Swapping Panasonic DVD Drives, Compatibility Considerations - Page 2

Today I swapped DVD Drives between a DMR-ES15 (that had a good DVD Drive originally installed in my other DMR-ES35V "parts machine") and DMR-ES35V "6490."

The DVD Drive swap was successful! DMR-ES35V "6490," purchased in 2007 for $15.29, including shipping, as a non-functional "as-is" parts machine, was returned to normal functionality today. DMR-ES35V "6490" is now set up cable ready, also with a Zenith DTT901 connected to IN 1 to provide local ATSC (digital) broadcast channels. A successful test recording was made and recordings have been entered into the schedule menu.

While the original DMR-ES35V "6490" DVD Drive may be problematic, I have not yet checked out its operation in the DMR-ES15 where it now resides.

Photos taken during the DVD Drive swap are attached to this and the next post:

Here is the next group of photos from the DVD Drive swap:

Here are two other photos from the DVD Drive swap:

This is an update. DMR-ES35V "6490" has been recording 3.5 hours each weekday since the DVD Drive swap. Functionality is normal.

The DMR-ES15 that got the problematic DVD Drive from "6490" has been checked out for DVD Drive operation. As before, this DVD Drive plays discs but will not record. This DMR-ES15 has been set aside as a "parts machine."

I should mention that it is not necessary to remove the Panasonic front panel of 2006 and newer models when swapping DVD Drives.

It may be necessary to remove the Panasonic front panel of 2005 and older models when swapping DVD Drives.

If the front panel has been removed from a combo recorder take care to hold the VHS door open when refitting the front panel back to the case. This should correctly align the VHS door lifting mechanism.

Yesterday one of my "daily use" DMR-EZ17 models suffered a DVD Drive laser assembly failure at around 1,523 recording hours. The DVD Drive had recorded satisfactorily earlier in the day but later returned a "no read" message and made the "clunking" "chugging" and "errrp" noises when attempting to read a disc, a common indication of a dirty lens or a failed laser assembly. That DVD Drive had its most recent lens and hub/spindle cleaning on 8/13/2009 so it was determined that a dirty lens was not the cause for the DVD Drive failure.

A "standby" EZ17 was temporarily swapped into its place, setup and configured. The disc in current use was also swapped into the "standby" EZ17, recordings were scheduled and completed and the disc was finalized. (This "standby" EZ17 has a problematic tuner but this was no impediment to its use with a composite input connection from a Comcast STB.)

This morning the "standby" EZ17 was removed from service and its good DVD Drive had a lens and hub/spindle cleaning. The "standby" EZ17 had its most recent DVD Drive lens and hub/spindle cleaning on 10/19/2008. Then that good DVD Drive was swapped into the "daily use" EZ17 that had experienced yesterday's drive failure. The "daily use" EZ17 was then returned to service and recordings have been scheduled. The swapped-in DVD Drive is attributed with 239 recording hours.

The former "standby" EZ17 is now a "parts machine."

Photo one shows the ribbon cable contact strip hinge in the locked position. Photo two shows the hinge in the open position.

Photo three shows a ribbon cable with a damaged contact strip. Sometimes it's necessary to trim back the damaged area as shown in photo four.

Photo five is a comparison of the ribbon cable arrangements for a 2006 DVD Drive at the left and a 2007 DVD Drive at the right.

I don't play DVDs on DVD recorders. After reading the material related to laser hour utilization in Wajo's sticky thread I'm even more convinced that DVD recorder laser assembly longevity is vastly improved by using a DVD recorder only as a DVD recorder.

Avoid using a DVD recorder as a DVD player.

Earlier today a CD Freaks member posted the following YouTube link demonstrating the "chugging" "clunking" and "errrp" noises of the DVD Drive in his DMR-ES35V:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_jRgRtH4mM

Jjeff and I responded with information and advice.

Following the advice the owner cleaned the lens but the "no read" condition and "clunking" continued.

Unfortunately, it appears that that Panasonic's DVD Drive has suffered a laser failure.

The CD Freaks discussion begins with this post:

http://club.cdfreaks.com/f106/fixing...ml#post2433423

The above boldfaced clarification of DVD Drive VXY1945 utilization has been made to the first post in this thread.

Why do the 2006 HDD/DVD models use a different DVD Drive than the "standard" models? The "standard" models record to DVD in "real time" (1x) whereas the HDD/DVD models offer the "high-speed dubbing" feature that may require a DVD Drive optimized for high-speed dubbing in addition to "real time" recording. Perhaps therein lies one difference between DVD Drive models in 2006 model year Panasonic recorders.

