SEGA JVC X'Eye - Not reading CD(s)? Tips & suggestions discussing to why
6So overall, try the following to trouble shoot your X'Eye if it's not reading CDs correctly or detecting them at all...
1. Check for leaky caps
2. Check the connectors around the CD drive and it's mini board are fully connected, like the ribbon cable and green head cable running to the motor.
3. Cleaning the lens
4. Make sure the stupid tiny LID switch is actually being pressed down when the you close down the CD cover. Test it out yourself by having the top shell of the X'Eye removed. Then press down on the LID switch with your finger. Put a CD, power the X'Eye on and see if you get the 'CHECKING DISK' message. This message will mean the system detects the LID switch is being pressed down.
*DO NOT TEST SEGA CD GAMES WITHOUT THE UPPER X'EYE BODY SHELL, IF YOU KNOW THE LID SWITCH IS NOW BEING PRESSED, PUT THE UPPER X'EYE BODY SHELL BACK AND ONLY THEN PUT A CD AND POWER ON THE SYSTEM FOR IT TO TRULY DETECT AND LAUNCH THE GAME* (NOT REQUIRED TO SCREW BACK UP THE SYSTEM FOR THIS, JUST HAVE THE TOP SHELL ON SO IT CAN DETECT THE CDs PROPERLY)**
5. If your X'Eye is not pressing down on the LID switch after closing the tray cover. Add some small bit of layer underneath the plastic rod that presses down on the LID switch to always guarantee the switch gets pressed after closing the tray cover (I used a small dab of hot glue underneath the tip of the plastic rod) This plastic rod that press down on the LID switch tends to lost adjustment over time and will often miss the LID switch after closing down the tray cover.
6. Lube the CD rod LENs is riding on to return it back to a more free movement style.
7. If it's reading the disk but not well, such as freezing after the SEGA/Sonic wiggle's finger screen. Adjust the orange screw underneath the lens. It rotates roughly around 190 degrees, It'll read the CD better from 1 side while getting worst or not detecting the CD at all on the other side. So it's a 50/50 chance, but once u know which side better detects the CD, rotate the orange screw around that side till you got a good clear reading. (MAKE SURE TO MARK YOUR ORIGINAL SPOT 1ST IF THIS DIDN'T WORK AT ALL)
8. If all else fails, just replace the lens, but you can also just replace the whole CD drive body itself. They sell the whole body with the lens included online like over on Amazon. Just search for 'Optical Pick Up Lens JVC6' and you'll find CD drive bodies that are exact matches to the 1 inside the X'Eye.
[IF YOU DO REPLACE THE LENS, REMEMBER TO DESOLDER THE SOLDER BLOB IN CORNER! (I show in this video where it is)]
If your X'Eye is now detecting SEGA CD games after putting it back together fully but it's making some kinda of crackling noises when running. Halt everything, turn it off, open the CD tray, press down on the plastic circle that press down on the lid switch with your finger, turn it back on, & let it check for the CD. If the noisy sounds stopped & CD is still being able to be detected, it means the upper, round plastic part that spins, that's underneath the CD tray cover is being press down a little too much to the CD, causing the scratchy noise.
Make sure the CD Drive body itself is fully set correctly inside the system. Also the round plastic piece underneath the CD tray cover, check to see that it's spinning freely, if it's not moving freely and kinda giving some force, spray some WD-40 on it and spin it yourself manually to help free the movement. Next best step would be to unscrew a tad bit the 2 screws in the corners underneath the CD side of your X'Eye's shell.
Good Luck X'Eye owners! Let no X'Eye go bad!