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Non-NEC Console Related Discussion => Console Chat => Topic started by: SmaMan on January 21, 2014, 08:20:58 AM

Title: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: SmaMan on January 21, 2014, 08:20:58 AM
Just got me a Famicom Disk System in the mail today!   :D
 Only problem is it didn't come with a power adaptor. :(
I've been trying to get a straight answer on this all over the interwebz, but I figured I'll try asking here.

Will my Famicom (main console) Power Adaptor work with my Famicom Disk System?

I looked up the specs on both (HVC-002 and HVC-025) and they seem about the same. The only difference is VA, where the 002 is 18VA and 025 is 9VA.

I live in the U.S. of A, and I've been able to successfully use a Genesis Model 1 and a PC Engine AC adaptor on this thing just fine. Just curious if they are interchangeable, or I'd be better off buying some C batteries.
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: GohanX on January 21, 2014, 08:45:31 AM
It should work, the fds barely uses any power. However, for the sake of convenience I use batteries. They last forever, I've never had to change mine after putting some in when I first got the thing, and I've used it a lot.
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: SmaMan on January 21, 2014, 02:33:34 PM
Thanks. Guess I'll go run to the drug store and pick some up. Hopefully the battery contacts haven't succumbed to long-term corrosion.

It makes sense though. I'm fine with not having to find more space in my wall for another transformer or more room on my floor for another wire.
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: Tatsujin on January 21, 2014, 02:46:21 PM
yeah, the battery feature is quite nice and also helps in preventing some cable salad.
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: SmaMan on January 21, 2014, 08:51:39 PM
Yup, the batteries are working great! Got a few games running just fine, but a couple not so much. Keeps giving me error 27, which if I understand correctly is something to do with the drive speed?
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: Opethian on January 22, 2014, 04:01:11 AM
The likelihood of a bad disk is slim. Your drive may need to be "re-homed" its a very tedious procedure of trial and error. Has the belt been changed recently?
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: Bloufo on January 22, 2014, 04:25:00 AM
Yup, the batteries are working great! Got a few games running just fine, but a couple not so much. Keeps giving me error 27, which if I understand correctly is something to do with the drive speed?

Use isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip to clean the drive head.
The drive head is under the little arm you can move up. It's the metallic piece with a rectangle printed on it.
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: SmaMan on January 22, 2014, 10:49:19 AM
The likelihood of a bad disk is slim. Your drive may need to be "re-homed" its a very tedious procedure of trial and error. Has the belt been changed recently?
According to the seller, the belt has just been changed. Thinking about opening it up and taking a look around at least.
Right now it seems like three games run fine. (SMB2, F1-Race, and Exciting Basket) One game (Zelda 2) won't get past the BIOS screen due to error 27, and another (Moero Twinbee) seems to hit error 27 whenever it tries to load stage 3.

Use isopropyl alcohol on a q-tip to clean the drive head.
The drive head is under the little arm you can move up. It's the metallic piece with a rectangle printed on it.
I see. This is something I'll find when I open it up, right? Can anyone recommend a good guide on FDS surgery?
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: GohanX on January 22, 2014, 11:48:42 AM
The games that don't work, do they have printed labels?
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: SmaMan on January 22, 2014, 12:03:20 PM
Yep, they sure do.
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: GohanX on January 22, 2014, 01:20:41 PM
The reason I ask is because I have encountered issues where disks written be people themselves have not worked in other people's drives, but if it had s proved label there goes that idea.
Title: FDS problems continued...
Post by: SmaMan on January 22, 2014, 01:54:16 PM
I've been reading a bit about that too. Now, perhaps someone wrote something new to the Zelda 2 disk. (It hasn't gotten past the Nintendo screen.) and just didn't replace the sticker on it, as I've heard in many cases.

I'm trying to get this thing open right now to take a look at the "new" belt and maybe clean/calibrate it a little, but these screws are pretty stripped. :(

UPDATE: Got it open, and I dabbed on the alcohol to the head and cleaned it a bit. Didn't seem to make a difference though. I'll check out the belt and everything when I get off work tomorrow morning. (That connector I'm supposed to remove next is pretty tight on there...)
Title: Re: Famicom Power Adaptor in Famicom Disk System?
Post by: ApolloBoy on January 28, 2014, 11:53:08 AM
Make sure the "new" belt is a proper one; my incoming Twin Fami had a belt replacement done by a previous owner, and instead of using a proper belt they used a rubber band. What happened was the rubber band wound up damaging the spindle on the drive motor, and it essentially rendered the drive useless. The guy who I bought it from had to swap out the drive once he discovered this.