A groundbreaking project with a (circa 2003) DMR-E100H DVD Drive is reported in this thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1207391

Wilmorr,

Your successful swap of a good 2008/2009 VXY2010 DVD Drive fitted with the on-board controller PCB from your 2007 DVD Drive VXY1961 confirms that these model DVD Drives will interchange as long as the on-board controller PCB is also swapped between those different model-year DVD Drives.

I've revised this thread's first post to include this news for those with Panasonic EZ series recorders.

Those swapping DVD Drive controller boards should notice that the connector for the laser assembly ribbon cable has a flip-up locking/unlocking mechanism as seen in the first two photos. Also notice the ribbon cable grip-tab orientations as seen in the fifth photo. The three upper ribbon cables have their colored grip-tabs facing outward while the lower copper colored ribbon cable grip-tab faces inward. (The ribbon cable functions are, from top to bottom, 1-disc tray and slide-cam motor—narrow green grip-tab, 2-spindle motor—blue grip-tab, 3-laser assembly data cable—wide green grip-tab, 4-laser assembly transport motor--copper colored cable with inward facing dark brown grip-tab, 5-the ribbon cable seen at the lower left of the on-board PCB is the data cable connected to the Digital PCB.)

In recent weeks one of my DMR-EZ17 models has been having more frequent scheduled recording lock-ups when transitioning from PAUSE to RECORD. I've been considering swapping that 2007 VXY1961 DVD Drive on-board controller board with one from another DMR-EZ17 DVD Drive that has a failed laser assembly. At this point I'm unsure if this scheduled recording lock-up originates with the DVD Drive on-board controller PCB or with the separate Digital PCB.

I have a 2008 DMR-EZ28 that has the VXY2010 DVD Drive. Should it have a laser assembly failure it's good to know that VXY1961 and VXY2010 DVD Drives interchange as long as the original on-board controller PCBs are swapped between these DVD Drives. (I have four DMR-EZ17 models, one set aside as a standby recorder, one in daily use but with increasing scheduled recording lock-ups and two with failed laser assemblies.)

With regard to failed laser assemblies, Mickinct has experience replacing laser assemblies for a wide range of Panasonic models. He has mentioned that a single laser assembly model may be used in several model year DVD Drives.

For those considering the purchase of a replacement laser assembly one may find the model number on the underside of the laser assembly itself. Examples from 2006 and 2007 model year Panasonic DVD Drives are seen in the third and fourth photos.

EBay seller Gazglasgow lists several popular Panasonic OEM laser assembly models but that seller doesn't provide a complete list of Panasonic recorder models that use those model laser assemblies.

Gazglasgow's eBay laser assembly listings provide some basic instructions for the replacement procedure. Other AVS Forum posts address DVD Drive tear-down and reassembly procedures.

In several earlier threads I've provided information and this link to the lens and hub/spindle cleaning procedure:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...8#post14479898

I've discouraged removing the DVD Drive from the machine due to the possibility of disturbing or damaging ribbon cable contact strips. A damaged ribbon cable contact strip will disrupt data transfer between the laser assembly and the Digital PCB.

The cleaning procedure itself calls for a thorough cleaning of the rubber hub and the adjacent spindle area as well as a gentle cleaning of the lens as its only loosely suspended atop the laser assembly. The laser assembly guide rods require very little grease--generally they should not be cleaned. If the rods have been cleaned take care to replace the grease with the same formulation in the same amount.

Of course, a laser assembly that's only a marginal performer will fail. "Clunking," "chugging" or "errrp" noises most often indicates a failed laser assembly. And, there is always a possibility of other types of failures, including a power supply electrolytic capacitor failure as discussed in this thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1055111

The Panasonic-approved repair procedure for a 2006 model with a failed laser assembly or other DVD Drive related issues is replacement of the DVD Drive and Digital PCB as a "module." This repair, at the parts-and-labor rate, is very expensive--the parts alone for a DMR-ES46V (the RFKNES46VP RAM DIGITAL PCB MODULE) are priced at $421.69 through "authorized" repair shops or Panasonic Parts in Kent WA).

For the outstanding DMR-ES46V model the Panasonic corporate Service Center in Elgin Illinois offers the $130 flat-rate repair that will return your DMR-ES46V to new functional conditon:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1056657

It's best to directly contact Panasonic's Elgin Illinois Service Center. That contact information is found in the first post in the linked thread.

If you call Panasonic Customer Service they may attempt to arrange (for $150 or so) an exchange through their McAllen Texas facility for an EZ series combo recorder such as a DMR-EZ37, DMR-EZ47, DMR-EZ475, DMR-EZ48V or DMR-EZ485 model. Those models are functionally inferior to your DMR-ES46V. Avoid those models!

