EH55 DVD drive failure, no error indicated

That is almost identical to what happened to my EH-75 that I started in another post.

The usual error code might be U61 without a disc in the DVD drive or U88 with a disc in the DVD drive. If those errors were shown on the machine's front panel it might indicate a problem with the laser assembly or the Digital PCB.

If there are loud clunks from the DVD drive I would again suspect a dirty lens or failed laser.

Perhaps the beeping noises are related to DVD drive motor operations, one for the motor that spins the shaft that causes the laser assembly to run up and down the rods, another that spins the spindle, and another that operates the disc tray mechanism. A less likely problem is a failed ribbon cable contact between the DVD drive and the Digital PCB.

Have you attempted to play a commercial DVD or a burned, finalized DVD?

With these hard drive models the best approach is the $130 flat-rate repair through the Panasonic Service Center in Elk Grove Village. The street name has no "l" in it. Otherwise the information is correct.

Information concerning the best place to have a Panasonic serviced is found here:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...8#post14451738

One other thing to try is a CD. I had a combo player give out the other day. It wouldn't read DVDs of any type but did read CDs. I know this isn't a good option for you but you might want to try it for the heck of it. The read head on my player does just what yours does. Either way I think sending it in for repair is in your very near future.

How long have you owned this DVD Recorder?

Crap, just had the drive failure as well with the repetitive grinding noise and then indicator showing media inside when it's empty!

Grinding or scrubbing noises usually indicate that it's time for the DVD drive's rubber hub to be cleaned.

Clunking noises usually indicate that the lens is dirty or has failed.

Hub cleaning advice and photos are found in this and the following posts:

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

Others have reported receiving this form letter when the office staff does not read your letter advising them that:

1-you want the $130 flat-rate repair for which you have enclosed payment, and
2-you provide a description of your machine's problem(s).

Contact them at 1-888-439-2676 (or whatever inside contact number they have given you) to call their attention to your request for the $130 flat-rate repair. You must insist upon the $130 flat-rate repair. Do not agree to an estimate as that leads to being charged at the actual parts, labor and shipping rate that can easily escalate into a very expensive repair.

The $130 should cover everything, parts, labor and return shipping. There should be no tax as you are not an Illinois resident.

Thank you for sharing that e-mail. This provides insight, reinforcing our confidence that the technical experts at the Panasonic Digital Service Center are conscientious, competent and thorough.

The front office staff still need to work on their operational/processing procedures.

It's nice to hear about good experiences with repairs for these machines. The burner on my Toshiba RD-XS35 was also successfully repaired last year, but not nearly with the celerity you experienced.

This is very good. The corporate Panasonic Digital Service Center at Elk Grove Village Illinois is the only place to have a high-end Panasonic repaired.

What might the replacement of the DVD drive and the Digital PCB cost at a local "authorized" repair shop?

First they would have to order a DMR-EH55 Service Manual through Panasonic Parts, probably priced around $80, a cost that would have to be passed along to the customer. While they wait for the Service Manual to arrive (and since they've never seen an EH55 before) they would have to figure out how the machine is supposed to work. They downloading and study the Operating Instructions. Then, after the Service Manual arrives they would have to study it, say two or three hours to wade through the awkward translations. Then, hopefully, they already have the correct diagnostic jumper/extension cables and the correct diagnostic devices. Then there would be more study of the Service Manual. Once they managed to figure out what parts are needed they would have to order them from Panasonic Parts, more waiting.

What do those parts cost a local "authorized" shop? The DVD drive (Panasonic calls it a RAM Drive) and the control board (the Digital PCB portion of the "module") are listed this way on the Panasonic Parts order page:

RFKNEH55P RAM/DIGITAL PCB MODULE 633.20

$633.20! Then there's the waiting until the parts arrive. Then it's back to the Service Manual for more study. Then there's the installation with testing to follow.

The $130 flat-rate repair through the Panasonic Digital Service Center is a bargain. The experts and all the parts to restore a Panasonic to new functional condition are located at Elk Grove Village.

For flat cost repair, is it possible to use Panasonic account for shipping to IL, if so how?

Pack the dvdr up, with a letter describing its problem and that you want the flat rate repair, include $130 payment, and take it to a UPS STORE, where they should have a shipping account number. Note, the STORE is NOT the same as your regular UPS agent or office. You can find your nearest UPS Store on line, I don't remember whether the Panasonic website or ups search.

