pc engine duo questions

[Hirolaser]

Just a couple of questions on this system:

I've read that the turboduo suffered from audio problems, is this true for the japanese version (pc engine duo) as well?

Is it possible to somehow save the cd/super cd games, so that you don't have to start all over again when you've died?

[j_factor]

Where did you read that it has audio problems? I have a US Duo and have yet to notice any, or even hear of it.

CD games (and some hucard games) can be saved to system memory, but not all games supported it.

[Superman]

I haven't heard of any audio problems either.

If you could explain what the problem is, we could probably give a better answer.

[Xexyz]

Maybe he has the audio problem confused with the Turbo Express handheld. That thing (and Segas Game Gear as well) are known to have audio problems after awhile.

[Trebuken]

The only issue I know of is due to ware and tare. The cable connection on the side of the duo sticks out and can get bumped alot. The sound seems to get irregular if this happens too much. It's supposedly an easy fix, but I just wiggle the cable on mine until it sounds correct. Sometimes the sound effects play but not the CD music.

I'd imagine the PC Engine Duo would have the same difficulty.

[FABombjoy]

The Duo has the same issue with bad capacitors that the Express has. In the duo is manifests itself as low/scratchy sound.

[staxx]

As mentioned before there are problems with the capacitor overtime and you will get a static kind of sound. From what I recall the problems are in certain models of the PC Engine Duo. A fix to the problem has been posted in a previous technical post.

[Hirolaser]

Thanks for the replies,

I think I should have made myself more clear, it's just that in a post of an older thread someone mentioned about the audio problems due to the board design on turboduo's which lead to overheating problems, but this was sorted on the duo-r and rx versions (correct me if I'm wrong)
I wanted to know if the jap version of the turboduo (pc engine duo) also had the similar overheating problems as the american version as some people have said.

[Graham Mitchell]

Couple of things--
First, audio problem is pretty bad. My TurboDuo now has no red book audio at all because of the capacitor issue, and I need to get it repaired.

Secondly, in response to you question as to whether or not you can save CD games, the answer is yes. The system has internal RAM like a SegaCD or Saturn or even a Wii. There just isn't very much of it, and some games (like Cosmic Fantasy 2) are known to take up the entirety of it by themselves. You can get RAM cards and move files around on them, though. They were only released in Japan, so check ebay.

[FABombjoy]

audio problems due to the board design on turboduo's which lead to overheating problems, but this was sorted on the duo-r and rx versions (correct me if I'm wrong)

I can't speak for the design of the R/RX, but I really don't think it's heat issues that cause the cap-based sound problem. I think NEC just used poorly-made capacitors. The nearest major source of heat are the voltage regulators, and there are a handful of caps closer to them that don't seem to suffer the same problems.

[XYXZYZ]

I still don't know about that capacitor thing. My Japanese PC Engine Duo still has the CD audio drop out after awhile, and I have changed those caps, as per D-Lite's instructions. Maybe that amp package is damaged?

[FABombjoy]

My Japanese PC Engine Duo still has the CD audio drop out after awhile, and I have changed those caps, as per D-Lite's instructions. Maybe that amp package is damaged?

If only the CD audio drops out then it's probably unrelated to those particular caps.

[Graham Mitchell]

If only the CD audio drops out then it's probably unrelated to those particular caps.


Do you know what's causing it? I have no CD audio at all anymore, though it's running games just fine, and the CD player function seems to be reading and playing discs okay--just no sound!

[omnedon]

It's caused by failed caps in the op amp circuits of the DUO. Different DUO's seem to have the failures in different places. I'm getting pretty good at zeroing in on the specific failed caps, but it seems just when I think I have it figured, I see yet another DUO with a failure in yet another part of the circuit.

I've yet to see one yet that has not come back to life on my bench though. At least 20 and counting. =)

[Graham Mitchell]

In the coming months I will be reunited with my busted duo...I am away at school. You may have some business coming your way.

[Hirolaser]

sorry to repeat myself but are these cap issues, sound problems and overheating only on the DUO versions? What about the DUO-R and RX versions, do they also suffer from the same problems?

[XYXZYZ]

Omnedon, do you have any idea what my problem is? (Flaky CD audio, replaced the caps in the postamp)

[omnedon]

It's likely caps. Which ones, require hands on testing.

[dj898]

sorry to repeat myself but are these cap issues, sound problems and overheating only on the DUO versions? What about the DUO-R and RX versions, do they also suffer from the same problems?

as far as I know the said audio problem is only in Duo models and TurboExpress - both NSTC/U and NTSC/J.
It seems NEC changed the PCB design in Duo-R/RX so they are free from audio problem - well at least I haven't had any with my Duo-RX yet...

[XYXZYZ]

I don't have a cap-meter, so I"ll just change a bunch of electrolytics and see how it goes.