DVD PLAYER SERVICING BASICS

In this video I show you how to tackle some of the most problematic DVD problems. How to clean the optical pickup lens, How to lube the turntable spindle motor and to clean a slipping belt. If you would like to make a donation to support my video efforts go to www.paypal.me/... thanks for your support.

[@justinmadrid8165]

This was the best explanation I could find among many, many. Great approach, clear and coherent explanation; good pace with no waste of time. Thank you!

[@frankpitochelli6786]

Steve, I used to clean the belt pulleys with the acetone as well. Good job, and glad to see you making videos again... Hadn't seen you for over a couple yrs awhile ago. Best wishes.

[@soothsayer2406]

Great Video!! lubricate the gears!!! put the belt in hot water to shrink it a little after cleaning it, Lubricate the slide bars.....

[@THOMMGB]

I just fixed a Panasonic Blu-Ray player where the tray wouldn’t open. The belt was a bit stretched and had acquired a “set” in the rubber after sitting for a long time. The belt was not gummy or cracked. I boiled a small amount of water in my microwave and let the belt sit for about 10 minutes or so. Solved the problem and it works perfectly now. - Thomas. Also, if the belt is gummy, you can clean the goo off with isopropyl alcohol.

[@SoCal9705]

Thanks NorCal, my dvd player was freezing and skipping. I cleaned the lens with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab. I didn't even have to disassemble it, just reached under with the cotton swab. Works good now! Maybe next time i'll go for the full maintenance program.

[@ramiroflores3328]

Mr. Nor cal 715 i will love to see you maken videos on vintage radio and tv you are a very skill person and i love your videos.

[@chizick14]

Thanks for the video. I used 99% Isopropyl on the lens and denatured alcohol on the belt. This pos DVD player cost me nothing back in the day but is worth fixing vs joining it's brothers in the landfill.

[@humanvideosponge4529]

This is a good instructional video (Though I guess as others have said, it might be better to use alcohol) and this probably goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway). Do this only if you have to. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Some people will watch a video like this and even though their player is working fine, they'll think "Hmmmm. I think I'll clean mine just to be on the safe side". Just to be on the safe side, don't do it unless you're getting a lot of errors and skipping and you're sure it's not scratched or dirty disks. You probably won't damage the mechanism or the lens if you follow this video exactly but they are delicate parts and you could damage them easily. Decent DVD players are getting a little harder to find and this one isn't half bad so if you have one of these, you don't want to kill it prematurely. It's a digital reading system so if you don't see/hear errors or skipping, you won't improve the picture or sound quality one bit by cleaning it. I don't post this to be an annoying know it all. Just that I've had those moments where I thought I was gonna make things better and I did something slightly wrong and screwed the whole thing up and made a pile of junk out of something that would have lasted years.

[@CincinnatiPR]

well said thx

[@palacem946]

Thanks a lot, your demonstration are very to much accepted on how to maintain a good servicing the appliances.👍👍👍👍👍

[@michaelfeeney8437]

Thanks for posting this video, as it was particularly useful since you needed to take the disc assembly out to access the laser from underneath. Some appear to be in a sealed plastic casing with no access, but I could see how you could unclip the unit from the underside. I’m going to have to tackle my Panasonic DMR 530 blu ray again, after it refuses to read any dvds whatsoever. Originally I prised off the disc spindle and gained access at an angle to the twin lasers. But you couldn’t get enough purchase on it to clean it properly, but I believe your video might have helped solve my problem. Thanks.

[@m.gsredaws1161]

Very good and clear explanation from "NorCal" ! Iove it. Very helpful. Best Regards from Theo, The Netherlands.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

These units are honestly all you’ll ever need if you have a smaller 720p 32” tv like my LG, where blu-ray won’t make a difference. Really good for $35, and nice looking. They work with CDs as well. They still make them, too. My only complaint is they run a little noisy, but my old 5.1 sound system drowns it out. I love these where you can retrieve the disc without power, my 2003 Toshiba can do the same thing. Side note: the fuse on these can go out, but it is super easy to solder one on.

