Can all registered uses please login, even just for a few minutes..
It helps build a picture where our "good traffic" is coming from..
Thanks :)
It helps build a picture where our "good traffic" is coming from..
Thanks :)
I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 2400
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
Glad to see it works great again !
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15139
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
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...
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...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 2400
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
Yesterday, I saw on a local website related to PC Engine repairs that almost all video failures are due to bad capacitors.
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15139
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
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...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 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...
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...
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15139
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
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...
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...
- HigashiJun
- Posts: 2400
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2020 7:21 am
- Location: Tokyo
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
Good to hear that.

- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15139
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
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...
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...
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
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.
- rubber_jonnie
- Site Admin

- Posts: 15139
- Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 7:40 pm
- Location: Essex
- Contact:
Re: I'm a hopless addict - PC Engine Duo inbound...
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.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.
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...
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...
