PlayStation Development Network

Hi!
PlayStation newbie here!

I've just bought my first "fully functioning" PS1 (SCPH-1002) from an auction site. We'll it's "fully functioning" to the extent that it boots into the menu screen with sound and everything. But it won't read discs. I should mention that I've only tried red book audio discs, because I don't own any games. Also the cursor doesn't move when I press right on the D-Pad in the menu screen, however I can enter into the cart management screen by pressing any of the action buttons ( ). I realize this might actually be a fault in the controller, but nonetheless, it seemed worth mentioning.

First I noticed I didn't get any red light on the laser, so I checked all cables, which seemed fine. Started checking for obvious errors on the MB and found PS602 to be blown (8V rail). After replacing that with a new fuse, the red light comes on, but the motor still doesn't spin. I checked the motor by itself by carefully applying an external 9V battery to it's leads (while isolated from the system ofc) and it spins happily so I don't think the motor itself is broken.

I read that the motor won't spin on the PlayStation if the laser doesn't detect any disc. Is this correct? No spin at all? Because it doesn't move an inch while I hold down the lid detection button (the laser goes up, down, up and down again though).

I realize that this might be a shot in the dark, but does anyone have any idea of what might be wrong here?

Best regards,
r1sc

That's correct, the spindle motor doesn't start until the photodiodes report some laser light back.
Ie: If the laser doesn't "see" a disc, the spindle never moves. So you have a laser problem, most likely.
This is what the lens moving up and down is doing, by the way. It's trying to find a disk.

Thanks for the quick reply! Ok so that's interesting. Do you know if there are any obvious things to check for? Calibration perhaps? Or is the only remedy to replace the laser (or the console)?

There are some guides in this forum.
The problem is the laser.