Today, I started with six dead systems and six cheap new lasers from China.
System 1: Replaced laser, turned up potentiometer a little, worked. Old laser looks cloudy. First new laser tried didn't work.
System 2: Turned up potentiometer only, worked.
System 3: Turned up potentiometer only, worked.
System 4: Turned up potentiometer only, worked.
System 5: The only one that wouldn't even spin up a disc when I turned it on. Deduced later that laser was not seeing anything. First new one I tried didn't work. Gave it #6's old laser and it worked, but the potentiometer had to be cranked way high and the laser became more audible. This suggests a shorter lifespan to me. Eventually replaced with another new laser that did work, and on a lower setting.
System 6: Recognized CD but wouldn't boot it regardless of potentiometer. Tried various "new" lasers that hadn't found homes already. None worked. Gave it #1's old laser, did slightly better, but didn't see disc. Gave it #5's laser and amazingly it spun up and loaded, and worked fully with potentiometer adjustment.
As it stands, two of the six cheap Chinese lasers worked, although I killed one by accident, possibly before I tested it (I noticed that I had ripped the ribbon cable).
The other three I tried to use, but they didn't work. It's possible that they would work if matched with the right system. I will hang onto them, as well as system#1's old laser for now. It's possible that it's my error; not putting in the ribbon cable enough, not removing the solder bead adequately, etc.
My results with systems 5 and 6 were very strange. 5's laser didn't work in 5 no matter what potentiometer settings I used, but it's working fine in 6. 6's laser wouldn't turn on in 6, but did turn on in 5, and did work if I cranked the potentiometer high.
The next step is to put each system through an hour-long test to looping Zeroigar's two title videos to see if they ever fail. At this point, they have all gone about 20 minutes each with no trouble.
I would like to propose making a sticky about adjusting the potentiometers. I can provide pics. Mods, would this be all right?
Topic: It begins... (Read 1341 times)
