and don'ts, have a steady hand and some patience. It'll take a little practice, and I recommend starting on stuff of no consequence, but it's really not hard. You can quickly get to where you need to be to start recapping stuff.

Oh, trust me, I do want to learn soldering one day, I have been trying.... but am absolutely terrible at it.

I actually have a few circuitry projects involving the Saturn and Sega CD I have been discussing on other forums to see if they are feasible, so I do plan to do something like that one day... but I can't do that right now.

There's lots of great videos on YouTube, but this is the best intro to solder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpkkfK937mU

I actually saw several soldering guides about a year ago from eevblog and several other electronics-oriented channels when I needed to make a small wire extension modification to a 3D printer, but I am still terrible when it comes to anything small like surface-mount components.... or when there are surface mount components near the larger component I am trying to solder/desolder. I need to buy some cheap broken electronic gadget at a flea market or something for next to nothing and try to practice soldering/desoldering random parts of it for practice.

[s8n]

hi Caz , with soldering the right gear will make things easier. A 20 watt Iron is great which is what i use most of the time , but for some other jobs i use a 25 Watt. I consider myself at low grade and i can do PS1 modchips XBOX 360 modchip installs etc........so if i can do that at low grade you can too at some point , you just need to overcome some small issues. There's a saying " your only as good as your tools ". An asshole told me that but he was right.......