Sega CD repair

Photomotoz

Photomotoz

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Hey guys, I just got my Sega CD that I bought from eBay. It came with a model 1 Genesis, I got them both for $12 as 'broken'.

The Genesis I honestly do not care about, I think it is a cable issue.

But I do care about the Sega CD. It is a model 1 and I have managed to hook it up to a model 2 Genesis. It boots and plays the intro just fine.

The problem is the tray, the tray keeps going in and out. After opening it up I saw that the gear that controls the tray and raises the laser platform. The gear worked fine except when the tray was all the way in, basically, the tray will go in but not all the way, it seems to be one gear notch shy of that. And due to that it seems to be ejecting after going in and not raising the laser.

Am I right about the gear missing on notch at the end? Take a look : Do your guys Sega CDs look like this (if you have opened yours that is.


 
I just hooked up a Model 1 Sega CD this morning and am having the same problem. Its disappointing because it seems so close, like it should work, takes the game in and everything, then the tray opens out again.
 
FYI:
Sega CD 1's that keep ejecting can be:

1 - Closed tray switch not being activated. If they've been taken apart & not put back together properly, the limit switch never gets tripped. There is a large timing gear with little plastic nubs that activate the limit switches. This can also cause it to recall the tray for no reason once opened - if the open switch never gets closed.

2 - Stretched belt on laser mechanism. The initial Sega CDs have a bad design that swings the entire large laser assembly down to load a CD. When you push the tray in, the mech swings up, locks in place, and engages the CD. If the belt is old / stretched, it can't make it the last little bit to lock it in.
Click to expand...
 
I managed to boot up a burned copy of Snatcher by putting the disc in manually and making sure all the switches were in the right position. So everything is good on the Sega CD it self. Just the gear I think is screwed.
 
Yep, I raised the laser platform. Then I put the tray in and made sure the gear that controls the tray pushed in the switch the tells the Sega CD if the tray is in. Then I put the disc in and put the top attachment back on to the whole drive. Booted the thing up and it worked.
 
Okay, when I get a chance I'll try the same with mine. I'll be checking this thread, but if you do fix yours please let me know as I'd like to do the same.
 
I figure the best way is to find some one with access with a CNC machine and have them use some CAD software to design a new gear and then make it.
 
I have a model 1 CD drive that works.... mostly. I've jumped 3 hurdles with this thing, and it keeps throwing me another curveball. First it wouldn't power on. I traced the power to a blown fusible resistor. So I just soldered a wire to skip it.

Then I had the same problem as you, put a cd in, and it spits it out right away. Then I discovered the hinge was broke on one side of the laser unit. So I bent up a bracket to keep the hinge in place.

It then would work about 50% of the time. I'm now guessing the belt is worn out. Which is most likely the same issue as yours.

And yes, that is how the gear is supposed to look. That's how mine looks, and mine works... mostly. I can get games to play, but after a couple minutes of playing, it's like the darn thing just stops reading the CD. The Access light stops coming on, and I can hear iit making noise. But it just won't play any more. I'm fairly certain the lens is clean, and the CD is clean, no scratches. And it's happened on multiple CD's. Oh well. I need to find a new belt for it first, then I'll worry about this.
 
You know whats amazing, and sort of off topic, but not really.. My brother and I were given a Sega CD Model 1 for Christmas when it was the new shit. I clearly remember it ceasing to work when I went to college in 97 (brought the Genesis with me). I just hooked it up the other day, and it played all of my Sega CD's flawlessly, albeit noisy. Weird.
 
I figured out my issue. The 12 pin flat ribbon cable that connects the laser to the power/logic board under it had a trace that was bad, and was opening intermittently. I had to replace it with a 15 pin cable that I cut 3 pins off. Made it hard to seat it just right. I ordered a new laser for it too, hopefully that will come with a new ribbon cable.
 
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