PlayStation Development Network

Hey everyone, I have a hardware issue with a Net Yaroze DTL-H3000 that is driving me crazy.

The system is not reading retail games despite changing the laser and checking BIAS & Gain on the board. At this time it will spin a disc and then come up "Insert A PlayStation Disc"

It will recognize Music CDs and play them at least.

I have a donor PU-8 board coming in later this week in case I need any chips/parts from it for replacement but I figured I would check in to see if anyone has an idea or can point me in the right direction.

Currently the board has been fully recapped and the laser I have with it now is the PSOne laser that has become popular to replace these older PS1 lasers with.

Thanks

Do you have an oscilloscope to observe the RF eye pattern? If the peak to peak isn't within a specific range, it won't read data when it spins up to 2x as this increases amplitude (most of the measurements in the service manual are set at 1x speed, while playing an audio disc that is pressed, not burned. Should be a specific test disc but since that's unobtanium, an audio CD is the next best thing).

I typically advise against touching the bias or gain settings, even the laser power on the OPU itself, unless you have an oscilloscope and the service manual to properly do it. People going on mV's, volts and ohms are just ballparking it based on their functioning systems. That's not at all how the service manual says they are adjusted though (with a scope).

There's also the possibility though rare, that the CD Decoder itself isn't working. This too can lead to audio CD's playing, but data discs being unbootable. (I have one SCPH-1001 with this fault, but it gets to the P logo at least, though it can't spell out "Licensed by" it displays "ed by ed by" which is a telltale sign that the CD Decoder is dead or dying.)

Thanks for the reply. I'll have access to an oscilloscope next week to try dialing things in as much as possible. Are there certain values I need to set for the DTL-H3000?