GE dvd player choked (1 Viewer)

[AaronCushing]

For Christmas 2002 my wife bought me a GE dvd player...our first. It was kinda pricey at the time, at about $180 CAD. A week later I had to exchange it, because it kept freezing on a frame, at random. A week or so ago we went to play a movie, and even after putting in the disc, the screen kept reading "please insert a disc." I've tried a handfull of different discs, none of which were scratched or damaged, all with the same result. I actually rented a TAPE not too long ago...and I hadn't done that pretty much for 2 years.

Is there a possibility that something is on the lens of the laser? How can I check that and/or clean that? Or is my machine toast?

Sure, I'd love to replace it with a multi-disc model, with progressive scan, but if it doesn't NEED to be replaced yet, then we'd like to have this one working -- it suits our needs just fine (when it works).

 

[Jack Briggs]

It could be that the player is particularly sensitive to certain discs and disc conditions. I have three machines. Occasionally, one machine might give me a disc-read error ("Insert Disc") while another will play the same disc effortlessly. And all my DVDs are in pristine, mint condition.

Which brings me to: Are you feeding the machine clean, scratch- and dust-free discs? And are you keeping the player clean and dust-free?

 

[AaronCushing]

yep. Discs are all in good shape, and the player has had no PB&J stuffed into it Is there such a contraption as a lens cleaner I can get for it?

 

[Jack Briggs]

Yes, there's a disc you can "play" that cleans the lens. Never have used it, so I don't know how well it works.

 

[Dan Driscoll]

I hate to tell you this, but a GE DVD player that sold for CA$180 2.5 years ago should probably be considered disposable and well past its expected expected replacement date. :frowning:

 

[Jack Briggs]

And Dan brings up another point: the fact of fragile, flimsy low-cost players that wear out all too soon. 'Fraid it might be better to opt for a new machine.