HELP! What's wrong with my Sony DVP 9000ES? (1 Viewer)

[Arnel Enero]

After 5 months of frequent use (I watch one movie a day on average, and listen to CDs a LOT), my 9000ES stopped playing SACDs. When I put in an SACD, it only allows me to play the CD layer.

Sometimes I need to hold the PLAY button while the disc is loading, just so that I can play the disc. I think this undocumented technique bypasses the disc error checking(?). This way I can play the SACD layer, but then after a few minutes into the disc, it stops playing with the "C 13 00" (bad disc?) error being displayed.

When the player was new, I occasionally had this problem but only with multichannel SACDs (of course, played in 2-channel mode). I thought it was just a problem of the discs and not of the player. But now, it seems that all my SACDs wouldn't play properly. So it seems that the problem is getting worse.

What are the possibilities here? I doubt if it's an electronic problem coz DVDs and CDs play perfectly. Can it be that the lens simply needs cleaning? If so, are the lens cleaner discs, those that come with a fluid, effective and safe?

Anyone else had this problem? How did you solve it?

Any suggestions will be much appreciated.

 

[KeithH]

Arnel, it could be a dirty lens, though I doubt it. It wouldn't hurt to try a lens cleaner. Alternatively, it could be a problem with the laser assembly. You may have to send it in for repair.

 

[Greg Schwabacher]

Do a search on the forums for the remote codes used to enter the service menu. Once you get into the service menu, there's an option to have the player recalibrate itself for single- and dual-layer SACD playback. I'd give that a try before you take it in for service.

 

[Arnel Enero]

Greg,

I just tried getting through the Service Menu to recalibrate the transport mechanism. And it seemed to be working, coz discs that didn't play before now were able to play.

BUT... it seems that only the last SACD that I used for recalibration is being properly played. But I don't want to re-calibrate each time I want to play a different SACD.

As before, all other disc types worked (CD and DVD).

But from this situation, we can conclude that the problem is somehow related to the calibration. Now, I wonder how to figure out the correct calibration values that will work with all my SACDs...

 

[Greg Schwabacher]

I'm sure you already checked this, but just to be sure...make sure you're not getting single-layer and dual-layer discs messed up. In other words, when you calibrate for single-layer, make sure a single-layer disc is in the player, and likewise, when you calibrate for dual-layer, make sure a dual-layer disc is in the player.
Again, I'm pretty sure you already checked that out...

 

[KeithH]

Arnel, I hope the calibration function is all that is required to fix the problem. I don't have the 'S9000ES, and the non-DVD SACD players I have don't have the calibration function. The vast majority of problems people report on message boards with SACD players not reading discs are a result of a bad laser assembly. Hopefully your issue is easier to resolve.

 

[Ken Seeber]

Do a search on the forums for the remote codes used to enter the service menu. Once you get into the service menu, there's an option to have the player recalibrate itself for single- and dual-layer SACD playback. I'd give that a try before you take it in for service.

There is one major thing you should know about doing this. It voids the warranty. Your player's memory will show the service menu has been entered and if there is no record of authorized work being done, you could be stuck. Whether Sony will catch this or not is a crap shoot.

The best advice is, if your player is under warranty, always have it looked at. It may be inconvenient, but it's free.

A top-end player like the 9000 should not be acting up after only five months of use, so you should have it checked out by a Sony Service Center.

 

[Arnel Enero]

Keith,
I also hope so!
Greg,
Actually, my unit only allows calibration for these disc types:
- CD
- DVD SL
- DVD DL
- SACD
I didn't see any distinction between SL and DL SACDs. Maybe that is only available on dedicated SACD models? I tried to find that through the service menus, but couldn't find it.

 

[Greg Schwabacher]

It voids the warranty.

Source? :frowning:
I think it would be next to impossible for Sony to void warranty service because they noticed that the service mode has been entered. I suppose this is something to consider, but personally, I wouldn't worry too much. If this becomes an issue, you can always claim ignorance.
It's very possible that there's only one calibration menu item for SACDs. I thought I remembered seeing individual calibrations for both single- and dual-layer SACDs, but I could've gotten that mixed up with the calibration settings for DVDs.

 

[Arnel Enero]

Greg,
Thanks heaps anyway. Your suggestion has been very useful indeed.
Ken,
Thanks for the reply. Let's just say that I'm now willing to take the risk, just to save my self the trouble of bringing my unit to the service center. I won't last a day without my DVD player... I want my daily movie dose.

 

[Arnel Enero]

Btw, about the possibility of bad laser assembly...

Since an SACD, on a physical perspective, is essentially a DVD, with an additional CD layer for hybrids, why do all of my DVDs play perfectly ok with my player?

I'm starting to think that this is either a programming "bug" somewhere in the SACD decoder, or in the copy-protection mechanism (if I'm not mistaken, some sort of physical watermarking).

What do you think of this possibility?

If this is the pb, then I will really need to send this unit for repair!

Best case will be, I'm still hoping, that the lens has become dirty that it can't properly distinguish the physical watermarking upon SACD startup sequence (which requires more precision than normal "reading").