PC-Engine Help.

GutsDozer

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Alright so I have a PC Engine with a 9V D/C power adapter, hooked up to RF and set to channel setting II. i've tried all of the channels between 60 and 99 but get nothing. Is there a way to test the PCE to see if it's getting power as there isn't indicator light?
 

GohanX

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Well, you can open it up and use a multimeter at the fuses, that's the easiest way.

Are you using it on an analog TV? I doubt it would work on a newer tv with a digital tuner. I never tried a PCE but on my famicom I had to flip between the two channels on the Fami and fiddle with the 90's before I found one setting that actually displayed a terrible picture. That thing got AV modded with the quickness.
 

pulstar

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Nothing external, unless you have a ten no koe bank to put on the back of it. You could check the internal fuse and the 7805 regulator to see if you're getting 5v on the output.
 

GutsDozer

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Thanks for the tips. I am using a newer TV so hopefully that's the problem. Going to have to break out the old multi meter..
 

DNSDies

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Why not just AV mod it?
Or use some female jumper wires and a spare set of RCA cables to pull Composite Video and audio from the expansion port?
it's super easy.
 

goombakid

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The guy who runs that site is a total fag.

^^Seconded. I mean, have you seen his videos? :lolz:

It should be channel 95 or 96 via RF. If you have an extra AV cable laying around, connect the composite video and ground on the exp port and see if you get video that way.
 

GutsDozer

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^^Seconded. I mean, have you seen his videos? :lolz:

It should be channel 95 or 96 via RF. If you have an extra AV cable laying around, connect the composite video and ground on the exp port and see if you get video that way.

I may have to try that. I've now tested the RF through an analog TV and tried to route it through the VCR. No go.
 

chinitosoccer

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Western NTSC Tvs seem to be incompatible with japanese RF, I have read somewhere that some tvs sets have the option for switching to NTSC-J RF mode by accesing the service menu.
 

GutsDozer

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Going to Craig's tonight to test the pins for voltage and maybe make an A/V cable..
 

Craig

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Didn't work so well... couldn't find any voltage on the out...

But found 15.9 on the in...

And his power supply was putting out 16vdc ... it's a 9
volt power supply.

Fuck if I know...
 

ebinsugewa

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Western NTSC Tvs seem to be incompatible with japanese RF, I have read somewhere that some tvs sets have the option for switching to NTSC-J RF mode by accesing the service menu.

i've never had an issue on any tv/vcr that i've owned. you might have to change your tuning type from antenna to cable to get 95/96 to work. i've used both a famicom and a pc engine this way.
 

goombakid

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Didn't work so well... couldn't find any voltage on the out...

But found 15.9 on the in...

And his power supply was putting out 16vdc ... it's a 9
volt power supply.

Fuck if I know...

Time to crack that sucker open.
 

nam9

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Check your polarity? PCE takes centre negative I believe...
 

GohanX

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Do you think I should try to get a different power supply?

If that PSU is putting out 16 volts it's gonna fry the voltage regulator if it doesn't pop the fuse first. Thankfully the thing uses a common fuse and common regulator so they can easily be sourced and replaced. You can use a Genesis 1, Super Famicom (not SNES) or 10v Neo power supply on it if you have any of them handy.
 

pulstar

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The voltage regulator is able to take up to around 25V input but I doubt the PCE has adequate heat dissipation systems to cope with the additional heat the extra voltage will create if used for long periods. Not sure what the fuse is rated at. GohanX has suggested the best PSUs to use; try and get one of those to use the system for long periods.
 

GohanX

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There is very little cooling inside a PCE, just a heat sink basically, that runs alongside all the audio/video caps. Probably not a good thing to have running too hot!

The fuse is 2 or 3 amps, I forget exactly. It's a standard cylinder fuse that you have to solder.
 

GutsDozer

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Awesome thanks for the info. I'm going to try and score a genesis 1 PSU and see If i get anything.
 

ebinsugewa

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Model 1 PSU is basically the most useful one you'll own for retro stuff. Handy if you switch systems a lot.
 
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