6 replies to this topic

[GKC]

Wondering if someone can tell me what may be going on. I got my JagCD today (brand new from Best Electronics) and I made sure I read everything before I plug it in and played it. The first game I put in (Vid Grid) the disk spun and then went to the VLM and the disk stopped spinning. I had never seen a JagCD start up so I wondered if maybe the VLM was the "home screen" so after messing around with it for a couple of minutes I realized there was absolutely no way to get the game started from the VLM so I turned it off and turned it back on. Vid Grid played and my wife and I enjoyed that for about 30 mins. I then put in Primal Rage and played that for probably 10-15 minutes. The next disk, Blue Lightening, spun and then went to the VLM and stopped. I tried to turn it off and start it but, after the disk inititially spinning, it would go to the VLM and stop every time. Tried Vid Grid again and I could not get it to work. Tried Primal Rage and I could not get it to work. Tried Baldies and I could not get it to work. I probably tried 10-15 times to get a game, any game, to play. So I unhooked the JagCD from the Jag and hooked it back in. I was then able to get every game of mine to work and probably played 10-15 games in a row without it going to the VLM screen at start up.

One thing to note, I was not expecting my JagCD today (was scheduled to be delivered on the 26th) and I was in town when it was left on my door step. Well it got to probably -5 degrees today (thats Fahrenheit for our non-American friends) and was on my door step for probably 5-6 hours in this cold. When I got it I left it in my house for probably 45 minutes before I attempted to play it so it could thaw out. So maybe it was still frozen or something   Since the disk is initially spinning I don't think it is the common problem of the spindles being pushed down (I think that is what they are called) and I was careful not to push the disks down. I think maybe, because it was still cold perhaps, maybe the lens was cold/frozen or something. What does everyone else think? I have a 90 warranty from Best Electronics so I will watch it but has anyone else experienced this? Or should I package it up and send it back? Could the cold have done some permanent damage?

On another note; does anyone know how to free up space on the Memory Track? Vid Grid tells me I need to free up some space. I got my Memory Track used from Ebay so I am guessing the sellers game saves are still on there.

Edited by GKC, Wed Nov 24, 2010 9:48 PM.

[Abominable Toaster]

My Jag CD can be finicky sometimes, too.  I know that isn't really helpful info, but what you describe isn't unusual, I don't think.  Especially as reseating it seemed to help (if I read correctly.)  As far as it being too cold, I might've let it warm up longer inside, to hopefully eliminate any possible condensation first, but that's just me.

To see how much stuff is on the Memory Track, boot up the Jag (with the cartridge in of course ) while holding the option button on the controller and it will bring you to the memory manager where you can see what's there and delete stuff.

[GKC]

Abominable Toaster, on Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:31 PM, said:

My Jag CD can be finicky sometimes, too.  I know that isn't really helpful info, but what you describe isn't unusual, I don't think.  Especially as reseating it seemed to help (if I read correctly.)  As far as it being too cold, I might've let it warm up longer inside, to hopefully eliminate any possible condensation first, but that's just me.

To see how much stuff is on the Memory Track, boot up the Jag (with the cartridge in of course ) while holding the option button on the controller and it will bring you to the memory manager where you can see what's there and delete stuff.

Nah that helped. If any JagCD can be finicky then I am not too worried about it. Reseating it did help and so far it has still been working without needing to be reseated. If every so often it needs to be reseated, oh well. I thought I had waited long enough after bringing it in. I think if I shorted anything out it wouldn't be working at all but perhaps, like I had said earlier, the lens was still cold/frozen or had condensation on it    IDK, seems to be working fine now though. Thanks!

Just in case it gets worse and I decide I want to try to return/exhange it, does anyone know how Best-Electronics returns work. He told me that it had a 90 warranty through Atari and I kind of heard the first part but missed the second part. Was he telling me I would have to try to get a company that is no longer around (other than the name) to honor a 15 year old warranty or does he honor the warranty? I guess I should have asked before I bought but I just figured he was saying it had a warranty through him.

[Abominable Toaster]

I can't comment on Best (never ordered from them) but I doubt you'll have to reseat the Jag CD.  I can only talk about my experience, but once it's working it seems to work (with the rare ? staring at me when it can't read the disc.)  I do worry when I remove the Jag CD, that it won't work right away when I put it back.  Sometimes takes a reseating or two, but last time I did it, it worked right off the bat!  Good luck with it, hope it works great and you enjoy the games!  

[Stephen Moss]

I would have left it for a couple of hours to get get up to room temperature, it is possible that you did not leave it long enough and as a result there have have been a little condensation on the lens that stopped it from reading correctly however, it is also possible that you just did not have the CD unit correctly seated on the Jaguar the first time. I know I had that problem when I first tried my CD unit, it would not work at all but once I had it correctly seated and working it has been permantly attached to my Jag and working ever since.

Another potential issue could be a flaky power supply for the CD unit but as it is a new CD unit it should not be a problem unless the smopothing capacitor has dried out with age. Just keep an eye on it, if you have a 90 day warrent and you don't have any more problems with it by day 60 then it should be fine.

[Gunstar]

I agree with Stephen's theory of the Jag CD unit not being seated properly in the base unit, causing unreliable contact and your re-plugging it in fixed your problem. Jag units can be finicky, especially used, but I've also found many finicky units to be quite durable at the same time. Since you have a new unit, and if you take care of it and protect it from possible power surges, I'm sure it will last you for years operating flawlessly. (or future problems will be only from unofficial disks)

Edited by Gunstar, Thu Nov 25, 2010 10:01 AM.

[GKC]

Well it seems to be fine. Haven't had a problem with it since. I will continue to keep an eye on it but I think it is working properly. Plus I got 89 more days to watch it. Thanks everyone for your replies.