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

[Jon Que Dough]

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.

 

[Arfa Daily]

"Jon Que Dough" <gracias@tenqu.con> wrote in message
news:Xns9D11A008D2CA7JonQueDoe@74.209.130.173...

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