Startup Problem w/CDP Okyo DX-6810

This model is not listed on the US Onkyo servicer's web site. Having replaced the pickup may have introduced another problem, mainly that most new pickups have a "solder short" which consists of two adjacent foil pads soldered together so as to short out the laser diode and prevent electrostatic damage during transport or handling. This solder bridge, if it exists in your model, must be unsoldered for the new pickup to work.

Mark Z.

Mark,

I didn't use a new pickup. The "original" is still up and running, it just needed a new lens. To make sure that it has no other faults, I swapped it with another one from a Sony-player I found laying around in our workshop. The Sony played fine w/the Onkyo-pickup and the Onkyo still showed the same behaviour. The DX uses a KSS210A while the Sony is equipped w/a KSS150A. Should've mentioned that; shame on me. Hopefully you've got another idea.

Best regards, Lasse

You had said:

"> Here's what I've tried up to now:

OK, then. They weren't new parts. Muddies the water still. If the spindle motor's platter height is off, focus will fail. The height at which the disc sits is critical. Could have a clamping problem, and I've seen some Onkyo models have a cracked wormscrew gear which caused erratic playing and startup problems.

Mark Z.

The new spindle motor came mounted on the supporting chassis with a new pulley already assembled. I think that the height is correct. Since the player behaves like before, the old motor should be still ok an not the cause for the problem. How can I check the focus? AFAIK that's what the FE-Pin is for, but there is nothing to worry about. I've seen that signal clipping in other players but that is not the case here.

What is that?

There is no wormscrew in this one...

Lasse

I think you are going to need a service manual for this one.

The clamper is that portion of the mechanism which maintains the physical contact of the disc to the spindle motor platter.

The FE is the Focus Error test point. Irrelevant until the unit is playing.

You originally said the unit just needed a new lens. Did you actually have any playing problems? The KSS-150 and 210 are interchangeable, but an old one you had laying around could have problems of it's own.

Might be a good idea to put everything back to original configuration and start over.

Mark Z.

I found one to download. Besides adjustment of focus and tracking there's not much to read :(. W/out having the described test disc I tried to do the measurements as far as possible. The results are quite much the same.

That's what it does. It's running free, isn't vibrating and doesn't slip over. Seems ok to me.

Yes. Actually that's what I did: I carefully popped out the old, blind one and replaced it with a clear one from an old pickup which had a weak laser. I glued it in place and checked if everything else is still ok. The lens is still moveable, I didn't break any of the plastic supportings. The coils are also working, checked that with a little AC. I watched the eye pattern before and after lens change. The only difference I noticed was a HF-voltage gain of about 40%.

Nope. I got this player with the problem it is currently having.

It might be old, but the player where I got it from is still ok! As I said, that player also works fine with my new-lens onkyo pickup, but the onkyo still shows the same error.

I don't have the old lens and spindle motor anymore. Besides that everything's still original.

Lasse

I found one to download. Besides adjustment of focus and tracking there's not much to read :(. I tried to do the described measurements as far as that was possible w/out that test disc and the results were quite much the same. Maybe that's misleading?

That's what it does. It's running free, isn't vibrating and doesn't slip over. Seems ok to me.

Yes. Actually that's what I did: I carefully popped out the old, blind one and replaced it with a clear one from an old pickup which had a weak laser. I glued it in place and checked if everything else is still ok. The lens is still moveable, I didn't break any of the plastic supportings. The coils are also working, checked that with a little AC. I watched the eye pattern before and after lens change. The only difference I noticed was a HF-voltage gain of about 40%.

Nope. I got this player with the problem it is currently having.

It might be old, but the player where I got it from is still ok! As I said, that player also works fine with my new-lens onkyo pickup, but the onkyo still shows the same error.

I don't have the old lens and spindle motor anymore. Besides that everything's still original.

Lasse

I think we're not communicating well. I did go back to your first post, so my question is answered, however.

I have seen on some older Onkyo's that the laser will focus but if the inside (limit) switch has not been actuated, will just sit there and spin. The one I'm thinking of did not die after 3-4 seconds, but might be worth keeping in mind. Also, if somehow the disc rotation is backwards, like if the polarity of the disc motor is wrong, you will see no difference in the eye pattern, but the decoder IC will not be able to lock on. Speaking of the decoder IC, it could be suspect at this point, especially if it's a CXD2500 type - there were lots of problems with those.

Mark Z.

That switch is also ok and working well.

No, the direction is correct.

Unfortunately it's one of those :(. I think that this will be the player's epitaph. I'm not willing to try and replace such an IC, provided it's still available. Mark, thank you very much for your help and suggestions!

Cheers, Lasse