Panasonic Q Restoration Project – Episode IV
Just published the latest video in the series, where I am restoring an imperfect Panasonic GameQ to hopefully a fully working one – giving New Hope to bringing it back to its beautiful self.
In Episode III we thankfully discovered that it was fully capable of reading discs and the drive tray functioned, despite being damaged. This damage resulted in the inability in opening and closing without being propped up from the inside. So, it was clear what needed to be done, replace the rails to support the drive on the inside and the actual tray too.
Replacement Rails – Due to the damage of the front of the drive tray itself too, it was obvious I needed to replace all three parts of the drive support; the left and right rails, as well as the drive tray itself. It will be a long time before all three of this genuine OG parts will materialise, so I am using reproduction parts. These 3D printed parts are available from Retro Refurb UK.
Whilst the process itself of getting down to the drive and replacing the rails was nerve racking as it is, I encountered the issue where after replacing, the drive was now no longer able to open and close due to a loss of torgue. I tried many possibilities before coming to the conclusion that it was the torque, so tried replacing the drive band. –
I will be continuing my Panasonic Q series and releasing more videos in the future. I have plans to tackle the GameBoy player (crazy expensive), covering off some of the accessories for this unusual piece and restoring the less perfect parts.
If you have never seen one of these game consoles before, then say hello to the Panasonic made DVD & Nintendo GameCube combi device, otherwise known as the “Panasonic Q”. Panasonic were the manufacturer for the disc drives in the official Nintendo GameCube and as part of that business relationship, they were allowed to create their own version of the GameCube. Well, of course they wanted to go above and beyond the original and in many ways they did. Offering a full DVD player, a feature that helped make the PlayStation 2 such a huge success, and a design that screamed modern multimedia experience. The thing very much looks like Hi-Fi’s of the late 90s and early 00’s before the iPod changed that industry for good. They really went big on the design, with a backlit LCD display and this excellent blue glow around buttons and the GameCube controller ports. For many Nintendo fans over here in the west though, it was just a day dream. Not only was it crazy expensive at around £400 back in 2001, but as it was only ever released in Japan, it made it even more pricier as traders imported and added their cut onto that price. Due to the limited release, it only ever sold around 100,000 units, which for a console is very small numbers and makes it quite rare.
After nearly 20 years of drooling over this product (what some consider the best looking Nintendo console of all time) I have finally got my grubby little hands on one. However, to reminisce that scene in Ghostbusters, when Ray first turns up at the old firestation building with a beaten old Cadillac and lists the multiple issues to Peter and finishes off an optimistic “…but it works”, it’s the same here. There’s quite a lot of work to get it up to former glory, but it does apparently work.
As well as actual damage to components to get it working, there are some aesthetic blemishes I will want to correct at some point and of course, the missing included accessories I will need to acquire too, such as the official Panasonic branded controller. My initial list of what I know of is below.
The Issues and bits I know about:
- Matching Panasonic GameCube Controller
- Game Boy Player serial port cover
- Digital Component Cable
- Panasonic DVD Remote
- A lot of Rattling inside
- DVD Drive draw End Cap broken
- DVD Drive collapsed inside
- Mirror effect worn behind front plastic
- Top screen housing worn
All things that will take time, research and hunting on eBay and other forums. So this posting will be something of a diary on the ongoing project. I’ll update each stage by stage with observations, issues I’ve encountered (and hopefully overcome). As well as parts I purchased and tricks I learn on the way.
Step 1: What’s rattling inside?
Before I even want to turn on, I want to work out what the rattling inside is from. If any loose parts turn out to be a loose PCB or screw, it could cause shorting out, so I want to remove any bits I can. However, this guy is not an easy product to deconstruct inside. There’s a lot of ribbon cables, a lot of screws and a lot of parts.
I won’t go any deeper than the top of the DVD drive, as to go further, is a much more complex job that means I have to remove the front, back and more levels of the board inside. I do not want to do this unless I have to.
Observation – I will definitely need the replacement disc drive rails to put the drive back to where it needs to sit. As I don’t have a 3D printer myself, I will need to order one from someone like RoseColouredGaming.
Step 2: Does it Power on?
As the Panasonic Q has it’s power converter inside the product (and now way of swapping out) I needed to get a step-down convertor to exchange the 240V UK power to the 110V Japanese power needed. I now have this, so can get this guy plugged in to see if it does turn on (I may have cocked up something) and what appears to work and what doesn’t.
The great news, is that it indeed turns on and all lights appear to be working too, including the backlit LCD. What is interesting though, is as soon as it goes into GameCube mode, how loud the fans kick off. If I click the OPEN/CLOSE button, the screen says OPEN but nothing happens. Not surprising as the disk drive inside is wonky and the drawer physically can’t come out safely. So, before writing off the drive, I need to ensure it is mechanically able to open and close, even with its cracks and gaps. To do this I had to take off the side panel and prop up the drive to keep the tray aligned with the slot before clicking OPEN/CLOSE. What did I use to prop up the drive? A Game Boy cartridge case… worked a treat. The Drive is indeed able to open and close. Woohoo!
Observation – So the disk drive mechanically appears to be ok, but we need to make sure the laser and spindle are ok and it is able to run and read disks ok. I’m also taking note of the incredibly loud fans when in GameCube mode, I will monitor this as could be a sign of another problem.
Step 3: Does it Play Games?
Japanese game acquired, one of my faves “Super Monkey Ball 2”. Really fun, whimsical arcade game that doesn’t need much explanation to get past the language barrier – not only because I know the game inside out, but also the iconography is very self explanatory.
Official Panasonic Q controller acquired. It’s not in the best overall condition, needs a clean and the joystick is mega loose. Very likely will take replacement parts from a normal GameCube pad to fix up using the
So it powers on, but does it actually work? So, two tests here: Does it read discs and does it output video/sound. Well, let’s plug it in and find out.