[@MaximumCarne]

You see no difference between dvd and blu-ray on a 32 inch tv? Umm, you need glasses 🤓

[@rocamontana]

Weekend at Bernie's? Added to "To watch" list. Was looking for external dvd writer maintenance and found this, obviously everything is analog. Thanks a lot.

[@norcal715]

One of my favorite underrated movies.

[@CarolinaMiC]

Great video. I have a Samsung DVD-V3500 vcr dvd combo where the Disc starts spinning slow...then spins up fast...as it's spinning I cab hear a few faint ticks. All the while the screen says loading. After a few ticks it stops spinning and says can't load disc/check disc....any thoughts?

[@bobbailey7235]

Thank you for this very good video-it teaches me what I need to know.

[@davidstark8894]

Great video! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@jessislistless]

Silly me! I thought the belt was just a loose rubber band that had broken under my TV set turns out the DVD player doesn’t work because the belt had snapped 😅 I put this whole thing apart when the major part that was broken was in front of me the whole time. I will be purchasing a new belt and trying again another day.

[@giorgostexnikos6976]

thenks for this video.excelent.more like this video ser.thenk for your time.

[@mariushmedias]

Any particular reason you're not using Isopropyl alcohol to clean the lens and the rubber? I imagine it's a much safer solvent, as the cleaning solution has detergents and other substances that could leave residue on the lens or on plastics and other components inside. Do you think there's any point in applying a bit of oil on the plastic teeth of the various wheels inside and on the side plastic bit (used to pull tray in and out)?

[@act1no]

Using isopropyl alcohol is just right. Remember, be careful when you're using cotton swabs gently do the cleaning process. I had fixed my Xbox 360 drive a few days ago. I'm a happy gamer now :D Sometimes, it's not the laser problem - it's the chassis (rails) where laser unit grinding 24/7, lol. They need to adjust screws slightly. There's one of the rails (left or right, mine is left side) that should be higher than the other because the drive only works on the right angle. But remember how much you turn the screws if you want to go back when you start. I made that mistakes. I had to have to mess around back and forth to understand what was wrong with it. That's it. Sorry if my message is late. Maybe my info will be useful in a situation with drives in someday for you. Good luck!

[@osmanortiz2735]

thank you for the excellent information

[@rayogaro503]

Excellent crash course, I will try this at home. Shame about the back ground noise

[@GadgetUK164]

Great job! I want to watch Weekend at Bernies now lol

[@kikisoftclip9738]

I have a little gear in the load mechanism that doesnt want to stay on its post. Do you have any recommendations for how to keep it down?

[@petersummers5728]

Thanks buddy, I give it a try,

[@anjanpatowaryvlogs7465]

Neat & Clean Demonstration.

[@Alkax14]

Good Job, interesting your demonstration

[@paulaungiers8734]

An advert on amazon for Electcom dvd player says, "Anti-shock protection ensures for dvd player that you have nothing but uninterrupted viewing pleasure as it reads ahead, and provides a smooth, reliable viewing experience" I have a dvd -RW which my Sony DVP 760H always freezes on. Fearing the disc to be warped, I keep pressing it between two pieces of glass. It works a little better but not totally cured! I shall keep pressing! Would "Anti-shock... reading ahead", as described above, be capable of playing my -RW problem disc? In short I am wanting a dvd player I can trust to always play without 'freezing'. I can't relax when I play a dvd - I fear it will stall or freeze. Should I trust "Anti-shock... reading ahead" mechanism, please?

[@jddeefo1022]

I have a Samsung DVD-6700. The disc will not load. With the cover off the DVD reverses and spins in one direction than reverses direction. The unit is clean inside.

[@whodatdere1]

This is a great video. Is there any benefit to lubing up the rails/gears on the optical assembly, and "sled"? Figure since a person is already lubing and cleaning every other "moving" part, if that would also help the longevity of the unit. When I worked at an electronics place many years ago, we always cleaned off most of the old grease from the plastic gears (especially in VCR's) and greased them up again. Is this actually necessary?

[@norcal715]

I would say yes it is important to clean and relube all the surfaces

[@hectorcorona9536]

What grease and oil do you use/recommend?