Well I`ve had my Panasonic DMR-EZ28 DVD recorder for over a year and up until earlier tonight it performed very well. I tried to put in a blank DVD-R and it didn`t load up like normal. The drive made a clunky clunky noise with a sound like errrnt errnt errnt ...errnt errnt. Home from a gig (it`s early, or is that late?!) I took the cover off and the sound is actually accompanied by serious clunky vibration. Even opening and the drive closing with no disc the same thing happens and it says in the display cannot read disc or something (some disc error note). I think I may have worn the thing out! Before the gig I did go back to Best Buy and bought another one, same model for $235, and now I have this broken one which I`d like to get fixed as I`m sure the new one will go out someday just like the old one. Though I think $130 is kinda high for a repair, the drive does look expensive with all the circuitry on the bottom. I was hoping to just buy a replacement drive and plug it in (I can do that as long as the multi pin connector comes off easily without breaking the many pin contacts). I guess $130 IS cheaper than the $235 plus tax fro a new one. But damn, I was thinking a new drive for it can`t cost more than 60 bucks! ...ohh well, what can ya do? *sigh*

I had a real nice Sony RDR-GX7 $800 DVD recorder (when they first came out) too that the drive went out and said disc error messages. I swear that unit is much higher quality than anything they make these days, the unit is just so solid and much more to it on the inside. When it was working it made such high quality recordings, even in standard mode, let alone high quality mode. Things are made cheap these days, less circuitry, let alone heft (I may be wrong but that`s my opinion). I still have it. I wonder if it would be worth the cost to get that one fixed?

BTW, I stumbled upon this site by googling for Panasonic DVD drive repair, heh. : )

If I had to venture a guess I'd say your spindle needs cleaning. If anyone smokes in your house, you have excessive dust or you handle the disc by the hole in the middle of the disc, any of these activities can contribute to a dirty spindle. The + side is it's relatively easy to clean once you've taken the cover off the unit and then the DVD drive. Here's a link talking about spindle cleaning, IMO it should be done yearly, maybe more often depending on use.
http://club.cdfreaks.com/f106/fixing...t-help-210507/
Agreed you could send it in for $130 and that would be cheaper than the $235 new but for less than 1/2 hr you should be able to get things working again.

jjeff has given you the info on how to clean the Panasonic: this is a very common issue with that brand and cleaning usually does get them up and running again. The Sony RDR-GX7 is another story: I'm afraid you have a paperweight on your hands, since Sony no longer stocks repair parts for the burner. When initially sold, the Sony had problematic firmware and it was ridiculously picky about what discs it would burn, and as they age these problems intensify. Try looking at other AVS threads and see if you can snag the firmware upgrade from someone, I think that thread was updated last week. Also, try ordering some TaiyoYuden (TY) Premium 8x DVD-R media online from supermedia store or rima: your Sony was engineered specifically for the TY dye formula and if its functional at all should still be able to record on it. The 16x media sold in stores today is incompatible with almost everything other than new PC burners, if thats what you're using the Sony probably can't digest it.

When "no read" is displayed and you hear "grinding" or "scrubbing" noises that usually indicates that the DVD Drive's rubber hub needs cleaning. Jeff has given you a link to the procedure. Be sure to position the roller/slider (at the rear of the disc tray) to the far left before securing the DVD Drive lid. More advice and photos are found in this and the following posts:

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

If you hear "clunking" or "chugging" noises, especially with U61 or U88 errors, that usually indicates that the lens is dirty or the lens assembly itself has failed. The lens may be cleaned during the rubber hub cleaning procedure. Other less likely problems may be with the Digital PCB or a ribbon cable (if one has been disturbed) or a power supply capacitor. All these problems and their remedies are described in other threads.

Panasonic calls the DVD Drive a "RAM Drive." Here is the part number and the replacement cost for the DVD Drive if purchased through Panasonic Parts Company or a local "authorized" repair shop:

VXY2010 DVD-RAM DRIVE $382.02

The $130 flat-rate repair through the Panasonic Digital Service Center in Elk Grove Village Illinois includes parts, labor and shipping. If you ship your EZ28 to Elk Grove be sure to describe the all the problems with the machine so they will find and correct everything that's amiss. Elk Grove is the only place that has Panasonic experts that return a machine to new or better than new functional condition in a prompt and efficient manner:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...8#post14451738

The VXY2010 DVD Drive is used on other 2008 model year Panasonics (DMR-EZx8x models) so these interchange with a DMR-EZ28. Parts machines may often be found on eBay at a reasonable cost. Read condition descriptions very carefully. Remember the distinction between "grinding/scrubbing" and "clunking/chugging" when considering a parts machine.