turbo grafx cd question

[theoakwoody]

Okay I finally got everything I need but I can't get the cd add on to read anything. I noticed that when I close it with a cd in it that it doesn't close flush. Can anyone tell me what the inside of the cd unit is supposed to look like. When I open mine there is a small gray circle in the middle which you place the cd on as well as the lens etc. Then on the top there is just this opening with a loose metal piece that I'm guessing is supposed to hold the cd in place as the lens reads it. If anyone could post some pictures of the inside of the cd unit or describe it that would be great.

[LazingBlazers]

Here are some pics:

http://katchoo.net/up/go/P1010014.JPG

http://katchoo.net/up/go/P1010015.JPG

http://katchoo.net/up/go/P1010016.JPG

I've had two units so far where the "Track Mode" lcd doesn't light up at all... and the units were junk. If that's the case, you might save yourself some time. Otherwise maybe somebody here who knows something about internals can help you out.

[theoakwoody]

Those pictures were perfect! The magnet that attaches to the top of the unit had come lose and was stuck to the spindle that the cd goes on. I hadn't really pulled on the magnet too hard because I didn't want to break it but once I saw the picture I knew what the problem was. Anyways, you fix one problem and another one comes up. Now the ac adapter the powers the base for the tg cd won't work. It was working fine until I figured out how to get the cd working and then it decided to die. Is there anything I can do as far as replacing a fuse in the adapter. LazingBlazers, you wouldn't happen to have a spare lying around that you'd want to sell me. Why does retro gaming have to be so difficult.

[LazingBlazers]

That just sucks! Unfortunately, I don't have an extra CD power supply to barter. I checked around at pretty much all of my normal resources for you, and I came up empty handed. I have no idea about a fuse, but if it's broke, what does it matter if you rip it apart to find out?

You can look at the Archives here, and take a look at the Turbo FAQ. It's the same one that is on the Turbo List, and it explains all of the details of the power supplies for the unit... but you probably know all that already since you made a couple of posts looking for one before (yes, I used the search feature LOL ).

Otherwise my advice is to check some electronics outfits... Radio Shack and the loads of online and catalog retailers, or maybe buy a spare system off of eBay that has an AC.

Also, http://www.tzd.com or http://www.telegames.com may have some leads for you.

Maybe ask the Turbo List, http://joyce.eng.yale.edu/~bt/turbo/ You can search the Digest Archive there, also.

Good luck.

[theoakwoody]

Yeah,

I had to buy another base unit just to get the stupid ac adapter. No one has these and there is absolutely no substitute. I called tzd and they said they haven't found a suitable substitute and they no longer carry the item. The specs are kind of weird because you have to power both the cd unit as well as the turbo grafx. I guess I should have just buckled and got a turbo duo but I thought having the original system would be so much cooler. I wonder if there is a company out there the makes custom ac adapters? Oh well, emulation will be my master and I will stoop to piracy and prostitution.

[Lost Monkey]

Anyways, you fix one problem and another one comes up. Now the ac adapter the powers the base for the tg cd won't work. It was working fine until I figured out how to get the cd working and then it decided to die. Is there anything I can do as far as replacing a fuse in the adapter. .

I don't have a spare either.. but...

There is a fuse inside the adapter which is quite easy to replace. I replaced the fuse in mine circa 1993 and it hasn't given me a problem since. Radio Shack carries the proper fuses...

I am assuming of course that you are using an original power supply...

[theoakwoody]

Thanks monkey,

Can you give me a walkthrough on how to open up the fuse holder on the ac adapter. Is it in the actual "block" part or is it in that plastic container towards the actual plug. I saw some holes in the plastic piece but didn't see a way to pry it open. Thanks.

[Lost Monkey]

The block has four screws on it..

If you remove the screws, you can pull out the guts - there you will see the fuse. It is soldered in place - it was the first thing I had ever de/soldered in my life..

[_zane]

The block has four screws on it..
Strange. I've been following along here -- the AC adapter on my TG16 CD unit died about two weeks back, coincidentally -- and the brick of the power supply that I have has no screws whatsoever.

It's the original HES-ACA-02 AC adapter, if that helps. What adapter model were you using that had the screws?


--
_zane

[Lost Monkey]

!

Mine is an "HES-ACA-03C"

Don't tell me we need a TGCD P/S faq? LOL

If there are no screws, it is likely glued. You will have to pry it open and then reglue it after the fact...

Maybe they changed the design due to a high number of fuse failures?

[LazingBlazers]

LOL Yeah, we almost do need a P/S FAQ. Thank God it's already covered in the Turbo FAQ. 24W vs. 28W if I remember correctly from earlier... but chalk one more up for the old school team 'cause my HES-ACA-02 doesn't have screws either.

Just out of curiosity, Monkey, where was your's made? Mine was made in Taiwan. Come to think of it, there are two varieties of P/Ss for the base unit also. Same specs, just different aesthetics. I'm going to assume the the 03C has no sticker and that the specs are engraved/molded instead?

[Lost Monkey]

Mine has a sticker, and was made in Japan.

I'll post some pics later.. (I have to set up my webspace with my new ISP.)

[Lost Monkey]

Pix:

Front label:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~lostmonkey/126_2623.JPG

Back:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~lostmonkey/126_2625.JPG

Internals:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~lostmonkey/126_2621.JPG

Fuse location:

http://home.cogeco.ca/~lostmonkey/126_2620.JPG[/img][/list]

[theoakwoody]

My ac adapter is original the HES-whatever-02 and the casing is not glued. The casing is formed, in other words there aren't two pieces that come apart. THe only way for me to get into it will be to saw the fucker open. This should be interesting but I still can't believe there isn't an alternative power source that I could use.

