Official Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD & BDP-51FD Owners Thread / Vs 1.32 DTS-HD MA - Page 1013

Unless your player has had a hardware mod to make it region free for Blu-Ray (quite extensive and usually expensive) then I would suggest it is nothing to do with a region issue.

I think I have mentioned before that it is possibly a dirty lens issue and that it would be worth cleaning the lens by one method or another, it might sound coincidental but we have seen several such coincidences on this thread where unrelated problems have occurred at the same time. As vader1515 has posted (good post by the way) probably the best way to clean the lens is manually, others have used a cotton bud for this purpose probably the first damped in isprophyl alchohol and the second dry, but note this should be done with care. The other method as mentioned by others is to use a commercially available lens cleaner I believe these can be obtained in both wet and dry versions but make sure it is one intended for Blu-Ray drives and with brushes, some sold for DVD/CD lens cleaners have extended brushes and can damage a Blu-Ray drive lens mechanism.

The additional information you provide on the discs that will play really indicate to me that in all normal respects your player is OK interestingly Avatar in particular loads quite a lot of information into the BDMV cache and if you stop the disc part way through and restart it a resume play function comes up after the disc has reloaded. If that is working then I think the lens cleaning is the step to take. I did have a problem with a specific DVD in the past, that froze part way through on the 05 but played OK elsewhere, I ran a Maxell thunderon Blu-Ray cleaner in the player and since then that disc has played OK.

Going to be interesting with Skyfall, out here Monday it will be played in the main system but I will try it in the 05 and see what happens and of course report back:D.

I think b curry comment on maybe we will get a firmware update is very valid, I have mentioned this before and we will see whether Pioneer are still functioning on a proper level, there is certainly no movement on the firmware front on the European site and I believe this is where most firmware updates originate these days, even the Japanese site has updated in the past after Europe.

The above is encouraging. I have no qualms about cleaning the lense manually and will give it a go later. The resume feature on Avatar is working, I might add. I started it one evening and popped it out. Then later decided to try it again and it picked up right at the point I ejected it. It seems from what you say that is a good sign. Once I've cleaned the lense I'll report back!

Cheryl

I am pretty sure this is the case, if you clear the cache after ejecting Avatar then the resume function does not work, I have done this several time in the past and that is what happened. This would indicate that the BDMV cache is working properly which is one of the concerns I actually had and meant to highlight, my thought was that although the card was OK maybe the chain feeding the card was broken in your case it would appear not to be, which is great. Look forward to hearing how you get on, do treat the lens very carefully.

Well Skyfall eventually arrived, expecting problems I popped the disc in and nearly had heart attack, it was only Dolby Digital. Then realised the BD was hidden behind all the c**p in the case. So swopped out the disc, didn't take too long (surprisingly) and up came the trailers. Hit top menu surprise surpise the menu came up (on many movies they try to force you to watch the trailers). Selected setup and DTS MA and play movie and away it went no hiccups at all.

Skipped a few chapters just to check because we will sit down to watch it tonight and no problems whatsoever. The only things I ever do is make sure the disc is clean and clear the BDMV cache at the end of each movie. The only thing that disappointed me was they did not bother to make it with 7.1 audio.

Interested in finding your results. I tried the lens cleaner disc with the little brushes and the one with the cyclone holes (utter waste of money) and neither worked.
Manually cleaning the lenses was what did the trick for me.

Good luck..

Yep you are right the one with the little cyclone holes is a waste of time, with regard to the ones with brushes a lot will depend on the type of contamination. If it is just dust then they are probably OK, it did work for me. But if the contamination is from cigarette/cigar smoke or similar or dust in a high humidity area then manual cleaning as you did IMO is essential. In charl921's case of course she may not know what the environmental conditions were and as she is prepared to have a go at a manual clean then I think that is the best option for her and I wish her the best of luck

I had problem with the error code "Drive Key Error" or something like that. Picture just freezes and I can't resume after stopping.

