Playing with Music

I just purchased this from shopgoodwill.com.

This is the first model of the original Playstation. Its number is SCPH-1001. The back of it looks like this. 

You can use the standard red, white, and yellow RCA jacks to connect to your TV instead of using the AV Multi Out adapter.

Rumor has it that the SCPH-1001 has a really nice DAC (digital to analog converter), and it's a great CD player. 

Another rumor is that Sony discovered their DAC was too costly to mass produce, so later Playstation models looked like this without the DAC or the RCA connections.

The drawback to buying a SCPH-1001 today is that the laser is likely to fail due to flaws in the original design and the unit's age; this thing came out in 1995. For $9.99, I took a chance, and it plays CDs like a champ.

I could use a game controller to operate the CD functions, but a Playstation 2 DVD remote will control the basic CD functions of a PS1. That's weird, but cool.

As a CD player, the PS1 sounds great, but I missed having a digital display. I don't have my CDs memorized. If I wanted to jump to track 8, I'd have to know what track I was currently on. That makes my brain work more than I want it to. So, I went shopping. 

This 15" Advent LCD TV was just what I was looking for. 

The screen is small, and I like that the speakers are at the bottom. That makes it seem like it will take up less space.

Yellow tags were 50% off, so this only cost $9.50. That was a fun surprise.

An original remote is always nice. The dirt came off without much fuss.

And it has the RCA jacks. I only need the yellow one for video. 

I bought a $15 wall mount for the TV and a 15 foot RCA cord for $8.

Now I can see what track I'm on from across the room. (I plan to clean up the look of those hanging cables.)

This screen just screams 1990s. I showed this pic to a friend at work, and he said, "It's like you have your own video jukebox." I like that.

I thought this project was done, but then I remembered the PS1 game Ridge Racer.  I wrote about RR in 2019, "Once that game is loaded, you can swap the game disc with a music CD and listen to whatever you want while you race. I like Fu Manchu's "California Crossing."

I wanted to hear what Ridge Racer would sound like on my main stereo. I connected a controller to the PS1 and popped in the game. No dice. The PS1 couldn't get past the Playstation logo. I tried cleaning the lens, but it was no use. I did some research and online gaming forums reported that the ability to play CDs but not games was a sure sign the PS1 laser was dying. Well, shoot. 

I tried reminding myself that I only wanted it as a CD player. I now had that, but I couldn't leave it at that. The same forums and YouTube reported that using a laser from the "newer" PSOne was the best solution for the 1001 model. 

I went shopping again.

So, can one go into the other?

This is the "newer" PSOne's laser mechanism. 

This is an old PS1 laser. 

Here's the PSOne laser installed the old PS1. The PSOne's laser mechanism wasn't an exact fit, but it was really close. I only had to file away some of the shell's plastic to make room. 

Making the switch wasn't hard. Check out this exposed PS1 laser. The laser mechanism is only connected by a ribbon cable (left) and some power wires (right). Neither required any soldering. The unit just sits on rubber legs that act like shock absorbers. The mech isn't even attached with screws.

Time to try it out.

The old laser could not get past this logo.

This game is so cool. Instead of watching a loading screen's"spinning wheel", you get to play a short round of Galaxian. Kill all the aliens and you get a better choice of cars to begin the game.

Whoo Hoo! It works! Now where is my Fu Manchu CD?