T-shooting MP3/CD player and TV/DVD player with similar problems

I have a portable cd/mp3 player that started acting erratically, before it appeared to stop working. It would fast forward, or stop for no apparent reason, almost as though someone were controlling it remotely. Now I only get the message, **No disc,** though I've cleaned the lens, and tried various CD's. This CD/mp3 player does not have a remote control.

I also have a TV/DVD player, that has started to act like the portable CD/mp3 player. Though the display shows "Reading;" before stopping, or shutting off. When it fast forwards, stops, or shuts-off, the display does not change - - as I see when I use the remote. This one has a remote, though it appears to be infrared, which I (think is directional, nor goes through walls.) These occurraces have occurred when unit faces various directions, and in various rooms.

I don't think the house nor appliances are haunted. Is there a way that some type of remote was installed? Does anyone know of a radio frequency (rf) that will travel a distance (possibly 1/4 mile) go through walls, and mimic an infrared remote? If there is some type of remote added to it where should I look AND what should I look for?

Jwin.com the mfg, does not show a software update for this TV/DVD player.

What can I test check, to find or better solve the problem?

Thank-you in advance, Jon Q.

Both items are notorious for bad lasers. On the portable player, you can just check that the turntable hasn't moved down the shaft slightly, which is common, particularly if it is the type that has three little balls or plastic claws requiring that the disc is pushed down and 'clicked' onto the turntable. The clearance between the underside of the turntable and the surrounding plastic is usually of the order of 0.5 to 1mm on such players.

As for the DVD player in the TV, about all you can do is to check if it plays CDs ok. If it does, then the chances are that its laser is u/s. In my experience (I see a lot from a guy that buys up customer returns by the pallette-load, and most are new or almost new) the DVD deck is a fully enclosed and integrated 'lump' a bit like a computer drive, and is not intended to be hardly removed in a lot of cases, let alone dismantled and repaired ...

What is probably happening on both players, is that the tracking or focus servos are losing lock, and the skipping is their attempt to regain lock. Not much help, I'm afraid, but likely to be the answer.

Arfa