Really basic Sega CD Model I question

[Wookie]

How do I open the tray? If there's a button on it anywhere, I can't find it. I've got the welcome screen and a green "ready" light, but can't figure out how to load (or eject) a disk.

There seem to be several model II manuals online, but I couldn't find a model I.

[FABombjoy]

Reset button

[LimeiBook86]

If it doesn't work let us know, I hear the model 1 systems were notorious for dying motors on the CD drive. I'm unsure if there's much truth to that, but that's what I hear. Good luck! :)

[APE992]

Not sure about the motors but I know the drive belts are starting to harden/fall apart and become useless for many people.

Easily replaced but finding an exact replacement is the hard part. Rubber bands need not apply.

[Sunnyvale]

Press the start button on the controller.

Edit: That came off a bit curt, sorry. There is no open button for the tray, you press the start button to open and close it.

[Wookie]

Neither the START nor RESET buttons opens the tray. Guess my problem is more serious than simple ignorance.

[Sunnyvale]

Unplug it from the wall, turn it on and back off, wait 5 minutes, plug it in and try again. If that don't work, it's the drive motor probably.

[Wookie]

Unplug it from the wall, turn it on and back off, wait 5 minutes, plug it in and try again. If that don't work, it's the drive motor probably.
Still no luck. I'm not desperate to fix it since my model II is still working, but there's a disc in it that I'd like to remove. Any suggestions on how to get at it other than disassembly?

[Sunnyvale]

Does the tray even try to move? If so, maybe you can assist it opening. If not, get out yer screwdrivers, sorry.

[Gameguy]

The Model 1 Sega CD is the Xbox 360 of Sega hardware, I've never come across a working one yet. If it doesn't open it could be a broken or slipped gear, I seem to remember that being a problem with it and that could prevent the tray from opening. There's really several things that could fail on it.

[Cornelius]

I've worked on a number of these, and it was never actually the motor that went out. Most often it was the gearing and this odd cam-like part that raises/lowers the laser assembly. Also had a bad drive belt on one and wound up using a rubber ring from a Target prescription bottle, cut-down to make it a little more stretchy. It wasn't perfect but worked.

[Sunnyvale]

The Model 1 Sega CD is the Xbox 360 of Sega hardware, I've never come across a working one yet. If it doesn't open it could be a broken or slipped gear, I seem to remember that being a problem with it and that could prevent the tray from opening. There's really several things that could fail on it.

I guess I've been pretty lucky. I've only seen 2 model 1 CD's in the wild, and both worked. Mine has had the fuse replaced, but I've never actually seen a broken one. Shit, maybe I should go test mine now!

[wallydawg]

It's too bad these are so finicky, I like the design better than the model 2, even if it's abnormally thick. Mine opens ok but I have to tilt it to get the disc to catch.

[Wookie]

Almost fixed! When I opened it up, I discovered that the ribbon cable connecting the drive to the main board was disconnected. This seemed odd until I discovered what appears to be a ferrite block rattling around inside the case (that noise was what I had thought was a disk that had come loose). I'm speculating that the cable is supposed to pass thru the slot in the block and that when the block came loose, it pulled the cable out.

Anyhoo, the drive works after reconnecting the cable, but I couldn't see anything to tie the ferrite block down on to prevent a recurrence of the problem, so for now I'm running it without the block. If someone could clue me in to where exactly the block goes and what holds it in place, I can finish this repair.

Seems that with the drive disconnected, the system only partially boots so I never got to the onscreen message telling me to press Reset.

[Sunnyvale]

Awesome! Always glad to hear of another sucessful do it yerself project.

[xelement5x]

If someone could clue me in to where exactly the block goes and what holds it in place, I can finish this repair.


That's just to please the FCC, it's a shielding block like they've got on the 32X and other hardware. You're probably fine to just take it off, I did something in a similar instance and haven't had any problems.

[APE992]

That's just to please the FCC, it's a shielding block like they've got on the 32X and other hardware. You're probably fine to just take it off, I did something in a similar instance and haven't had any problems.

You're funny, and wrong.

Ferrite cores are there to help eliminate RF/EM interference for the electronics. If it was on the outside I might agree (such as on power cables) but even then they're typically there to help sensitive components not get nailed with what they can't handle well. General RF shielding of the case itself is there to please the FCC so it doesn't emit enough RFI to shut down nearby police radio. Wouldn't want your 360 to cause a few deaths during a natural disaster would you? (yes it could damn well happen)

If it was floating around inside the case it might fit onto the ribbon, since the ribbon itself was disconnected. Then again I don't know what size/shape this particular ferrite block was.

