After ruining two PS1 lasers, I figured out the real issue with alignment

I kept following online tutorials for adjusting the laser potentiometer on my PlayStation 1, but it never fixed the disc read errors. The problem was that the guides never mentioned checking the sled gear for wear first. Once I replaced the worn gear, the alignment held perfectly. Now I always inspect mechanical parts before touching electronics. It saved me from buying another laser assembly.

3 comments

3 Comments

margaretwalker1mo ago

Oh, I learned that the hard way too... spent ages tweaking the pot only to find the sled was grinding down. Always start with the mechanical bits, like you said... they cause so many phantom issues. I keep a bin of old gears now just for testing... saves so much time. Honestly, most disc read errors come from wear, not calibration... glad you figured it out before tossing another laser.

angela5911mo ago

But what about cases where the calibration is so off it wears parts prematurely? I've seen lasers fail because the pot was misadjusted, causing the sled to overwork. Sometimes starting with electronics saves you from replacing good mechanical components.

emeryb341mo ago

That gear bin idea saved my friend's PS2 after he spent weeks, unlike you margaretwalker, chasing a bad potentiometer reading.