Removing the DVD Drive lid gives enough access to the parts that require cleaning, the lens, the rubber hub and spindle area, the disc tray and the guide wheel on the underside of the DVD Drive lid.

In the first photo the pencil points at a very dirty roller/slider in the normal far left position. First, I put my finger on the top of the roller to keep it in place, then I use an air can to blow dust off the disc tray and roller/slider. Then I use a cotton swab dipped in 91% alcohol to gently roll over the lens one time only. Then I use the cotton swab to clean the rubber hub and spindle area and finish up with the guide wheel on the underside of the DVD Drive lid. The pictured DVD Drive is seen mounted in a 2006 DMR-ES25.

The second photo shows a DVD Drive lid guide wheel being cleaned. The pictured DVD Drive was one of two removed from 2007 DMR-EZ17 models for photographic documentation of tear down and reassembly procedures.

You may also find a front panel display showing U61, U88 or U99 errors with a failing or failed laser assembly or Digital PCB.

If you encounter reassembly/realignment complications due to reconnecting the power cord, powering the recorder on and opening/closing the disc tray while the DVD Drive lid was removed, see this post and the post following it for reassembly/realignment procedures:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...6#post15745506

The DMR-ES46V is one of the four best VHS/DVD combo recorders that's been marketed in the US. (The four best non-hard drive combo recorders are all Panasonic products, the 2005 DMR-ES30V, the 2006 DMR-ES35V and the 2006 HDMI-equipped DMR-ES45V and DMR-ES46V models.)

Your DMR-ES46V has given you good service and will continue to give you good service if you have the experts at Panasonic's Elgin Illinois Service Center return it to new functional condition. The $130 flat-rate repair is a bargain for repairing/rebuilding this outstanding product.

If you've disassembled your DMR-EZ46V to the extent that you've observed the model number on the bottom of the laser assembly there will be several reassembly and realignment issues. See earlier posts in this thread for procedural details and photos. I've already mentioned/linked to those posts, #6 and #7; and another, #30, is found here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...5#post16480525

If necessary, follow the information provided in earlier posts 6, 7 and 30, to carefully reassemble your DMR-ES46V before sending it to Panasonic in Elgin Illinois.

Be sure to provide a written description of the problem(s) so that the Panasonic experts will resolve all the issues with your DMR-ES46V.

Do not consider exchanging your outstanding DMR-ES46V for the inferior DMR-EZ48V.

For information concerning the problematic EZ series combo recorders consult the main DMR-EZ48V thread and heed the advice found therein:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1014536

The DMR-ES46V pictured in my 3/7/2010 post has an interesting history.

This DMR-ES46V was manufactured in September 2006 and originally sold for $218.99 at a Costco store in Salem Oregon. It was a gift to the owner. The owner reported that he had difficulties with this DMR-ES46V, taking it back to the Costco store in Salem. That Costco store sent it to a Portland repair shop in November 2007. That shop replaced the RFKNES46P RAM DIGITAL MODULE (DVD Drive and Digital PCB) with a new “module” (then) priced at $323.35 with a labor charge of $39.00, all of which costs were paid by Costco. (The customer receipt for this repair is in the DMR-ES46V box with the other documents.) Then, Costco returned this repaired DMR-ES46V to the owner. The owner reported that he continued to have difficulties with this DMR-ES46V so he opened it up to see if he could see anything wrong. That owner didn’t know what to make of the electronics and put this DMR-ES46V back in its box, where it was stored away and forgotten.

In April 2009, after moving to Vancouver WA, the owner listed this DMR-ES46V “as-is” on Craig’s List for $20.00. I had no hesitation paying the owner’s asking price.

Upon checking out this DMR-ES46 I found it “dead.” As I had a heavily-used DMR-ES35V that had just experienced a laser assembly failure at around 3,140 recording hours, I swapped in this DMR-ES46V model’s near-new DVD Drive, with only around 120 hours of laser use time, and the associated near-new Digital PCB. After the "module" swapping the DMR-ES35V checked out OK and it was returned to a fully-functional status. (At the moment that DMR-ES35V is a standby recorder.)

That same DMR-ES35V model’s original Digital PCB was then swapped into DMR-ES35V “6490” (a “parts machine” mentioned in posts 14, 30-34 earlier in this thread). That DMR-ES35V was also returned to a fully-functional status and it has been in daily use for several months.

The “dead” DMR-ES46V, with its swapped-in DVD Drive (that has a failed laser assembly and defective DMR-ES35V Digital PCB) remains in its original box as a “parts machine.”

Most often the parts that fail are the laser assembly in the DVD Drive or the Digital PCB itself. (As seen in earlier photos the Digital PCB is mounted on the platform under the DVD Drive in Panasonic combo recorders.)

