MagicEngine

[2X4]

I tried playing a cd-r on my turbografx-cd, and it plays, but the loading takes a long, long, long time. We're talking several minutes to change maps. I know the thing is 1X, but that can't be normal. Did I improperly burn the disc, or is that to be expected? I know the proper procedure to burn the disc, and I followed it closely, (ME recognizes it with no error! message, TOCs verified, etc.) but it just spins the disc forever before something comes on screen. Is the hardware failing? I have been in these threads for awhile, but I'm new at this particular thing.
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[nodtveidt]

You can do a hardware mod to increase the laser intensity, that will likely fix the issue. The laser isn't really designed for reading the patterns of a CDR.
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Frozen Utopia
Retro gaming was never this cool.

[2X4]

Is this what others have done? Also, is this difficult to do without damaging the unit? If not, how do I do it?
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[2X4]

Ummm, lil help . . . please?
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[Specineff]

Try using higher quality media (TDK and Verbatim worked wonders for me)
and re-burn at the slowest possible speed.
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Proud owner of a Dreamcast, Saturn, Turbo Duo and a registered version of ME since 2002.

[2X4]

Thanks Specineff. I will try that. I would still like to know how to do that laser mod if this doesn't work tho.
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[Tomaitheous]

I'm not sure about the laser mod (I know about adjusting the laser strength in the dreamcast thtough) - unless you're refering to the replcement laser module that's been discussed on pcenginefx forums.
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www.pcedev.net

[2X4]

Update (actually more of a bump): I have thoroughly cleaned the laser lens with isopropyl alcohol and an equate q-tip. I reburned a copy of Ys III on a Verbatim CD-R. I used CDRWin (unregistered version), burned at 1X, no errors ocurred. This seems to have done approximately jack squizzat. From what I understand, the TG-CD usually works with cd-rs with no problems. Is that the case, or is it necessary to do something (like the laser mod mentioned above), or is this a hardware problem? I know at least half you guys have the system (all if you include the duo), come on man! Words of wisdom?
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[Tomaitheous]

Well, here's some info about burning CD-Rs. Most new burners don't burn below 8x, but the ones that due tend to heat up the CD-R at such a slow rate burn. My plexter DVDR/CDR drive can burn at 6x, but the DUO/SCD has a hard time reading them, so I burn them at 8x.

CD-R type has a lot to due with it too. The deep blue color CD-Rs seem to work best while the light-to-silver CD-Rs (usually Sony or Memorex) don't work as well. The Verbatem "record top" CD-Rs have worked the best in my tests.

I have noticed that as the DUO laser module worsens, it has a harder time reading any CD-Rs (from the 3 Duo's I've tested) even though it will read pressed CD's just fine. If want to run CD-R's, I'd get a replacement laser module or PCE+CDROM2/PCE+SuperCDROM2. The replacement laser module is much cheaper, but it requires opening the Duo unit and disassembling it.

Sorry that I couldn't be of more help,
Rich
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www.pcedev.net

[2X4]

Thanks Tom. I have the TG-16 + CD, so should work better than the duo, right? I did some reading up on cd-rs and apparently the ones with azo (deep blue) dye are supposed to work the best like you mentioned. From what I have gotten from others, verbatim is the best brand, so I went with it. The cd-rs I got did not look blue, so does that really make a difference in most cases, or does it matter as long as its a quality brand?

I checked my hardware, the slowest speed available on my cd burner is 4x, its 8x on my DVD DL burner (tho cdrwin won't recognize that one as a recording drive!?). Everyone has said burn at slowest speed possible, but you are suggesting to try 8X+? I guess I will try almost anything at this point.
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[2X4]

I still am not having any luck with this, can somebody please throw me a bone here?
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[Rockman]

Does your TG-CD play original discs (i.e. not copies)? If it can't read a commertial disc then the problem is most likey with the TD-CD otherwise the problem is with the CD-R's or the burning process.

[2X4]

Well, since I just bought the cd add-on, I don't have any real cds yet. But even if I did, I wouldnt use them, I would only play backups. I have tried commercial music cds, which it plays with no problems. It just has problems with cd-rs. What I don't know is, why? I have heard the TG-CD reads cd-rs fine, better than the duo, in fact, and since duos do read them, why doesn't my TG-CD? I already know it is with the hardware or with the burning process, but which?
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[Paranoia Dragon]

I'm starting to think it's the hardware. I used to have problems with CDR's, IIRC, CDRwin with the correct settings, Verbatim, & cleaning my lens solved all that. But it sounds like you've done all that. And regular cd's work fine you say? Hmmmm.

Have you tried a cd lens cleaner? One of those discs, with brushes on them, & a fluid that you put on the brush? That's what really worked for me cleaning my lens.
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Sentience is the right of all freedom beings?

[Tomaitheous]

Try burning this iso with nero as a test - here
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www.pcedev.net