3DO will not read discs... stepper motor problem?

[Cuddlypike]

Hi there!

 

I recently dug out my old FZ-1 model 3DO, only to discover it no longer reads discs.

Basically, the CD enters, spins, and then gets spit back out.  It worked fine the last time I dug it out about two years ago.

 

When I opened it, it appears that the laser is working (ie: there are some flashes of light and there is movement within the laser mechanism), but the laser doesn't move back and forth.

A little research into CD drives reveals that the laser is typically propelled by something called a stepper motor, which appears to be the case in the 3DO.  The grooved metal rod does not appear to be turning at all, which leads me to suspect the motor on that has failed.

 

Has anyone had any experience with the stepper motors used in the 3DO?

 

Might the stepper motor from an older CD-ROM hold the key to resurrecting my 3DO?

Or would it be specifically configured for the 3DO?

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Colin

 

 

 

 

[Cuddlypike]

A bit of a follow-up...

 

I removed the tray containing the laser and disconnected the stepper motor.  

When I turned the rod by hand, The laser moved back and forth fluidly.  No sign of any resistance.  The teeth on the cogwheel at the end do not appear to be damaged or deformed in any way.

 

I also tried running the machine with the stepper motor plugged in, but detached, so I could see if it was moving.  Surprisingly, it appeared to work fine.

In fact, after putting everything back together, the machine was fully functional!

I played a quick game and, at first, it worked perfectly...  Eventually the game froze and the machine sounded like it was really working hard to read the CD.

 

Now we are back to the same problem.  The CD won't read because the laser isn't moving.

 

I guess it's fairly likely at this point that the stepper motor is to blame.  Perhaps it is failing and it just happened to work briefly after I handled it?

My next step is to try replacing it.  There are a few candidates online, so maybe it won't be that hard to find.

 

 

 

 

[Austin]

I've been told that the motors are frequently the culprit for FZ-1 disc read problems. I am actually experiencing the same problem in my unit right now and need to crack it open to look at it. Supposedly the motors can be swapped out easily as long as you can find the part. 

[Silanda]

Just to double check: there's no sign of a hairline crack in the cog gear is there? That's an extremely common point of failure in the 3DO's drive mechanism, and as it's probably caused by plastic becoming more brittle or shrinking over time, it can occur even when the console hasn't been used for years. The crack can be so small that it looks like it wouldn't cause a problem, but it does.

[Cuddlypike]

Thanks for the input!

I took a closer look at the cogs and there does indeed appear to be a crack on the main cog attached to the stepper motor!

 

Using the part number, I found one online for $7 CAD.  It came exactly as the other, right down to the cog wheel, connector and wire colors.  I was able to swap it out in five minutes and it has worked perfectly for the past week.

 

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Cuddlypike

[Austin]

On 5/18/2021 at 1:05 PM, Cuddlypike said:

Thanks for the input!

I took a closer look at the cogs and there does indeed appear to be a crack on the main cog attached to the stepper motor!

 

Using the part number, I found one online for $7 CAD.  It came exactly as the other, right down to the cog wheel, connector and wire colors.  I was able to swap it out in five minutes and it has worked perfectly for the past week.

 

Awesome! Glad to hear it worked. I'm going to do the same with mine. Already have had the caps done on mine and the laser is apparently fine, so I'm crossing my fingers the motor is the culprit. Will report back when I do this.