DVD drive dead on Panasonic DMR-EH68

Be sure to report the DMR-EH68 DVD Drive model number, starting with "VXY." That model number should be stamped on the DVD Drive lid. The model number might help determine if any domestic Panasonic models are known to use the same model DVD Drive.

When removing or reseating ribbon cables into their connectors be sure to observe if the connector is the locking/unlocking type before forcing the ribbon cable out of or into a locked connector. An example is seen in the attached photos.

Please post follow-up information for us. There are sevral here who have these international models and we are interested in the outcome of this.

"Clunking" noises usually indicate a failed laser assembly. There are other possibilities, a problematic ribbon cable or ribbon cable connection or a problematic Digital PCB. A problematic Digital PCB may be interchanged only with another Digital PCB for the same or very similar model.

The VXY2015 model DVD Drive has not been reported as found in any US model Panasonic. With four ribbon cables from the DVD Drive to the Digital PCB the VXY2015 DVD Drive is similar to 2006 US model DVD Drives, see the first photo showing a DVD Drive in a DMR-ES25. Power for 2006 model-year DVD Drives is supplied through the ribbon cable(s). Your photo tends to indicate a similar arrangement. With this type of Digital PCB--incorporating the DVD Drive controller--it has been Panasonic's position that any failure of the DVD Drive or Digital PCB requires that both parts, the DVD Drive (the RAM Drive in "Panasonic speak") and the Digital PCB must be replaced together as a "module."

2007 and later US model DVD Drives have a wired power connector and single ribbon cable from the DVD Drive on-board controller to the Digital PCB. The second photo shows a VXY2010 DVD Drive in a 2008 DMR-EZ28. The third photo is a closer view of the power connector and the single ribbon cable of the same VXY2010 DVD Drive.

In other posts I've speculated that DVD Drives fitted to hard drive models are optimized for high-speed dubbing and certain other features, while DVD Drives used in non-hard drive models do not support those features. That would tend to indicate that DVD Drives may not be interchanged between hard drive equipped recorders and non-hard drive equipped recorders.

Mickinict has experience replacing individual laser assemblies. There are at least two different laser assembly models in use in recent Panasonic recorders, variants of the 3331 and 3332 models seen in the fourth and fifth photos. Extensive disassembly is required to determine the actual model number of the laser assembly in use with a particular recorder. There is an eBay seller, gazglasgow, offering a limited selection of Panasonic laser assemblies. That seller is located in Glasgow Scotland.

As mentioned in this linked post, a US repair location might have great difficulty finding correct replacement parts for grey market models:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...4#post18699544

Before you give up on the EH68, send a PM to Mickinict. If the laser assembly is the problem he might be able to help.

If you know which market your EH68 was built for, contact Panasonic support in that country. They might suggest shipping the DVD Drive and the Digital PCB to their service center. That would certainly be less expensive than shipping the whole machine.

As far as capacitor replacement, I don't think you'll ever have that problem with Panasonic or any other brand again. Generally electrolytic capacitors last for many many years and only need replacement as they dry out. I used to work on vintage radios(from the late 20s-early 50s) those radios would generally need capacitor replacements of the largest tin can electrolytics or wax paper capacitors. The reason Panasonic and other electronic mfgs. of the early 00s had such a high failure rate of electrolytic capacitors is because their was a mfg. defect in the way they were made. I think China(who else) produced a ton of defective capacitors which were used by most all mfgs. of the time.
You can do a Wiki search and I believe they have a nice writeup of the whole mess. I guess what I'm trying to say is I doubt with your newer Panny if you'll have a capacitor failure. Not to say you won't have other failures, like the rare laser failure.

One thing that I do worry about is how a store like B&H can have such a constant supply of open box or used international DVDRs. You'd think such a small percentage of people would order them that returns would be quite rare. I'm more worried that a company would be using them 24/7 for some sort of duplication project and then after a predetermined time they would swap them out with a new unit. They would still work and maybe for some time but with all the use of the laser they may tend to fail prematurely.

I have absolutely no proof this is going on and my recent used EH-59 from B&H looked and works like new, so hopefully my fears are unfounded. The fan on my EH-59 was barely dirty which is a good sign that it may not have been used that much. I suppose if one knew the secret service code to tell laser or HDD use time it might tell the story. I'm thinking it might be different than US Pannys but again I don't know.

Last week they listed a used EH59. Curiousity got the best of me, so I put it in a cart. No problem. I then tried to put in a second one, and it said I had exceeded their inventory. I deleted the items at that time. Today I noticed that there are no used DMR-EH machines on their web site at all. I don't think that htey are using them for anything, I think they are getting returns from people who don't know HOW to use them for anything. It seems unlikely to me that there is anything underhanded going on. As you say though, the code to get a list of the laser hours would be provide an end to the speculation and deliver peace of mind.