[Wookie]

Just to finish this off, I discovered that the ferrite block does surround the ribbon cable and was originally glued to the underside of the shielding on the main board. All good now!

[xelement5x]

You're funny, and wrong.

Ferrite cores are there to help eliminate RF/EM interference for the electronics. If it was on the outside I might agree (such as on power cables) but even then they're typically there to help sensitive components not get nailed with what they can't handle well. General RF shielding of the case itself is there to please the FCC so it doesn't emit enough RFI to shut down nearby police radio. Wouldn't want your 360 to cause a few deaths during a natural disaster would you? (yes it could damn well happen)

If it was floating around inside the case it might fit onto the ribbon, since the ribbon itself was disconnected. Then again I don't know what size/shape this particular ferrite block was.

Wow, I apologize if I've offended you and you've lost a loved one due to removed RF shielding.

I guess I was off the mark a bit about the FCC part, but I will stand by the fact that I removed the block and haven't had any issues with my model 1 for the last year or so that I've used it (at least weekly). Probably doesn't hurt to keep the original components with the system, but I couldn't stand the rattling noise when moving the system, and it would loosen the ribbon's connection over time.

The glue is a good idea though Wookie, I may give that a try if I get the free time.

[APE992]

Wow, I apologize if I've offended you and you've lost a loved one due to removed RF shielding.

I guess I was off the mark a bit about the FCC part, but I will stand by the fact that I removed the block and haven't had any issues with my model 1 for the last year or so that I've used it (at least weekly). Probably doesn't hurt to keep the original components with the system, but I couldn't stand the rattling noise when moving the system, and it would loosen the ribbon's connection over time.

The glue is a good idea though Wookie, I may give that a try if I get the free time.

Ooo touchy touchy. :roll:

Most of the time ferrite blocks aren't absolutely required for something to function (odd behavior can be a result) but there is no way an engineer (a good one at least) would have had ferrite blocks installed if they didn't think they would serve a useful purpose. I would suggest gluing it down, preferably with rubber cement or hot glue so that it can be removed later if necessary.

I did get ahold of a PAL Mega Drive 2 recently that lacked any real shielding inside. The NTSC-U version has a nice, large piece of metal to shield the outside world from EMI being emitted by the mobo which the FCC I'm sure would require to pass their standards. Take a look at the Commodore 128 for example; the European version had what amounted to a plastic case IIRC and the American version had a metal case due to tons of RFI being emitted.

I'd wager a good amount of cash that if you went around removing every ferrite block out of every piece of electronics you own and their associated wiring (internal and external) you'd quickly find something that needed it.

[RP2A03]

That ferrite core was probably there to make sure excessive junk doesn't enter the A/V signals. Ribbon cables are capable of emitting quite a bit of noise; if the IDE cable in my old computer is any indication.

[xelement5x]

Ooo touchy touchy. :roll:

Nah, I just though the concept of someone's life being ruined by removing RF shielding seemed funny.
"That shielding killed my father, and you're just going to let it walk free?!?!"

And I do appreciate the additional info. I'd much rather learn a new fact than be fed misinformation (or have it reinforced). :)


I'd wager a good amount of cash that if you went around removing every ferrite block out of every piece of electronics you own and their associated wiring (internal and external) you'd quickly find something that needed it.

I agree there 100%

Sorry OP to have taken your thread off on a tanget. :oops:

[tenchibr]

What I would do to have my Model 1 fixed... :(

I just wish there was a market for replacement parts: I need a drive rubber belt, and another one of those big gears that have the giant screw going through. The one that you need to align the most... I basically gave up on my Model 1, but I know if I had the pieces, I could fix it.

It reads just fine.

[SteveSpeeze]

How do I open the tray? If there's a button on it anywhere, I can't find it. I've got the welcome screen and a green "ready" light, but can't figure out how to load (or eject) a disk.

There seem to be several model II manuals online, but I couldn't find a model I.

as far back as i can remember, and i remember alot of people had this problem when the system first came out.
the cd draw would somehow pull the white flat ribbon slowly but surely from it socket until it seemed to be broke. open the unit and check the wire connections.