So, my Panasonic Q is scratching discs. Doing some internet research, I've discovered the problem. It appears there's a chrome-plated ring in the drive and this chrome will flake off in time. Poor design choice.
Even more baffling, since you can't ever actually see inside the drive.
Anyway, it's scratching the disks from the center ring out, in a straight line. Doesn't seem to be hurting the discs to where they can't be read, but I don't want to take that chance.
So... I've been looking into repair options. I don't trust just anyone with my Q.
I know from second-hand stories (The Q is the only system I've imported. Well, that and my Game Boy Light) that Nintendo of America is very hands-off when it comes to import systems.
But I called anyway.
Spoke to this nice lady who listened intently to my tale of woe. Then put me on hold for about ten minuets. Then came back and told me what I already knew - that I was out of luck.
She DID, however, offer to put me in touch with NCL (that's Nintendo in Japan) via snail mail so we could see if there were any repair options. Even offered to use NoA's services to translate anything I needed translated. While I'm sure this entire process would be pretty awesome to go through, I just really don't want to ship my Panasonic Q overseas. Besides, last time it made a trip into the US, it got held up in customs and I was fearful I would never get it.
Also, I didn't even discuss the fact that it was modded (for "imports" - i.e. US games, not burned discs) - and that's a no-no all by itself. I really don't want to go through a different country and another language to get clearance on that one.
Anyway, I sent a message to our resident repair expert on the forums and a second guy out of Ohio so I can find out what all of my options are.
The promising thing is that it sounds like a pretty easy fix. I considered it myself, but I really, really don't want to break my Q.
Topic: Nintendo may or may not love me... Panasonic Q! (Read 4129 times)
