Advice on buying a CD32

antonvaltaz · 13 October 2010, 21:26

I am vaguely considering asking for a second-hand CD32 for xmas, because:

I miss having a real Amiga (awesome as WinUAE is);
I can set it up to the TV (I think - see below) in our lounge rather than upstairs on the PC;
I’m hoping our son will want to play on it when he’s old enough (he’s just turned 1!);
it’s ‘neater’ than a full Amiga keyboard and I’m more likely to get away with one with my missus;
I think they’re quite cool and I’ve kind of always wanted one.

With those points in mind, I’ve got a few things to think about, so I know whether it’s a good idea or not:

Will it look okayish on my TV using the RF cable? It’s a 26” LCD which is ‘HD ready’ (which I think means 720 lines rather than 1080). Bear in mind I’m no perfectionist, e.g. I have my Wii plugged into it using composite cables which everyone says looks awful, and it seems okay to me.
How reliable are the various bits of the CD32, e.g. the joypads, CD drive, motherboard, chipset etc? As the consoles are all 15+ years old now are a lot of them starting to fail? Are there any preventative steps I could take to make it last longer? Is there anything I should be asking the seller about this?
When I download CD32 games they are often in the format CUE+ISO+WAV or CUE+ISO+MP3. Are these easy to burn to a CDR so that the CD32 recognises it as the original disc?
How much should I be looking to pay for a basic model with a joypad or two?
Is there anything else I need to be aware of?

Thanks in advance for any help or guidance!

Twiggy · 13 October 2010, 21:41

Just my thoughts.

1. Would it not look better with RCA/SCART? RF generally isn't that great.

2. I can't seem to get a hold of any cheap, good or long lasting pads, however, the PSX to DB9 adaptors can be purchased. I haven't done so yet, but it lets you use a Playstation pad on the Amiga. The lens may need cleaning (using IPA), replacing or adjusting. I had to buy a new power supply from AmigaKit, don't know if that's common.

3. In my experience, they are usually CUE + BINs (sometimes with WAVs). They seem to be read fine by the CD32 as CD-Rs.

4. £30 for a bare bones one I reckon, don't know about anything else.

5. You can make compilations for the CD32! (http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...32+compilation)

alexh · 13 October 2010, 22:08

If you can get a French one they are the best as they already have RGB out.

If you have to use a UK one then you absolutely need to use SVideo. RF will be absolute pants.

antonvaltaz · 13 October 2010, 22:26

What's better then, SVideo or RCA (or is RCA the same as RGB)? What's the reason that RF is unsuitable? I don't mind it being a little blurred, as I used to use RF back when I had an Amiga - although that was with an old CRT TV, is it because it's an LCD that RF won't work well?

Quote:

The lens may need cleaning (using IPA), replacing or adjusting.

Is that the sort of job that a general CD hi-fi repair shop could do, or would it have to be a CD32 specialist? If the latter, I'm guessing it'd be pretty expensive...

Jimbo · 13 October 2010, 22:28

I use the RCA to scart on mine. Picture is perfect.

Cheers

Twiggy · 13 October 2010, 22:35

AFAIK S-video is better, but RCA/SCART is good enough for me (and my TV without S-video input).

Cleaning the lens should be a simple job, cotton bud and IPA, simple as. Adjusting/replacing it is a more delicate matter (http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Amiga/Pa...dex/index.html) plus there are more threads on this very forum.

Toni Wilen · 13 October 2010, 22:37

RGB Scart and SVideo are acceptable, composite and RF are crap. They are noisy, blurry and have color bleeding.

CD-R's work, CD-RW's do not work.

antonvaltaz · 13 October 2010, 22:56

Okay, well if I do end up with a CD32 I'll probably get a S-Video cable as they're only about £5 from Amazon.

I guess my biggest question is reliability. Twiggy mentioned CD lens, joypads and power supply - does anything else tend to just 'die' after a while? (I know NOTHING about electronics!)

s2325 · 13 October 2010, 23:01

I bought used CD32 long ago and everything is fine.

Twiggy · 13 October 2010, 23:46

I just think I've just had a bit of bad luck with the power supply and CD lens. The only thing I would be worried about in years to come are the capacitors. As the for the joypads, if you're willing to spend a bit more money you can probably find some good ones on eBay (Competition Pro?), I'm probably going to buy an adapter for PSX to DB9. ( [ Show youtube player ])

It looks like most common problems can be easily resolved with money and a bit of know how.

alexh · 14 October 2010, 01:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by antonvaltaz

What's better then, SVideo or RCA (or is RCA the same as RGB)?