Following on from last week’s huge acquisition of a Panasonic Q GameCube console, I was quick to get started finding the matching accessories to start building the full package together. Plus, I continues my obsession with the Hard Case Game Boy Pockets with a third, but it came in a decent little bundle. Take a look at what’s arrived on my doorstep this week.
Official Panasonic Q Branded GameCube Pad + Emerald (eBay, Auction)
Just as I begin restoring my Panasonic Q gamecube, a listing on eBay came up for two GameCube controllers. Obviously the highlight is the official Panasonic Q pad to match my new console, but almost a cheeky bonus entirely, is also the Japanese only Emerald Blue version too – which I have also had my eye on for some time. I never disclose exactly how much I pay or win auctions for exactly, but what I paid for both was roughly market value on the Q pad, so I got the emerald for free (in a way).
Sadly, you can see that the left stock on the Q controller is discoloured, but far more concerning is that both of the controllers analogue sticks are incredibly loose. I never knew that Gamecube sticks got loose like this. N64 yes, of course. But Gamecube No. In fact, I’d say they are both a write off and I will need to find two donor pads and steal their innards from and restore these more rarer versions. Plus looking at the photos, they definitely need a good clean too.
Game Boy Pocket Blue Hard Case Bundle (eBay, Auction)
So last week, I was talking about the fact that until the other week, I never knew of, or had ever seen these hard case packaged versions of GB Pockets at all. But like the old bus analogy, you wait and wait and many come at once. Well, I have acquired no.3, in Blue.
The actual Pocket is in incredible condition itself. No wear on the back, no serious scratches to the lens and upon adding some triple A battery goodness and a cartridge, it performs perfectly. Once again reminding me just how awesome the pocket is. Look at that screen, it’s brilliant.
Now I guess, I just need to get a clear one and I can walk away from this little obsession.
Replacement Game Boy Cart Cases (eBay, Buy It Now)
There’s one thing I hate more than loose cartridges… fake cartridge cases. Through the years I have seen some terrible fakes and the rough, sand paper like plastic used, makes my skin crawl. With all the random cartridges I have acquired recently from auctions, I needed a boost in spares, so bought a batch of official ones. I think including shipping, about £1-£1.20 is a fair price for these things if buying out right. I mean, if you buy as part of a bundle then you’d probably get for free with games.
Seen as though every game came with one of these cases, it makes me wonder how so many cartridges over the years have become disconnected with these. Maybe people didn’t see the point in them. I can tell you now, even my 6 year old self had developed a level of OCD for such things.
Ok, this might be one of the biggest weeks of this year by far. I saw an opportunity to buy a console I have always wanted but could never really afford – especially when I was a teenager when it came out. Plus, I continue to let my obsession with Game Boy take the better of me and increased the size of my collection of consoles. Here’s this week’s summary of finds.
Game Boy Pockets – EU Hard Shell Case Edition (eBay Auction)
In the UK, we got the carton boxed Game Boy Pocket editions, which were almost identical to the Game Boy Color releases. But over in mainland EU, it came in a hard plastic case, which also works as a brilliant display solution. Both these guys have Spanish barcodes on them, but as far as I know these were available Italy, France, Germany and Scandinavia too.
As you can see, in one week, I managed to find a Yellow and a Red one. Both were won on auction on eBay for good prices. After my obsession with the Play It Loud DMG hard case, I found these to be a curiosity and wanted to add to my collection. As you can probably tell from many of my adventures, I am a huge Game Boy fan and for me, the Pocket was a huge revolution for enjoying my existing cartridge collection. Not only do I still find the form factor the best of the GB family, the screen is bigger and super clear and clean. A Pocket with Links Awakening, Donkey Kong and Mario Land 2, was my go to for many many years.
I’m hoping at some point I will be able to add more to this hard shell range of Pockets. Maybe the Blue and Clear Pockets. Man! How dope is the official see through Game Boy Pocket?! Probably my fave handheld of all time.
Panasonic Q GameCube Console (eBay Buy It Now)
If you have never seen this console before, then you might not appreciate why it’s so valuable. It was only ever released in Japan and is basically in one little box, a Nintendo GameCube and DVD system. Literally inside is two separate pieces of hardware sharing the same disk drive. Panasonic made the optical drives for the Nintendo GameCube and as part of the deal, were allowed to create their own premium version of the console and this is it. They were crazy expensive when released and as not many sold, have increased in value, due to collector nerds like myself.
I picked this one up for a fair price, that is probably a third, or at least half of what it should be… because it has issues. Not only do I have to find the controller, remote and other elements, it does need some internals replaced and repaired too. But, it works, and is otherwise in pretty decent overall condition.
So this purchase is going to be a little project of mine to work on and restore as and when I can get the bits I need. I will be starting a dedicated article feed and video serious on my YouTube channel about the progress of this restoration process. Which you can find here on RandallMedia. https://www.randallmedia.co.uk/retro/panasonic-q-restoration/
Nintendo 64 Clear Blue & White Controller (eBay Buy It Now)
From the same seller as the Panasonic Q, I managed to pick up this loose controller for the legendary Nintendo 64. This is to pair up with my unboxed clear blue N64 console, which is my go to N64 to play on. Although coming to think of it, I am not so certain if my unboxed N64 is the funtastic clear blue, or the Mario pack clear blue and white. This controller is the latter, having the ice blue top and ice white at the bottom. I may have made a booboo here actually. Oh well, they’ll look dope together anyways.
I know I don’t write about the N64 much at the moment, but rest assured it is one of my faves. It’s just I go through phases and focus from platform to platform. Maybe one day I will do an overview video on what my N64 collection looks like in total.