Sony DAV 550 DVD player kaput

[jenevers]

I keep getting “Can’t play” displayed on this DVD player which has been really good over the last 10 years or so. It’s not covered in the fault finding section of the manual. So can anyone suggest a solution or recommend a decent replacement? ( I dont want to replace the 5 speakers and woofer, just a new player)

[dor]

Upgrade to a Blue Ray player, or even 4K, while you are at it.

 

I’ve always been happy with Panasonic, though their build quality seems to have gone downhill recently. After that I would go for Samsung, then LG.

[WotEver]

If you’re feeling really adventurous, open up the case and use a can of compressed air to clean the laser and lens. If it doesn’t work now, what have you got to lose?

 

Alternatively you can pick one up 2nd hand off Gumtree, Ebay etc. I saw a complete system for £25 on Gumtree last year. 

[sans allumette]

2 hours ago, jenevers said:

DVD player

 

How's about one of these? They just cost 4 x beer tokens each. Possibly worth a punt?

 

 

 

 

 

[Boater Sam]

Clean the laser lens with vodka or clear alcohol, IPA, on a cotton bud. 99 times out of 100 it will be working then. 

[WotEver]

51 minutes ago, sans allumette said:

 

How's about one of these? They just cost 4 x beer tokens each. Possibly worth a punt?

Link doesn’t work

[sans allumette]

55 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Link doesn’t work

You are so right! Mea culpa

 

Try this unobfuscated version: https://www.amazon.co.uk/DVD-Lens-Cleaner-Compact-Disc/dp/B0021Y57PQ

[jenevers]

3 hours ago, WotEver said:

If you’re feeling really adventurous, open up the case and use a can of compressed air to clean the laser and lens. If it doesn’t work now, what have you got to lose?

 

Alternatively you can pick one up 2nd hand off Gumtree, Ebay etc. I saw a complete system for £25 on Gumtree last year. 

Good point. Nothing to lose.

will give it a go next week.

[David Mack]

16 hours ago, Boater Sam said:

Clean the laser lens with vodka or clear alcohol, IPA, on a cotton bud. 99 times out of 100 it will be working then. 

 

Not sure that cleaning the lens with beer will work.

?

[Boater Sam]

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

 

Not sure that cleaning the lens with beer will work.

?

I just knew some drunkard would make that connection, Isopropanol alcohol is the intended and don't drink it, it will kill you!

[WotEver]

If you really must use IPA then ensure that you’re in a well ventilated area. 

[cuthound]

14 minutes ago, WotEver said:

If you really must use IPA then ensure that you’re in a well ventilated area. 

 

I've often used IPA in crowded pubs with limited ventilation and only suffered from a hangover the next day ?

[WotEver]

6 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

I've often used IPA in crowded pubs with limited ventilation and only suffered from a hangover the next day ?

[jenevers]

On 05/09/2019 at 20:25, jenevers said:

Good point. Nothing to lose.

will give it a go next week.

 

On 05/09/2019 at 17:00, WotEver said:

If you’re feeling really adventurous, open up the case and use a can of compressed air to clean the laser and lens. If it doesn’t work now, what have you got to lose?

 

Alternatively you can pick one up 2nd hand off Gumtree, Ebay etc. I saw a complete system for £25 on Gumtree last year. 

Took the case apart but couldn't see where the laser was due to it being covered up. Looked V complicated to dismantle so I'll get a head cleaner and see what happens.

Weirdly though, the instruction manual states " Do not use a commercially available CD/DVD cleaning disc. It may cause a malfunction" !!!!?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

51 minutes ago, jenevers said:

Took the case apart but couldn't see where the laser was due to it being covered up. Looked V complicated to dismantle so I'll get a head cleaner and see what happens.

Once you do get it apart, the laser lens is on a bit that moves radially out from the spindle that the DVD rotates on. Here is an example. It may well look different on yours, but the lens will be a small clear thing on a moving section that can scan over the DVD as it rotates.

Jen

 

 

[jenevers]

3 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Once you do get it apart, the laser lens is on a bit that moves radially out from the spindle that the DVD rotates on. Here is an example. It may well look different on yours, but the lens will be a small clear thing on a moving section that can scan over the DVD as it rotates.

Jen

 

 

Thanks I'll have another look?

[jenevers]

No go with the disc cleaner. "Can't read" ?

[WotEver]

35 minutes ago, jenevers said:

No go with the disc cleaner. "Can't read" ?

Sadly there’s so much plastic in these things it could be anything. There’s a long thin lead screw which the laser sits astride   (It’s what moves the laser across the disc) and they can become sticky, bearings can wear, motors can fail. However, have you tried giving it a good blow into all the crevices with a can of compressed air as I suggested?

[jenevers]

4 hours ago, WotEver said:

Sadly there’s so much plastic in these things it could be anything. There’s a long thin lead screw which the laser sits astride   (It’s what moves the laser across the disc) and they can become sticky, bearings can wear, motors can fail. However, have you tried giving it a good blow into all the crevices with a can of compressed air as I suggested?

No but thats my next course of action