By the way Canadiens are geniouses, who would have thought to give access to the internals of the ac adapter in case the fuse ever blew. Common sense is such a gift.

[theoakwoody]

Not that anyone cares but I did crack open the AC adaptor and it looked slightly different than the pics posted above. I found the problem immediately as one of the solder points had unattached itself from the board and had taken all the metal connection with it. I scratched away at the board to get some fresh metal exposed and soldered away. I thought I did a pretty clean job and immediately went over to my tg16 to give her a spin. Well, here's the thing. Nothing powers on when the tg16 is on the cd base except for the cd player. What the hell is going on? Is the ac adaptor not making enough amps to power both the tg16 and the cd player? I even tried it with just the tg16 as I know the base works like a booster so you can use the av out even when you're not using the cd player. Damn it to hell, I don't understand why I suck so bad. Any final thoughts or advice?

[Lost Monkey]

I can't get mine to show the same symptoms... If the power switch(s) is in place, the CD and the unit both power up... if the lock for the CD is not in place, nothing powers up.. if the TG lock is not in place, the base power switch cannot be opened...

I have no solution for you... sorry..

[hu6800]

Okay I finally got everything I need but I can't get the cd add on to read anything. I noticed that when I close it with a cd in it that it doesn't close flush. Can anyone tell me what the inside of the cd unit is supposed to look like. When I open mine there is a small gray circle in the middle which you place the cd on as well as the lens etc. Then on the top there is just this opening with a loose metal piece that I'm guessing is supposed to hold the cd in place as the lens reads it. If anyone could post some pictures of the inside of the cd unit or describe it that would be great.

Behind that round metal thingy is a magnet.
Make sure none of the spindle drive is binding in anyway.
That happened to me before i took it all apart and cleaned it.

[Lost Monkey]

FWIW - The following message was recently posted on the Turbo Mailing List....


Subject: Looking for an AC Adapter for the TG-CD?


It's common(?) knowledge that nobody but NEC made an adapter that meets =
the unique voltage requirements of the TurboGrafx CD player. The strange =
thing is, I took a measurement, and although the adapter plainly reads =
"11V DC", mine actually puts out about 15V DC.

What I'm getting at is that while there are no 11V adapters around =
today, several commercially available 15V adapters are...Radio Shack =
comes to mind. As far as the plug goes, try the "M" style plug.=20

I've been faithfully playing my TG-CD at 15V for about eleven years now, =
so even if it is somekind of mistake, it couldn't be all that harmful. =
If you do decide to take my suggestion, it should go without saying that =
I take no responsibility if your system should explode, or =
whatever(natch).

[sisko]

well, this probably isn't what you want to hear, but I do have an extra base, power supply, and a defective cd unit (actually two bases, and two defective cd units). If all your attempts to repair have failed, shoot me a pm and I can sell it to you. The catch is that at least one base and one cd unit needs to go with it :/

[sisko]

FWIW - The following message was recently posted on the Turbo Mailing List....


Subject: Looking for an AC Adapter for the TG-CD?


It's common(?) knowledge that nobody but NEC made an adapter that meets =
the unique voltage requirements of the TurboGrafx CD player. The strange =
thing is, I took a measurement, and although the adapter plainly reads =
"11V DC", mine actually puts out about 15V DC.

What I'm getting at is that while there are no 11V adapters around =
today, several commercially available 15V adapters are...Radio Shack =
comes to mind. As far as the plug goes, try the "M" style plug.=20

I've been faithfully playing my TG-CD at 15V for about eleven years now, =
so even if it is somekind of mistake, it couldn't be all that harmful. =
If you do decide to take my suggestion, it should go without saying that =
I take no responsibility if your system should explode, or =
whatever(natch).





I just tested mine and can confirm this. I'm also not liable if your turbo blows up.

[FABombjoy]

Power supplies read higher voltage when unloaded. Connect it to the TG16 & turn the unit on before reading it.

I'm using a generic power supply with my TG16/CD combo... Made by HomeMedics. I think it's for some kind of chair massager or something like that. All of the HomeMedics power supplies that I've seen are pretty high powered (12v @ 2A or more), more than enough for the TG16/CD combo. I may or may not have had to graft a new plug on the end, tho. Don't really remember offhand.

[Melf]

Now the ac adapter the powers the base for the tg cd won't work. It was working fine until I figured out how to get the cd working and then it decided to die. Is there anything I can do as far as replacing a fuse in the adapter. LazingBlazers, you wouldn't happen to have a spare lying around that you'd want to sell me. Why does retro gaming have to be so difficult.

..or you could just buy a minty new one from www.tzd.com for $12. ;)

[Lost Monkey]

..or you could just buy a minty new one from www.tzd.com for $12. ;)

Or not. ;)

They don't have them, hence the discussion. :P

[theoakwoody]

Wow Melf why didn't I think of that? What's that website again tzd.com. Is this website for real? This sounds too good to be true. Why waste your time typing when you don't know what the hell you're talking about. I try not to flame people but you deliberately wrote that to make us all look stupid.

[theoakwoody]

Oh and Lost Monkey you're the man. Do you have any recommendations on any alternate ac adaptors that run at 15 v?

[FABombjoy]

Did you recheck the power supply under load?

They read high when they're not plugged in to anything.

Using a 15V power supply may not be a very good idea.