Help with DC laser calibration

Post by **Hunter** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:20 am

I recently got this old DC second hand as a backup to my original one, and it could only read select games, regardless of whether they were originals or backups.

So I thought I'd try out that laser calibration trick I'd heard about but never really had to try before cause my original DC never had disc read problems.

However I didn't really know how much I should twist the knob, and after giving it a couple of slight turns clockwise with nothing resolved (discs that couldn't read before were still not being read), I thought maybe I was turning it too little, and turned the red mark more than half a round to about the 8 o'clock mark.

Unfortunately it seemed to get worse, as following this every single game I tried was now not being read (got the "insert game disc" message), even those that had worked previously.

I tried turning it back to its original position, but the problem remained, and now I seem to have messed it up worse than it was before.

Did I permanently screw up the DC, or is there a fix for this?

Would greatly appreciate any help. Thanks!

Post by **vlame** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:10 am

keep trying or read this

http://shibathedog.1emu.net/gd_rom_align.htm

it worked for me and i didn't even have the right screwdriver.

Post by **Hunter** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 4:52 am

Thanks for the link. That's certainly a clearer guide than the other one I found (which seems to be the most popular return from Google).

About the knob though, does it matter if I twist it clockwise or anti-clockwise? Cause the link I had said to turn it CW, but this one suggests it could be either.

Post by **vlame** » Wed Feb 13, 2008 7:34 am

i just fiddled. i don't remember.

Post by **Hunter** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:12 pm

Alright, thanks anyway.

I guess my DC lens is just bad, and no amount of tweaking will get it to play everything again.

Post by **vlame** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:51 am

Hunter wrote:Alright, thanks anyway.

I guess my DC lens is just bad, and no amount of tweaking will get it to play everything again.

what does it read?

Post by **Hunter** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:51 am

I haven't tried out all my games of course, but so far, it read the majority of originals and backups.

I guess it'd be easier for me to list out those which don't work, which are the following:
Shenmue (works on occasion only)
Skies of Arcadia (disc 1 only; disc 2 seems to work, but they're both mint and not scratched or anything)
Project Justice
Dead or Alive 2

I'm pretty sure there's more games in my collection that might not work, but I figure since I couldn't even get these working there was no point in checking everything else.
(BTW, these games did work on my other Dreamcast.)