SVideo. RCA is another (perhaps incorrect?) term for composite video.

Quote:

Originally Posted by antonvaltaz

What's the reason that RF is unsuitable?

Picture quality. It will be fuzzy & blurry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I use the RCA to scart on mine. Picture is perfect.

Your eyes must not be then

Jimbo · 14 October 2010, 01:20

Well I am due another eye check

Zetr0 · 14 October 2010, 01:46

Svideo is mind-numbingly better than composhite - and Scart RGB is better than SVideo.

I would say - in a pinch composhite RCA cable will be okay for games - but with cheap cables (which they all are) can pickup / introduce some nasty interference.

If you have an SVideo input on your TV - go for that - without hacking a UK CD32 - its the best you will get.

I recently got a CD32 up and running here - and I have to admit - its not all that bad - you can if you want add a keyboard / mouse for said games that need one too =D

Cammy · 14 October 2010, 05:18

Don't forget to try out NeonLight's Workbench CD, plenty of handy tools to play with and it's very useful to have for accessing data you've burned directly to a CD-R because it won't reset the Amiga when you swap CDs over.

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=613893&postcount=59

antonvaltaz · 14 October 2010, 08:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by twiggy

The only thing I would be worried about in years to come are the capacitors.

Is this something I could leave until/if the console started failing? Or would failure to change them beforehand cause irreparable damage if they went wrong? I've heard worrying things about leaking capacitors on A4000s for example.

Toni Wilen · 14 October 2010, 08:58

Some CD32 revisions have 2 larger electrolytic capacitors inserted the wrong way around, they will bulge (and possibly leak).

Jimbo · 14 October 2010, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cammy

Don't forget to try out NeonLight's Workbench CD, plenty of handy tools to play with and it's very useful to have for accessing data you've burned directly to a CD-R because it won't reset the Amiga when you swap CDs over.

http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=613893&postcount=59

wow I need to try that.

BrooksterMax · 14 October 2010, 10:03

The only major frustration I have with the CD32 is saving games - there is not much space to squeeze in saves. I think some games require a floppy drive as well.

antonvaltaz · 14 October 2010, 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toni Wilen

Some CD32 revisions have 2 larger electrolytic capacitors inserted the wrong way around, they will bulge (and possibly leak).

See this makes me a bit nervous. Does this affect most models? Is there a way of knowing before I buy whether it is an affected model? If they leak is it game over for the machine? Can I take it to any electronics dealer to fix (and is it an expensive job) ? I've got no chance with a soldering iron!

alexh · 14 October 2010, 16:09

I know a lot of people have problems with caps, I've not had any ever.

Like all electronics, they don't last forever.

Not sure what you mean by "electronics dealer". In the UK there are very few places that could do the repairs these days due to our disposable society. But if you can find a TV Repair guy in your area I'm sure he'd do it for his normal minimum fee, perhaps less if you told him word for word what you wanted. Or Perhaps you could send it to AmigaKit.

Pretty sure there would be no way to tell without opening the unit.

13 October 2010, 21:26	#1
antonvaltaz Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 43 Posts: 511	Advice on buying a CD32 I am vaguely considering asking for a second-hand CD32 for xmas, because: I miss having a real Amiga (awesome as WinUAE is); I can set it up to the TV (I think - see below) in our lounge rather than upstairs on the PC; I’m hoping our son will want to play on it when he’s old enough (he’s just turned 1!); it’s ‘neater’ than a full Amiga keyboard and I’m more likely to get away with one with my missus; I think they’re quite cool and I’ve kind of always wanted one. With those points in mind, I’ve got a few things to think about, so I know whether it’s a good idea or not: Will it look okayish on my TV using the RF cable? It’s a 26” LCD which is ‘HD ready’ (which I think means 720 lines rather than 1080). Bear in mind I’m no perfectionist, e.g. I have my Wii plugged into it using composite cables which everyone says looks awful, and it seems okay to me. How reliable are the various bits of the CD32, e.g. the joypads, CD drive, motherboard, chipset etc? As the consoles are all 15+ years old now are a lot of them starting to fail? Are there any preventative steps I could take to make it last longer? Is there anything I should be asking the seller about this? When I download CD32 games they are often in the format CUE+ISO+WAV or CUE+ISO+MP3. Are these easy to burn to a CDR so that the CD32 recognises it as the original disc? How much should I be looking to pay for a basic model with a joypad or two? Is there anything else I need to be aware of? Thanks in advance for any help or guidance!