While Panasonic maintains that the DVD Drive and the Digital PCB in 2006 models must be replaced together as a "module," that is not necessarily true as has been documented in several posts in this and other threads.

Now, as to your situation, it all depends upon the condition of the parts themselves. The questions to ask are "why did the seller(s) offer DMR-ES46V models for sale?" and "what defects/failures, if any, did the seller(s) describe (or conceal)?" Since a used 2006 DMR-ES46V has likely had heavy or very heavy use (or abuse such as being closed up inside a cabinet or being stacked atop a heat producing receiver or amplifier) those might be the reason(s) that Panasonic recorders have been offered for sale. (In recent months a local seller has had his 2005 DMR-ES30V on Craig's List with a photo showing it sitting atop a high-powered amplifier, Yikes! That DMR-ES30V would be one to avoid.)

On the other hand the eBay seller(s) may have given-up on the DMR-ES46V when it/they had reading, writing or finalizing failures caused by nothing more than a dirty rubber hub in the DVD Drive. Perhaps the owner(s) would have kept the DMR-ES46V model(s) had they taken the fifteen minutes to do the routine cleaning.

If your newly-purchased DMR-ES46V models have DVD Drive(s) in good condition then swapping into your original DMR-ES46V (after the routine lens/hub/spindle cleaning) should be successful as long as your original DMR-ES46V Digital PCB is also in good condition. In any event, you now have your own parts source.

If you find it necessary to swap a Digital PCB notice that this board is secured to the platform with three screws only, even though there are four screw holes on the board and the platform. One of the platform holes is not threaded. Do not attempt to use the fourth screw position as the force required to fit a fourth screw might damage the Digital PCB. In the attached photo notice that the screw position at the lower right is not used.

I've also responded to your earlier EZ48 thread post suggesting some options.

Yes, you can do it, but...

The complications come when it's unknown which part(s) have failed. The most common failure is the DVD Drive laser assembly. Other possible (but less likely) failures are the DVD Drive's on-board controller and the separate Digital PCB. Unless there has been a disturbance to the ribbon cables the cables are unlikely to be problematic.

If a good 2007 VXY1961 DVD Drive is located it would probably have to use the on-board controller from your VXY2010 DVD Drive. But what if your DVD Drive's on-board controller has failed? And what if your separate Digital PCB has failed? Those boards would have to be replaced with good boards from another EZ48 or EZ485. The boards from a EZ28 or any of the 2007 models might not work with your EZ48.

Sometimes it's necessary to read between the lines of eBay listings to weed out machines that have the same problem(s) as your EZ48.

I would ask the seller what "noises" (if any) are heard from the DVD Drive. If there is a "grinding" noise that's usually OK as it's most likely a dirty rubber hub. If there are "clunking" "chugging" or "errrp" noises that's not OK.

Back in 2007, after careful reading of DealTree listings, I bought two 2006 DMR-ES35V "as-is parts machines," one priced at $17.00 and the other at $15.29 (including shipping). One had a bad tuner, the other had a bad Digital PCB. Both had good DVD Drives, one that is still in daily service and the other that later experienced a laser assembly failure after nine months of heavy use in a DMR-ES15.

Be sure to grasp the colored reinforced tabs at the end of the ribbon cables with the ribbon cable itself and pull straight out. One ribbon cable connection has a hinged lock that must be opened, as seen in the first two photos in my 2/19/2010 post, in order to remove and reinsert the ribbon cable.

Do not rock the ribbon cable as anything but a straight pull may damage the ribbon cable contacts. About the only remedy for a damaged contact strip is trimming it back just enough to provide uniform connectivity. The first two attached photos show a damaged ribbon cable contact strip before and after it was trimmed back.

The single ribbon cable at the end of the DVD Drive controller circuit board in 2007 and newer Panasonic EZ series recorders is connected to the Digital PCB. That ribbon cable, as well as the four other ribbon cables may be seen in the fifth photo attached to my 2/19/2010 post. Pay special attention to the orientation of the reinforced tab with the copper colored ribbon cable as mentioned in my 2/19/2010 post. With EZ series combo recorders the Digital PCB is mounted on a platform at the back of the main (chassis) PCB. With DVD recorders the Digital PCB is mounted beside the DVD Drive. The Digital PCB in my DMR-EZ28 is seen in the third attached photo. The ribbon cable to/from the DVD Drive controller board is seen toward the lower left in the photo.

There is a possibility that some Digital PCB boards must be matched with the correct DVD Drive controller board. If that's the case then one might swap both those boards at the same time. In any event it would still be necessary to disconnect the four ribbon cables from the DVD Drive controller board to the sub-assemblies inside the DVD Drive. More detail is found in my 2/19/2010 post.