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Dead laser

Laser diode has no output; disc not read at all.

4 repair logs

PC Engine CD-ROM2 internal mechanism showing laser assembly, motor, PCB, and wiring during restoration work on white plastic chassis.
+18 photos✓Successful repair

NEC — PC Engine CD-ROM2

NEC PC Engine CD-ROM² Restoration: Gears, Laser & Recap

This NEC PC Engine CD-ROM² threw everything at me: 3D printed gears, a dead laser, a Discman sacrifice and a spindle height mystery, before a full recap finally brought it home. Worth every frustrating hour of it.

Dead laserDisc read errorBroken drive rail/gear+1
Dec 28, 20254 threads
Sega Mega-CD 1 PCB during recap, showing multiple leaking capacitors removed, with soldering iron and desoldered components on white work mat.
+29 photos✓Successful repair

Sega — Mega-CD 1

Sega Mega-CD Model 1 Restoration (2nd Unit)

Second Sega Mega-CD Model 1, acquired after my first one died (probably the fault of a non-OEM optical pickup I'd put in the original).

Dead laser
Oct 4, 20256 threads
Panasonic FZ-1 mainboard showing recapped section with fresh solder joints, new capacitors (10I marked L31), and cleaned PCB traces after restoration work.
+21 photos✓Successful repair

3DO Company — Panasonic FZ-1

Panasonic FZ-1 3DO: Recap & ODE (2nd, Laser Donor)

This is the Panasonic FZ-1 3DO whose laser went to save its sibling. With the drive dead anyway, a full recap and an ODE installation was the logical conclusion.

Dead laserLeaking capacitors
Dec 4, 20234 threads
Panasonic FZ-1 motherboard with multimeter probes, solder wick, and desoldering tools during PSU trace repair and recapping restoration work.
+42 photos✓Successful repair

3DO Company — Panasonic FZ-1

Panasonic FZ-1 3DO: PSU, Laser Swap & ODE (1st)

PSU repairs on this Panasonic FZ-1 3DO required bridging badly damaged traces, and a missed ceramic cap connection sent the console into a reboot loop. Sourcing a replacement laser meant buying a whole other console, but it runs now, and has since gained an ODE with SD card access through the AV expansion bay.

Dead laserPSU failureMagic smoke
Nov 16, 20226 threads