Lens activity

[n0fx]

I have my Qoob installed on my DOL-001 system and flashed with the v1.2 BIOS that just came out. The laser was originally set to 510 from the factory and I tweaked it down to around 220 ~ 200 ohms. The drive I'm using on the gamecube is a 61 (2001/06/08) one. The DVDs that I'm using are Taiyo Yudens (Fuji Film) DVD+R burned at 4x speed with a NEC ND-3500A drive. I also tried Maxell DVD+R (Maxell 02 ID code) and Fuji Film DVD-R (Taiyo Yuden) discs as well, all burned at 4x speed

I was playing RE1 and sometimes when it loads to a new room, I can hear the lens clicking when it retracts back to the inner ring of the disc. Is this normal for the lens to go back and forth and have a clicking sound once in a while? Also, sometimes when the game tries to load a new room, the screen just turns black and nothing happens. The disc continues to spin with no activity on the TV.

[Z80]

If the lens is clicking thats a serious problem. The lens track clicking is almost as serious. The laser lens when focusing on a disc will move up and down trying to focus the beam. If this movement is impaired functionality could be quite unreliable. If the laser is having trouble moving across the laser track this again can impair functionality. My brothers PS2 makes a clicking noise and what's happening is the laser cannot move outward on the track when it was trying to read data. I'm not certain the best way to fix this. If you clean the track off, you may need to relubricate it or something... But generally any odd clocking noises aren't good.

If its just going back and forth alot making noise, it may be normal for that game. But until it's causing a serious problem I wouldn't advise doing anything. If it does, you might want to check and see if there are any hairs or other build ups that are on the track or the gears.

[Krille]

I have a 61 drive and a viper installed, mine also makes clicking noises but never fails to read a disc. Afaik its normal for gamecube drives to 'click'?

[Xboxmodder999]

Originally posted by Krille
I have a 61 drive and a viper installed, mine also makes clicking noises but never fails to read a disc. Afaik its normal for gamecube drives to 'click'? No, it's not normal for them to click(atleast on an unmodded cube), it does happen every once in awhile though, with both the Qoob and the Viper. The reason being(I think), is that it is caused my one of the methods that they have both implemented to prevent DRE's. It might do harm to the laser in the long run, but I don't think so.

[Dreamcazman]

I've just noticed mine doing the occasional click when playing RE4. I haven't yet modded my cube, it's a DOL-001 also.

It only seems to do it when it loads the next part of a stage or when a movie starts and only on the first disc. I've played through the game 3 times and I've never heard the drive click on the second disc. I haven't really worried about it as the game still loads ok.

I'm just about to install a qoob and I'll check to see what the laser is set to at the same time. Lasers are dirt cheap anyways.

[gulliver]

It's pretty common for this to happen occasionally if you have a modded cube. I'm almost positive that it's due to the laser having a hard time reading the disc. I don't think it would cause any long-term damage unless it happens a lot. If it does happen often, try using better media and a media that is highly compatible with your burner.

[n0fx]

Thanks for the input guys. I finally got my gamecube to have less clicking sounds. I found out it was the media that was causing the problem. I switched over the maxell (Ritek R04) burned at 8x and I get a lot less clicking sounds.

Somewhat, I still have DREs for some odd reason. I guess I'll try retweaking the lens and burning these Riteks at a slower speed to see if I still get DREs with RE 1.

[justinkb]

how exactly does one 'tweak a lens'?:p

[$4NNi]

You should try Ritek G04 burned with 4x and it should work.

[shawn112233]

Im pretty sure that a clicking sound is normal when the a new area of the game is being loaded...im pretty sure the laser clicks even with originals on an unmodded cube (well i hear clicking because i took the top of my cube off, if u can hear clicking with the top on, then i guess there is a problem.)

[nukleuzdj]

mine only clicks when idle and may DRE if no data is loaded soon after (AKA the idle bug)