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I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Blogs & guides and tales of woo by forum members.
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HigashiJun
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by HigashiJun »

Glad to see it works great again !
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by rubber_jonnie »

HigashiJun wrote: Thu Mar 19, 2026 10:26 pm Glad to see it works great again !
Me too, I was quite sad to see the corrupted screen, especially after the cap replacements. I know for standard caps in the lower cost ranges that a -20% low reading is not uncommon and often acceptable, but here clearly it needs something much tighter tolerance wise in the video circuit, and to be fair it was 23% off.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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HigashiJun
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by HigashiJun »

Yesterday, I saw on a local website related to PC Engine repairs that almost all video failures are due to bad capacitors.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by rubber_jonnie »

HigashiJun wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 9:43 am Yesterday, I saw on a local website related to PC Engine repairs that almost all video failures are due to bad capacitors.
I had just registered on a PC Engine site to get help, but then I replaced the cap and all was well in the world again...

I also asked Co-Pilot and its answer was that 90-95% of video failures are down to bad caps, so that pans out.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by rubber_jonnie »

I have been testing the PC Engine Duo this morning and I have to say that since I put in a better cap, the image is so much improved, so getting properly specced decent caps for the video circuit seems to be a necessity.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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HigashiJun
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Location: Tokyo

Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by HigashiJun »

Good to hear that.

:thumbup:
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by rubber_jonnie »

HigashiJun wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 11:50 am Good to hear that.

:thumbup:
It's one of my favourite consoles, I was honestly a bit sad when the screen was playing up, so very pleased its sorted.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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PhilC
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by PhilC »

I've seen you can get an RGB or hdmi adapter for them but mine seems fine from composite.
If it ain't broke, test it to Destruction.
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rubber_jonnie
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Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...

Post by rubber_jonnie »

PhilC wrote: Fri Mar 20, 2026 1:22 pm I've seen you can get an RGB or hdmi adapter for them but mine seems fine from composite.
Yeah, the video IC does seem to push out RGB signals but they don't get to the video socket, that only ever sees composite, however is is one of the cleanest composite signals I've seen and looks great, bright and clourful.
Collector of many retro things!
800XL and 65XE both with Ultimate1MB,VBXL/XE & PokeyMax, SIDE3, SDrive Max, 2x 1010 cassette, 2x 1050 one with Happy mod, 3x 2600 Jr, 7800 and Lynx II
Approx 20 STs, including a 520 STM, 520 STFMs, 3x Mega ST, MSTE & 2x 32 Mhz boosted STEs
Plus the rest, totalling around 50 machines including a QL, 3x BBC Model B, Electron, Spectrums, ZX81 etc...
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