I am very interested in the resolution of the EH68 repair. I have two of these international units, and I really would like to know if a problem were to arise, what my alternatives are for repair. I have enough recorders that I really don't have to worry, but I would still like to know.

Luke, do you know why in the setup OSD it says you cannot set the 16:9 bit(to any disc type) if you've recorded in LP or FR?
I've tested this and the 16:9 bit works fine, using FR or even LP. I tested with a -RW which again according to the OSD says should not work(and the little HS icon also indicates this) but I had NO problem doing a HS dub and the WS bit was intact

BTW I'm loving the phrase save with more than just 20 characters, I use this feature all the time and I like not having to use 2 spots for phrases that are long. I do miss the DARKER setting for input recording(this feature is on all my other Pannys and I use DARKER) but seems to be lacking on the EH-59, but truth be told the darkness seems OK with the default so maybe it's OK.

I haev no clue about the oddities of the WS bit set, AND the fact that DL disks won't work with some settings, but will with others. It seems arbitrary, but I'm shure there is a reason. I told someone else here sometime back, there are things that are not supported, and others that will simply not work. If it works for you, great, but if it doesn't, don't bother asking for Panasonic help or support. I think there are many things that are listed as unsupported that MAY work, and may not.

I just looked at the manual, and it says that the WS flag will not be set if the recording is in EP or FR longer than 5 hours. It has no listed restrictions for LP recordings.

I just noticed that J&R has a used EH69 listed. I think these open box items are great for me. It saves me lots of $. Not so good for the vendors though.

Yes, I LOVE the extended phrase save feature. It should have been standard with all of the DVD recorders.

The most recent Panasonic HDD/DVD service manual I have is for the DMR-EH55 (Canadian version). The Service Mode section in that Manual may or may not pertain to a DMR-EH68.

Have you made a DVD and played it on a Sony player or other... I've read of Panny users who see WS if played from a DVD-R on their Panny, but not when playing on another brand not associated with Panny.

Your second photo shows the entry (41) which shows laser time, although if one uses the next code (95) it resets laser time to 0. If anything funny was going on they just might know about code 95, although since my HDD did have one 30 minute PAL recording(blank) and all they would have had to do is a HDD delete all or reformat, I'm probably just being paranoid.
Maybe I'll give the codes a try tomorrow. I'd also like to take it apart and check out what CPU it has, I'm guessing Panasonic since I have yet to see a bug in the operation
I'll also try and find out what model the DVD drive is for those interested.

Edit, yes Wajo it played just fine and in proper aspect in my Sony player, in fact that was the only player I tried it in.
Note when recording 4x3(which I do frequently) one must take care to NOT leave the DVDR set to 16:9, otherwise you'll have a letterboxed 4:3 picture where the people are short and fat on a 4:3 TV, similar to stretching 4:3 to fit a 16:9 screen.
I can kind of understand why mfgs. generally don't have this feature, after all if people can't set the time on their VCRs how can they be trusted with the aspect ratio

Now that sounds "strange" unless a brain fart... getting a LB pic when set to 16:9?

The PhilMags just set the "squeezed, non-square pixel" flag but don't LB the pic when set to record 4:3 as 16:9 WS.

I have a rather old Sony DVD player, and the disks that I have made with the WS flag asserted cause the Sony to properly honor the WS flag. If I set the television to 16:9, the picture is full screen, and if I set the television to 4:3, then the picture is letterboxed. In both cases, the proper aspect ratio is maintained.

Yes, I was really surprised when I discovered this, but I tell you, it works.

If I still had a 4:3 television, I'd even actaully CARE!

No, that sounds correct. If you record a 4:3 image with the WS flag asserted, you are telling the DVD PLAYER to that it is in fact WS when it isn't, so since it thinks it's WS. It will letterbox the video and give you a 4:3 letterboxed image on your television because that's what it is erroneously told to do--by you.

Thank you for the manual pages. The service mode entry worked for my two EH55s, but that isn't surprising since it IS an EH55 service manual. What is more surprising is, it (rec, channel up, door open/close buttons simultaneously pressed for five seconds) did NOT work on my EH75. I found the service mode entry code for the EH75 in another of your posts. Surprising! (NOT) What was also very surprising, is the rec/ch up/open/close worked to put mu EH59 into service mode.

I have made thousands of DVDs on my two EH55s, I was curious about the laser use time (code 41) on them. Using the maintenance codes that DigaDo supplied, I discovered I have 135 hours on my older machine's laser, and 94 hours on my newer machine's laser. My EH59 was bought open box from B&H, and it showed 8 hours (Yes, a mere eight hours) of use.