So I performed "open heart surgery" on my 51fd. I got the drive out (pro-tip, open the tray while the player is on to remove the attached bezel). I didn't wipe the lens but I gently blew some canned air on it and I have now tried the extended version of Avatar and so far no problem after 2hrs but it's still to early to tell if it has fixed the problem.

Sounds like a good result, I think had I have gone in that far I would have done a manual clean, but it seems as though you have cured the problem and I hope it is a permanent cure.

Nice tip by the way to open the tray take the front bezel off while the player is powered up, although once the top cover is off, it is possible to open the tray manually with a straightened paper clip or similar

Might be a slight difference in design with the EU-model, but the drive itself isn't going anywhere when the bezel is still on. It's basically like a hook on the front and there's now way to access the pinhole. I even tried to remove the front of the player but that didn't do anything.

I've hooked the player up to my PC-monitor and I just let it run. It has played the extended cut of Avatar fully and just finished John Carter. I still had it replaced as my main player last year because I didn't trust it fully but it's nice to have it as a back-up if it will keep running without any hiccups.

But for all I know, removing the IDE-cable and putting it back on the drive might have been what fixed it

Edit: Just to clarify, when I say "bezel" I mean the shiny black part with the Blu-ray logo that cover the tray of the drive, not the black plastic on the drive that is attached with the four little plastic hooks.

Mine is also an EU model, the tray release is inside the player, looking from the front of the player, with the top off it is front left near the bottom of the drive a small hole, there is a diagram posted on page 1012 I think, just a few posts back (No its further back find it here http://www.pioneerfaq.info/images/OpenTraybdplx71.jpg) there are some other posts showing it too. Basically the models are identical world wide with minor differences to the power supply and the actual operating features depending on region which can be modified if you have a service remote by changing a North American model to an EU model etc. Can't remember the full details but they are in this thread somewhere.

You are right the drive won't go anywhere without the bezel off, and I fully agree just reseating the IDE cable may have cured the problem (usual first check on older computers, reseat memory chips,pcb's and drive cables often cures problems). But a very good result if it is a permanent cure which it seems to be and the information you have supplied will be useful to others.
Edited by Rick R - 2/25/13 at 4:12am

I too wouldn't doubt that the reseating of a IDE cable could be good "solution" for a lot of issues that people could be seeing.

Same problem with Taken 2.

Last time I ran Skyfall on the 05 I skipped the intro's, just tried it again and let it run all through, there was a pause just before the main menu which I think said either 'function or format' not supported. This was on screen for just a few seconds then up came the main menu, did the selections and off it went. I curious that most problems seen with this disc appear to be North America, I am not seeing, so far, any complaints from Europe, wonder if this is because it is a different release. Mine is a bought copy, not rented

Rick,

The link isn't working for me, a page pops up saying "Authorization Required."

Have printed out Vader1515's pic pages, but want to be sure to know where the release hole is if I need it.

Thanks,
Cheryl

Yippee!!!!! Cleaning the lense has seemingly solved the problem. The very first disc to give me trouble, a BBC production, is happily playing as I type. Plus... it was willing to load at least two other discs before I started this one. So... this begs the question... how often is the cleaning procedure going to be required? I don't know about it's previous life, but here it has lived in a smoke free home (except when the wood stove acts up, :O) and only has dust to put up with. Anyway, thanks for all the help, you all have been great!



Cheryl

Brilliant news, how often to clean, well mine has only ever been done once with a lens cleaner because of a problem with a specific disk. I would say in a smoke free home, as you are, and if you are careful with your disks eg straight back into the case so they don't get dusty etc. and don't leave the tray open (I open mine take out the disk and shut it immediately again), then I would suggest not for the next four to six years and only then if it has started to play up.

