I am looking for a DVD player model that has a user accesible test mode menu that a service technician would use. We would like to be able to make measurements of the DVD player's electronics in various test modes. The purpose is for use in a class where we are teaching how CD and DVD players work.
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Kevin
Most of the Sonys from a couple of years back had a full blown accessible auto setup and auto diagnostic mode. I guess their current ones probably do as well. I can't remember ever having seen a CD player with any visually displayed test mode as such, although Pioneer players used to have a test mode where various functions could be actioned manually ie run the sled miotor, run the spindle motor, force the laser on, force continuous focus seek etc.
But what is the mileage in this ? Modern DVD players - even the better quality ones - are seldom worth repairing, even if the service info and parts are available. Service assistance from the manufacturer usually isn't. Most DVD faults are related to the optical block, which isn't difficult to diagnose, but either isn't available as a spare, or is prohibitively expensive. Next most common problem is power supply, particularly electrolytics. Any other fault, is unlikely to be resolvable, with 'standard' bench equipment, and limited knowledge, unless it's a software problem that is known, and for which the manufacturer has a patch. It is very rare to actually get into a player with a meter to measure voltages.
CD player faults are almost always optical block, power supply, or mechanical. Optical blocks can be had for most makes at a reasonable price, so they are worth repairing, but with the notable exception of Pioneer players, most these days do not have any setups that are intended to be measured or adjusted.
Arfa
Arfa, thanks for the information.
I purchased the service manual for a cheap Sony DVD Player, DVP-NS57P for $7.99, which I downloaded from
In "Auto Adjust" mode - usually option 0 - some of the Sony models used to tell you what they were doing on the screen such as "focus offset adjust" , whilst others just got on with it, and only told you whether a test and adjustment of a parameter set, had passed or failed. The ones which told you what was going on, used to put up a table of results at the end, which was very useful for assessing the state of the laser. Most of the adjustments ranged in value from 00 to FF, so you were usually looking for a setting somewhere around the middle of that range, 2F or so. Any that came up significantly different from that sort of value, usually indicated trouble. It was interesting to see the differences in focus offset value that the diagnostics had calculated, for layer 0 and layer 1.
If the players that you have ordered have this kind of display, you should be able to use it as a good illustration in your classes.
Arfa
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