Since I almost never use my recorders for real-time recording (I high speed dub almost exclusively) I guess the number of hours is really reduced by the use of HS dubbing. I'll have to check out my EH75s and EH50s.

My guess is, if the service mode entry "magic decoder ring sequence" works on the EH59, then it should work on the EH68 as well.

I'll give it a shot, hopefully tomorrow. I won't be able to take it apart for photos until next week. I'm going to totally redo my cabling and I'm waiting for some HDMI cables from Blue Jeans Cables, recommended by Kjbawc I believe. I've always had good luck with MP cables but they are a bit stiff and I'd rather not have that big choke on both ends.
Since my cables are 6' or < I'd rather have the easier to bend cables that I hope BJC will offer.

Edit: It's hard to tell from the first photo, do you enter 00(or return) to exit service mode? The last photo looks like pushing POWER button will also exit service mode?

Jeff,

You are correct, pressing 00 or the power button on the recorder's front panel are common methods to exit Service Mode.

Since my new 4GB Compact Flash Card is not compatible with my ancient Kodak DC265 Zoom Camera I've been using an old 16MB CFC where I've had to reduce picture quality to fit more than ten or so photos onto this CFC. Kodak suggested that I get a 128MB or 256MB CFC--not so easy to find any more--but I found one and it's been shipped.

Luke,

I'm glad you found that earlier post giving the various methods of entering Service Mode by type of recorder and/or model families.

Once in Service Mode the specific commands are usually common across the models.

Of course, there are a different set of commands on alternate Thursdays, unless it's raining or snowing, and odd-date Tuesdays, when there is hail or sleet, except in North Dakota and one other state, Alabama or Arkansas (if I remember correctly) where one needs use another unique set of commands.

Fizbin!

To quote YOU I believe...


For the benefit of others.

Hey, DigaDo,

The procedure I quoted yesterday for service mode for the EH75:

Did NOT work. It performed a factory reset, returning the remote code to 1, giving me the 12:00 blinking clock, and resetting all my selections from the SETUP menu. Have you any idea what the button presses for the EH75 service mode entry REALLY might be? I tried this on both my EH75s and it merely reset them.

Luke,

Sorry about that. I'll quote from page 27 of the DMR-EH75 (Canadian English) Service Manual:

"Service mode setting: While the power is off, press [STOP], [VHS to DVD DUBBING] and [OPEN / CLOSE] simultaneously for five seconds (OPERATION SELECT should be set to DVD)."

Ah HA!

I was pressing [RECORD], [VHS to DVD DUBBING] and [OPEN / CLOSE] simultaneously for five seconds. NOT the same thing I guess. Still no harm done, all the recordings are still there. A minor thing to reset everything, hardly worth mentioning.

Thank you for the update and information. As always, a great source of knowledge.

I can't wait to try to REAL sequence. If it works properly, I'll correct my previous post.

Thank you for calling attention to the problem. I've now corrected the original 21 June 2009 post in the "Panasonic Repairs..." thread.

It was interesting. When I used the [STOP], [VHS to DVD DUBBING], [OPEN / CLOSE] procedure, it put the recorder into service mode, but when I entered 41, both EH75s said zero!

I KNOW these devices were should NOT have zero hours on them, so now I have a mystery. Did my accidental use of [RECORD], [VHS to DVD DUBBING], [OPEN / CLOSE] somehow reset the machine, INCLUDING the laser hours, or is [4] [1] incorrect as the laser use code for the EH75? I was unwilling to just "look around" trying numbers without more specific information.

Sigh...

In the EH55 page you posted earlier, the code for resetting the laser time was [9] [5], so I doubt I did that.

Is anything supposed to be on the screen when in service mode? I get nothing but video pass-through.

Thanks again DigaDo!

Luke,

I've taken a quick glance at the Service Mode section in the DMR-EH75 Service Manual. The pertinent parts seem much the same as those in the DMR-EH55 Service Manual. At the moment I'm unable to reproduce those pages for posting--perhaps later today or in a day or so.

In Service Mode the information is primarily displayed on the unit's front panel, not the TV screen.

More later...

If Luke wants his own copy of the service manual, it is available here.

The service modes start on page 27.

You know what the funny thing is? When I was unaware of the service mode, I was happy. Now that I am aware of it, I am wanting to know how I can use it.

People are so weird.

Thanks DigaDo, and tomwil!

Luke, it is possible that the button combination that you did, preformed a TOTAL OUT OF BOX reset, which might reset the laser time.
The normal RESET(holding both CH UP and CH DOWN for 5 seconds) only does a partial reset, things like remote code are not reset. It sounds like you totally reset your machine. For testing you could record a 1hr program, check laser time and then do another RESET like you originally did. If it resets laser time back to 0 you've figured it out.

Note as Digado has said before, be very careful in SERVICE mode, you could end up bricking your machine