Don't understand about the image it opens for me OK maybe you have got a redirect blocker on your browser or something but not to worry PM'd it to you

Yet another Fox movie that refused to play on my 51FD after the initial Fox splash screen. Life of Pi. However, this time I reloaded the disc and just as the splash screen appeared, I hit NEXT (not FF) and after seeing the splash screen disappear, the main menu loaded.

Does anyone know if a new software update is coming (I'm on 1.72)?

 

 

There is a v1.73: 

• http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/ephox/StaticFiles/PUSA/Files/BDP-05FD_51FD/BDP0551FD_KU_Change_History_PSE_Ver173.txt
• http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Pioneer-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-51FD?tab=firmware

 

I don't think it will make a difference though.  I say this because I was on v1.72 also and was having trouble with some of the Fox titles too.  I loaded v1.73 and it really didn't help.

 

I don't know if anyone has knowledge of any new firmware for these machines.  OTOH, I have been reading about other brand machines having trouble with the latest Fox titles as well.  That is, it's not just the Pioneer machines that are having trouble with some of the new discs.

Nothing yet I can see on firmware updates neither Japan nor Europe, all are showing 1.73. Couple of weeks and it will be a year since the last one. On the other hand I am not having any problems with Fox movies or any other studios productions at the moment.

Hope everything is still OK. Just reflecting on what you have done, and I admire your courage for getting stuck in. I wonder though how many others have dumped these machines when they thought the blue laser was dead when a lens clean might have solved the problem. Due to the difference in wavelength IMO dirt on the lens would affect the blue laser first and if there sufficient build up would block or defract it sufficiently to cause play errors where the red laser would still be working although perhaps reduced in efficiency. Of course this is no solace to those whose red laser has died or those with blue laser problems who didn't attempt a lens clean before dumping the player.

Still playing just fine. Gave it a work out last night, and was sure to dump the cache before shutting down for the evening.

Since it was still playing standard discs I would not have dumped it, plus, I don't give up easily. Not knowing the conditions of it's first home it is hard to say what kind of 'dirt' it may have been subjected to. The wipe did not show any trace of dirt to the human eye, but evidently there was something there. I will surely let all know if it does fail again, "knock on wood."

Cheryl

Thanks for the tip. I was able to get Life of Pi to work using your method (clicking next at the splash screen).

That sounds good, and you are right for what you got it is an excellent disc spinner even it it did not do BD but now you have a first class player albeit a little slower loading than some of the newer players but in all other respects still up with some of the best out there. Now speakers to make the best of it, once you get a full 5.1 system going I think you will be delighted.

Started watching Prometheus on the Pioneer BDP-51FD.
It froze in about the first 10 minutes. I just picked up a
Sony BDP-S390, popped it in and it played through flawlessly.

Putting my Pioneer on Ebay.

Just to add a data point: Prometheus played fine on my 51.

After four and a half years of owning the 51FD, Prometheus is the very first BD movie that will not play
Tried clearing memory cache & powering down, tried 5 times, couldn't get it to load; player says "can't play disc", quickly followed by "unknown disc"
I'm on 1.72, wonder if that 's why?

I love the look and styling of the BDP 51FD, but I have had so many quirky problems with it that I have given up.
So far the Sony works great. And I like the streaming aspect as well. It just feels and looks a little cheesy.
But, I got it for $45.00 on ebay, so what do I have to lose.

Well, uber class 7.1 analog audio out for one.

The excellent audio isn't of much use if the disc can't be read (poor error correction, early laser failures). My 51FD has been collecting dust for quite a while now. Initially replaced it with a Panny 110 which worked flawlessly. Just got the Oppo 105 (analog audio should be even better than the Pioneer). The 51FD was the most disappointing piece of equipment I have ever bought, and I paid full price ($550) when it first came out.

That Oppo has uber class audio out for sure. But that's not what I was referring to. I was referring to the original poster's $45 Sony.

Fortunately I haven't endured a disc that won't play yet. But when I do I think that Oppo is in my future for sure!