Philips DVP-3140 Servo Adjustment - Service menu?

trouble tracking discs. It will frequently freeze/mute on both DVDs and CDs, followed by the pickup thrashing about. It will eventually find where it left of and continue playing. Some discs worse than others.

pots to adjust. It's got a big 200 pin flat pack Zoran ZR36966ELCG DVD processor. No information available on the chip.

I could find on the web is how to change the region code, and the service manual doesn't mention a service mode. The troubleshooting guides in the manual just say "replace loader" (transport assembly) for tracking problems.

board, verified all supply voltages correct and clean, replaced the laser pickup (tried two different ones), ribbon cable, and spindle / sled motor assembly (also comes with a pickup installed). The power supply and transport from this player work perfectly in another identical player I have.

formatted shows from download sites, and has been discontinued, so I'd appreciate any help on getting it going again. Are you sure the optics aren't dirty? This will produce the type of symptoms you describe. Cleaning disks with "eyebrow" brushes or a gently applied cleaning solution may fix your problem.

Mike, You've checked everything I would have except one. If any chips are running hot, a heat sink or small fan may help keep it going. Manufacturers push those components hard. I've seen computer mobos die for the same reason. Just a thought...

Ray

trouble tracking discs. It will frequently freeze/mute on both DVDs and CDs, followed by the pickup thrashing about. It will eventually find where it left of and continue playing. Some discs worse than others.

pots to adjust. It's got a big 200 pin flat pack Zoran ZR36966ELCG DVD processor. No information available on the chip.

I could find on the web is how to change the region code, and the service manual doesn't mention a service mode. The troubleshooting guides in the manual just say "replace loader" (transport assembly) for tracking problems.

board, verified all supply voltages correct and clean, replaced the laser pickup (tried two different ones), ribbon cable, and spindle / sled motor assembly (also comes with a pickup installed). The power supply and transport from this player work perfectly in another identical player I have.

formatted shows from download sites, and has been discontinued, so I'd appreciate any help on getting it going again. Allsop make a great cleaning disk with little brushes shaped like eyelashes which do a very effective cleaning job. Direct cleaning with lens cleaning solution is even better if you can do it very gently and not distort the lens / pickup assembly.

See:

A weak laser is a major cause of tracking problems. If cleaning the laser optics doesn't fix the problem, you might need to look for a replacement optical system, or a complete drive mechanism.

optics doesn't fix the problem, you might need to look for a replacement o= ptical system, or a complete drive mechanism.

I've already tried two new laser pickups, and a replacement subassembly con= taining the pickup, spindle & sled motors, with only slight changes in perf= ormance. (I've had two spindle motor failures between the two machines I ha= ve.) I also took the complete drive assembly from an identical working play= er and installed it in this one and still have the same problems. =20

That's why I'm looking for a service menu in order to adjust the servo gain= s/offsets. The older players had pots for this.

Mike

player (similar models DVP-3142 & > -3144)that has trouble tracking discs. = Mike, You've checked everything I would have except one. If any chip= s are running hot, a heat sink or small fan may help keep it going. Manufac= turers push those components hard. I've seen computer mobos die for the sam= e reason. Just a thought... Ray

There are two hot-running chips on that board: the 200+ pin Zoran processor= and an Amtek AM5888S motor / coil driver. I'll give them a shot of freeze= spray and see if anything changes. It probably won't, since the player be= haves the same from a cold start to when it's warmed up. I may try to loca= te one of those motor driver ICs. There's no signal processing in there, bu= t maybe one of the servo coil drivers has developed a non-linearity.

Mike

I think I would look at power supply issues - high frequency ripple, regulation issues, etc.

This is extremely common on modern players.

No reason the servo board would have gone so far out of adjustment.

Mark Z.