My DVD player has died, now i have a problem:(

[[BR] ScuD]

When i bought my Panasonic A350 player back in June i knew i needed to get it modified to play R1 discs fast so after a few write ups in a few mags i decided to go for techtronics to carry out the modification, it cost me £110 including courier pick up and drop off in 5 days.
All was well untill the other week when it refused to play certain discs (dual layer discs) and other started to show signs of digital break up, not good.
Since i had the player modified my original guarantee is worthless so i contacted techtronics. After over 2 WEEKS of phonecalls and emails i finally get through and am told that the laser is on it's way out and that most early Panasonic players have dodgy lasers (along with quite a few other players) that basically give up the ghost at around 6 months or so, not good again.
Now the bad bit, they will NOT fix my player for free as their guarentee only covers their modification and not the player itself but will replace the laser for a whopping £215!!!

I am gutted but there is nothing i can do about it except pay to get it fixed :(

So PLEASE think carefully before you get your player modified as from what i have heard alot of DVD players have faults that can cost a fortune to put right and without that original guarantee you're fecked :(

B4STARD!!!!

ScuD

------------------
james.01@ukdreamcast.com

[Cool Hand Luke]

I would just go and buy a new one m8 god knows what else could go wrong. Get a dvd thats can already play r1 discs or buy a once for your pc and flash it for r1.

[Perseus]

I was fortunate enough to buy a 3 yr warrenty that covers chip and everything. Good player though m8 the Panasonic...I'd go for the rep laser. Cos a decent new player will cost 300+ chipped but will not be as good as what u already have.

[pob0000]

i read a thread over on dvdtimes (i think) about samsung 709s and the matrix.

something like some 709s wouldn't play it, but samsung wouldn't some players as they'd been modified to play R1. that sucks.

its all gay, really.

[Steve J]

The samsung needs it's firmware updating to play matrix (yes even r2)

[pob0000]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica">quote:</font><HR> but samsung wouldn't some player...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

great sentence there pob.

[Manfred]

What is involved in modifying this unit, if you can un-modify it without leaving signs of tampering, your can still use you gaurantee!

[Steve J]

You'd have to be a dab hand with the soldering iron...

[[BR] ScuD]

lol pob :)

regarding the player it's a good idea but to be honest i don't think i'd get away with it, even the slightest tampering voids the warrenty and i'm pretty sure they'd notice.
New laser i suppose :(

ScuD

[Manfred]

What would Techtronics charge to reverse the mod?

[The Original Abaddon]

Pob
The Samsung 709 wouldn't originally play the Matrix on region 1 or Something about Mary on region 2. Samsung have now upgraded the EPROM to make it work properly. Its a 10 minute job and quite a few people have done it themselves. My 709 now plays Matrix etc etc. It didn't make a blind bit of difference that I'd hacked the player to play region 1's it was still sorted out. Best player for the money that you can get. Plays region 1 and 2 and the macrovision is disabled!
Techtronics are poo. They're still trying to flog Multimod chips to Samsung owners despite it being common knowledge that you don't need them. All you need is an Aiwa remote or a One for All. Says it all about their regard for the customer

[~ScuD~]

Things are looking up :)
Update soon

ScuD

[illuvatar]

Chipping a r2 dvd player to play r1 does decrease the life of your dvd player. R1 players run at a higher speed due to the fact that NTSC displays 30fps. R2 players have to be speeded up to accomodate the increased throughput of data and so it means the laser will be getting a bigger workout than it should.

So ive been informed anyhow.

[Gerbil USA]

Yeah, although.. bit of er general knowledge ( and no doubt incorrect ) but NTSC DVDs play back 'speed' is indeed 29.97fps but since every 4th frame is repeated twice it's actual film rate is 23.96fps.. you can check this using the formula (29.97/5)*4

Sorry to hear about your player Scud.

[Gerbil USA]

23.976 even.

[[KDS] ASSASSIN BOB]

WEll, hmmmmmm

My player wasnt all region but before the shop sold it me, they said they would get it modified, they told me all about it.

It seems that nealy all players can play all region but the companies destroy certain software and all that needed doing to mine is the software upgraded.

Seems some people are being fobbed off. When I told him about adding chips he said only the very very old players should need new hardware to play.

Also, I found this out from another souch, nealy all dvd players are made the same but the companies actuially downgrade models and dont downgrade the ones they want to sell for a higher price. Makes you think.

[[KDS] ASSASSIN BOB]

And the upgrade cost me £5

and NO it coudnt play all regions when I bought it before you think they conned me, i dont think companies con you out of fivers anyway :)

[~ScuD~]

Wahay i got it fixed :)

I decided to take the player back to Comet to see if i could get it fixed under the warranty and their engineers never noticed that it had been modified (hats off to techtronics) and basically replaced the entire laser assembly which was apparently fecked beyond repair, it took 2 weeks but got it back today and was well worth it :)

A happy ending http://forums.gameplay.com/ubb/teeth.gif

ScuD