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13 October 2010, 21:41	#2
Twiggy \m/ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Devon, U.K. Posts: 573	Just my thoughts. 1. Would it not look better with RCA/SCART? RF generally isn't that great. 2. I can't seem to get a hold of any cheap, good or long lasting pads, however, the PSX to DB9 adaptors can be purchased. I haven't done so yet, but it lets you use a Playstation pad on the Amiga. The lens may need cleaning (using IPA), replacing or adjusting. I had to buy a new power supply from AmigaKit, don't know if that's common. 3. In my experience, they are usually CUE + BINs (sometimes with WAVs). They seem to be read fine by the CD32 as CD-Rs. 4. £30 for a bare bones one I reckon, don't know about anything else. 5. You can make compilations for the CD32! (http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?...32+compilation)

13 October 2010, 22:08	#3
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,355	If you can get a French one they are the best as they already have RGB out. If you have to use a UK one then you absolutely need to use SVideo. RF will be absolute pants.

13 October 2010, 22:28	#5
Jimbo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Colchester Essex Age: 44 Posts: 822	I use the RCA to scart on mine. Picture is perfect. Cheers

13 October 2010, 22:35	#6
Twiggy \m/ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Devon, U.K. Posts: 573	AFAIK S-video is better, but RCA/SCART is good enough for me (and my TV without S-video input). Cleaning the lens should be a simple job, cotton bud and IPA, simple as. Adjusting/replacing it is a more delicate matter (http://www.ianstedman.co.uk/Amiga/Pa...dex/index.html) plus there are more threads on this very forum.

13 October 2010, 22:37	#7
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,518	RGB Scart and SVideo are acceptable, composite and RF are crap. They are noisy, blurry and have color bleeding. CD-R's work, CD-RW's do not work.

13 October 2010, 22:56	#8
antonvaltaz Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 43 Posts: 511	Okay, well if I do end up with a CD32 I'll probably get a S-Video cable as they're only about £5 from Amazon. I guess my biggest question is reliability. Twiggy mentioned CD lens, joypads and power supply - does anything else tend to just 'die' after a while? (I know NOTHING about electronics!)

13 October 2010, 23:01	#9
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 43 Posts: 17,789	I bought used CD32 long ago and everything is fine.

13 October 2010, 23:46	#10
Twiggy \m/ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Devon, U.K. Posts: 573	I just think I've just had a bit of bad luck with the power supply and CD lens. The only thing I would be worried about in years to come are the capacitors. As the for the joypads, if you're willing to spend a bit more money you can probably find some good ones on eBay (Competition Pro?), I'm probably going to buy an adapter for PSX to DB9. ( [ Show youtube player ]) It looks like most common problems can be easily resolved with money and a bit of know how.

14 October 2010, 01:20	#12
Jimbo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Colchester Essex Age: 44 Posts: 822	Well I am due another eye check

14 October 2010, 01:46	#13
Zetr0 Ya' like it Retr0? Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: United Kingdom Age: 49 Posts: 9,768	Svideo is mind-numbingly better than composhite - and Scart RGB is better than SVideo. I would say - in a pinch composhite RCA cable will be okay for games - but with cheap cables (which they all are) can pickup / introduce some nasty interference. If you have an SVideo input on your TV - go for that - without hacking a UK CD32 - its the best you will get. I recently got a CD32 up and running here - and I have to admit - its not all that bad - you can if you want add a keyboard / mouse for said games that need one too =D

14 October 2010, 05:18	#14
Cammy Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Tasmania, Australia Age: 39 Posts: 1,189	Don't forget to try out NeonLight's Workbench CD, plenty of handy tools to play with and it's very useful to have for accessing data you've burned directly to a CD-R because it won't reset the Amiga when you swap CDs over. http://eab.abime.net/showpost.php?p=613893&postcount=59

14 October 2010, 08:58	#16
Toni Wilen WinUAE developer Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Hämeenlinna/Finland Age: 49 Posts: 26,518	Some CD32 revisions have 2 larger electrolytic capacitors inserted the wrong way around, they will bulge (and possibly leak).

14 October 2010, 10:03	#18
BrooksterMax Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfolk UK Age: 43 Posts: 433	The only major frustration I have with the CD32 is saving games - there is not much space to squeeze in saves. I think some games require a floppy drive as well.

14 October 2010, 16:09	#20
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,355	I know a lot of people have problems with caps, I've not had any ever. Like all electronics, they don't last forever. Not sure what you mean by "electronics dealer". In the UK there are very few places that could do the repairs these days due to our disposable society. But if you can find a TV Repair guy in your area I'm sure he'd do it for his normal minimum fee, perhaps less if you told him word for word what you wanted. Or Perhaps you could send it to AmigaKit. Pretty sure there would be no way to tell without opening the unit.

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