[@michaelfeeney8437]

Yes, while you have access to everything, clean what you can including those sliders. The assembly can stick eventually giving a No Read message. A light oil was recommended to me which you can soak into the bushes so the assembly just glides along smoothly.

[@mikeshefton]

getting a "cannot play this disk" message on a Sony DVP-FX DVP FX820 will not play any disk. I applied some silicone lube and cleaned the lens...still, nothing.

[@Explore-Gobal]

I would wager that those impurities from the belt you mention are the belt slowly dissolving in the acetone. Leave the belt in acetone long enough and it will completely dissolve.

[@norcal715]

How long is long enough? I'll do it in a sealed container and test that theory!

[@Melodie007]

Good video, thanks so much

[@goose4150]

I have a Kenwood one and there is a magnet that is under the upper clamp, that silver disc above the assembly. That magnet is kinda exploded but is it really essential? Can't I just remove it? Because the player still fires up but ever so often freezes the dvd

[@norcal715]

The magnet is what clamps the disc to the platter. Without it will just contact the disc with friction and the servo will not be able to correct.

[@crapcbm]

not cleaning the wheels after cleaning the belt? not cleaning the magnet disc? not cleaning the slidemechanism / oiling it? no drop of oil to the gears?

[@jma6412]

Come on dude... He's been in the business for 30+ years. You just have to watch one of his videos to confirm he knows his stuff. You are simply nit picking like a 15 year old punk, hoping to draw some attention to your stupid comment. And by the way.... let me correct you about a few points. You don't want to lubricate anything unless it's strictly necessary. Number one rule in the repair business. Many people has screwed things up just by lubricating stuff that didn't need it. And you use grease to lubricate gears, not oil.

[@crapcbm]

​@@jma6412 oh and you are the one and only expert. My apologies. I don't need attention - but it seems you do. And btw I know his other videos, where he does better work.

[@jma6412]

@@crapcbm I'm not the one who spends his time posting stupid things on the Internet, trying to teach the pros how to do their stuff... who's the troll here? And by the way... giving a thumbs up to your own comments is PATHETIC lol

[@crapcbm]

@@jma6412 how boring .. you still do it again ... so what... you're again expose yourself as a useless troll.. Whats your point? Just My Arse. And I don't need to give me self a thumbs up, if that would work ... go back under your stone u moron.

[@a68k_de]

Don't feed the trolls and don't waste your time, crapcbm! Stupid people also have a right to exist. But leave them in their little beautiful world.

[@cryptopana1]

good video dude, thanks for that information

[@petenamlook18]

I'm curious as to why didn't you lubricate the sled rails while you were inside. Enjoyed the video.

[@norcal715]

NorCal715 • 1 second ago just getting used to the new camera. That part didn't record. I thought no one would notice. Glad you did!

[@seckin9640]

Thank you man👍

[@dereksmith5019]

I have a Sony DVP SR500H that is freezing for a few seconds at variable places , I first ran the DVD in a different player and determined the DVD was not the problem . I then did what the video said to do except cleaning the belt , I could not get the tray open . Put together and play , it still freezes up as before . I guess i'm shopping for a new player , thanks for this anyway .

[@norcal715]

Sorry, I am not familiar with that model.

[@Diabolik771]

I tried and it played for about 10 minutes then froze. I tried another (a DVD I thought "died") and it sounded like a 2 stroke dirtbike. It's not fixed.

[@georgeglas68]

What kind of oil did you use on motor?

[@norcal715]

Its is turbine oil, Zoom spout oiler. www.amazon.com/Supco-M098-G84-620-Purpose-Precision/dp/B00DM8JK2G

[@georgeglas68]

They don't sell that oil in the UK.

[@richardrattos8511]

Brilliant !

[@tjm6753]

Hello where can I buy a power supply board for a protron DVD recorder

[@maribelrh5457]

Interesting I will try, Tks

[@SoumyaRanjan-jd5gj]

Super

[@jasonsmith3573]

this is more like what not to do. The lens assembly is delicately poised and being rough like this when cleaning it can easily dislodge it. Also use something that evaporates fully like acetone or second best isopropyl alcohol or methylated spirits. Never us window cleaner.

