Even if it was, it still needed to be done. Those things are time bombs.
ARGH.
Was able to run wires and finish recapping my Laseractive Sega pack main PCB. I popped it into the laser active, and got nothing. It wouldn't act like it normally does if no pack is installed. Took it out, rechecked all my joints and continuity- everything checked out fine. Popped it in again, nothing. Did a little research and someone suggested to another person who ran into the same problem 5 years ago that he take the sub pcb off and try it that way. I did, and I got the usual splash screen. Somehow, within the two weeks of the pcb just sitting here, enough caps died on the subboard so that it wouldn't work. I just replaced about half of them (there were a couple that leaked really bad and corroded the board) and now it's working again as far as the splash screen goes.
Before I started this, Laserdiscs and Sega CDs worked, but carts did not. Now I'm 75% done with the job I'm back to LD and SCD working and carts not. I'm beginning to wonder if that's a completely different issue.
Even if it was, it still needed to be done. Those things are time bombs.
ARGH.
I'm a fuckin' idiot. After I reflowed the cart connector, and that made no difference, something struck me. I've been putting the cart in label side up. I flipped the cart over and it works fine. wtf.
Lol
tunnel vision
It'd been so long since I used it, I'd completely forgotten that the carts go in (what seems to be) upside down- this way you can actually read the label when looking at it straight on. Or if you took a genesis and tilted it forward 90 degrees, the cart orientation would be the same as the laseractive's. But it's counterintuitive to put the cart label down and there's nothing physically stopping you from doing so (such as a tapered cart slot like some units have).
I still kinda want one.
I have no reason to have it. I sold off all my genesis carts except for a few I'd never play but are weird (Like Where in -blank- is Carmen Sandiego CIB with encyclopodia) so I kept them, and I have maybe a dozen SCD games. I've only one LD game (Pyramid Patrol) that the five minutes I played a few weeks ago was enough. AND I have a CDX, so if I were to play anything I'd rather hook that up than this 80s desktop.
I should just sell it.
Seriously though, I have no use for it either since I have a Duo, a couple of Sega CDs, and many laserdisc players, and they are all better than an actual Laseractive. Still kinda want one, but it's not gonna happen unless I get really lucky at a yard sale or something.
Just finished recapping my buddy's Duo. Took about 4 hours, most of which was board prep and removing the old caps. I am shocked at the amount of flux NEC left all over the board. I spent a good half hour alone cleaning it up.
But, I did a thing that not that long ago intimidated the fuck out of me. Feels good.
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