Saturn HST-3200 not reading disks (new lens)

[cocaleru]

Ok, so my problem is that my HST-3200 japanese gray Saturn is not reading discs. Not music CDs, nor games. I have swapped the whole drive with my other HST-3210 and it's working perfectly so I can assure that the problem is not the reading unit.

Another clue is that the discs are being detected as "track 1 - 728:14 minutes" no matter is a music CD or a game. Maybe this lead to follow on finding a solution.

Don't know where to start working. I already visually checked all the capacitors and they look good and in perfect shape with no leaking at all.

Any ideas?

Regards

[cocaleru]

By the way, this unit is the one who has the CD SUBSYSTEM interface board 838-10834 SH1 JA0027

[cocaleru]

Any?

[mick_aka]

Reading all the discs as audio is usually a classic sign of either a laser mis-calibration or falling out of spec due to age/use, but as you've got the laser assembly working fine in another saturn if I understand correctly, my first thought would be a potential power issue.

If you're able to try another power supply in the offending Saturn that would help confirm/deny without the use of more complicated equipment.

[zyrobs]

Not sure I read it right, you swapped the entire drive out with another from a HST-3210, and it worked: did the HST-3210 drive work in the HST-3200, or did you just swap the laser, or put the HST-3200 drive in the 3210, or what?
What about testing both drives in the HST-3210, do both of them work that way?

I haven't seen such an issue where a drive assembly works in one board only but not in another.

I'd try reseating the SH1 sub-board (838-10834) and the ribbons, maybe try with another ribbon too, just in case. If the machine is always showing "track 1 - 728:14 minutes" on all CDs, then the problem is possibly not in the drive but in either the connection between the drive and the console, or the SH1 sub-board. If both drives work in the HST-3210, that would confirm this.

[cocaleru]

Aug 10, 2024 16:37:10 GMT zyrobs said:

Not sure I read it right, you swapped the entire drive out with another from a HST-3210, and it worked: did the HST-3210 drive work in the HST-3200, or did you just swap the laser, or put the HST-3200 drive in the 3210, or what?
What about testing both drives in the HST-3210, do both of them work that way?

I haven't seen such an issue where a drive assembly works in one board only but not in another.

I'd try reseating the SH1 sub-board (838-10834) and the ribbons, maybe try with another ribbon too, just in case. If the machine is always showing "track 1 - 728:14 minutes" on all CDs, then the problem is possibly not in the drive but in either the connection between the drive and the console, or the SH1 sub-board. If both drives work in the HST-3210, that would confirm this.

Aug 7, 2024 23:55:56 GMT mick_aka said:

Reading all the discs as audio is usually a classic sign of either a laser mis-calibration or falling out of spec due to age/use, but as you've got the laser assembly working fine in another saturn if I understand correctly, my first thought would be a potential power issue.

If you're able to try another power supply in the offending Saturn that would help confirm/deny without the use of more complicated equipment.

Hi, thanks to both of you for you replies.

To clarify, yes, I've tested the reader unit of the faulty Saturn (HST-3200) on the healthy one (HST-3210) and it works fine.

I already tried reseating the SH1 sub-board (838-10834) and tested the ribbon continuity with a multimeter. So I believe that those connections are good.

Some guy on reddit suggested the following: "probably needs DRAM chips replacing. Yeah did mine years ago , pretty much same problem. Fitted a newer cd drive an still wouldn't read disks no matter what, replaced DRAM and FRAM working perfectly ever since." reddit

There is also the SH1 board doubt, but I tried to find one online without success. If the culprit is the SH1, I think it will be very hard to find a donor.

Regarding the PSU, don't know if I can swap the one on the HST-3210 with the 3200. Are they compatible?

Regards

[cocaleru]

By the way, I've checked PSU voltages and all are ok. Is there anything else that I sould check on the PSU?

Also all the components look good and healthy.