[@samsungtablet1445]

Dear sir I AM USING ......CAR SCREEN WIPES EXTERIOR on on LENS .....sing on cantact cables scart 3.5 etc BBUT IT WORKS ....vodka from bin in park will do many players.....after 20 years I am not IPA .METHALATED spirit . LIGHTER FLUID

[@norcal715]

That makes my brain hurt.

[@samsungtablet1445]

At 4 minutes 30 onwards ....I AM USING SALIVA ,. SPIT THUUK in hindhi... I FOLD PAPER WET WITH SPIT SALIVA AND PUSH INTO MOTOR BUSHING .....also gears white AND THE TWO RAILS METAL guide rails ....this is amazing magic especially for vocal singing .....repeat every 5 minute ....REPEAT EVERY 5 MINUTES ....this is why they had twin turntables .,.,so the dj could lubricate the other turntable.... I AMUSING A TURNTABLE WITH BEARINGS 3 OFF

[@notajp]

What if you have a DVD player that plays audio cds but won’t even see a dvd? And yes, I did clean the lens.

[@norcal715]

Some DVDs had a separate laser for the DVD and CD. I had a Panasonic that I bought brand new when DVDs came out in the late 90s that quit reading DVDs. It was a bad laser.

[@keilana6]

I'm not taking anything apart. It's a new Sony. I'd mess it up.

[@antoniograncino3506]

Not a good practice to touch belts with bare fingers: finger oil on belts wold be counter-productive. Also recommend a smidgen of light-duty contact cleaner on the ribbon cable connectors

[@amilcarmunhoboa9666]

Thanks...

[@ThePreyMantas]

Why did you stop halfway on the lubrication? Granted cheap dc motors and fan bearings will always dry out and require some TLC and you jumped through hoops to lube the motor rotor and I was expecting you to, while you had the oil in your hand and looking at the unit, give a pro-active swipe to the rails. Other than that, that's how you do it! Nice job on a rather neglected abused little dvd player.

[@norcal715]

just getting used to the new camera. That part didn't record. I thought no one would notice. Glad you did!

[@ThePreyMantas]

@@norcal715 Hey, great. You'll have it down in no time with those mad skills of yours. :) When your AR you notice things. Glad they did get some love, it was a good service job.

[@AZTEC_ARTS2023]

My player just stays on "load" .... It doesn't "play" .... ?

[@MrMac5150]

Great

[@hansu-nihon]

Acetone on a rubber belt??? Not a good idea, it will make the belt deteriorate faster. Acetone is a hard solvent.

[@killmore75]

It's a $5 DVD player Hans

[@hansu-nihon]

@@killmore75 Oof! ok then :-)

[@killmore75]

@@hansu-nihon : )

[@norcal715]

like I said I have been using acetone since the early 80s and my belts cleaned with acetone last sometimes longer that new belts do

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

Nope, it is $35 at Best Buy. Really nice for the money too.

[@jma6412]

Weekend at Bernie's hahaha. Terrific movie.

[@galimirnund6543]

This didn't work for me. The disc just doesn't spin. Maybe the motor is bad... thanks for the video though!!

[@norcal715]

Sorry to hear that

[@AaronKimmins]

Weekend at Bernie's?

[@v.a.chieco3052]

My DVD recorder Samsung is just not reading discs in gonna try cleaning but i got no faith.

[@randellmathews5961]

Did it work?

[@daviddavidsonn3578]

I would replace the belt, they cost a few cents.

[@Bobby-r9k]

a new one is like 65 dollars. I would just buy a new one

[@jfruds]

A sony with a samsung dvd lens

[@briang.7206]

Good job dislike acetone the owner used it but the smell bothered me.

[@SwooshyDelo]

Optical media bad

[@chass5438]

:20: Trash It ! They're cheap !

[@chass5438]

Edit: I had a Sony AND an LG, and Both Rattled like a Bitch, so I got a 2002 Sony player that's the bigger one's and it's as quiet as can be.

[@chucklou118]

Work on that “high talking “, end a sentence properly