wetsprockets

So I'm a bit lazy today and was watching dvds for about 7 hours and then right in the middle of what I was watching, the picture freezes. I stop the program (at this point I'm watching an xvid) and the menu folder with the dvd listing comes up as usual. I try selecting the same thing I was watching. Nothing. I try selecting something else on the disc. Nothing. I eject the disc and reload it into the player. Tells me there's no disc. I pop the disc out and put in something else. No disc again. Turn the thing off and on, nothings changed. Let it cool for a bit and try again. Same thing. So after all this I ask, is this thing dead? Has this "no disc" problem happened to anyone else? Any suggestions besides going all Samir Notgonnaworkhereanymore on it?

It would just be my luck too. I got it at Target for the specific purpose of their 90 day return policy in case something like this happened and of course the thing craps out after 100 days. Ya think Target would be cool with my returning it 10 days past the deadline?

[edit] I wanted to add that I noticed that it doesn't sound like the discs are spinning at all when I load them into the player. Maybe it's something that can be fixed?

hahn

First check and see if Target will exchange it for you. If not, then check Phillips and see if they'll exchange it for you (it should still be under warranty). Then if all that fails, and you feel it's not worth the effort to do more about it since the player's kind of cheap ($$-wise), and you're not afraid of gadgets, then pop the hood and see if you can figure out why it's not playing (loose wiring, slipped doodads, etc).

Worst outcome of this is that you'll learn what the insides of a DVD player looks like. If it were me, I'd jump straight to popping the hood.

wetsprockets

Thanks for the advice. I guess I'll be trying to exchange the player first. I'm not expecting much success at Target though. You're right, it is still under warrenty from Philips. Of course I'm at the point where I'll have to pay to get a replacement, so I'll have to see how much that is considering the price for a new one (not that I'd get a new Philips or anything). In the end, I probably will be popping the hood. Ack.

wetsprockets

Update: Was able to return the player. Guess it's time to research some new ones now. Thanks Hahn and thanks Target!

LexTalonis

While the dp642 is not a top of the line player in regards to picture quality and features. It is an excellent well rounded (easily hackable) player, with most of the features people actually use. I have one myself and know at least 2 dozen others personally who have the same player, and none of us have had any failures, and to the best of my knowledge noone has found a dvd that this player wont read (aside from badly damaged disc of course).

I can see how your experience could steer you away from this player, but I advise you hold onto your replacement model and give it a chance. Most likely yours was just a rare lemon, or suffered some damage between leaving the factory and it's failure to work for you.

Sean

DVD Polizei

I've had mine since Thanksgiving. No problems. Yet. Of course, I've only played DVDs and CDs in it, so I'm not sure if Xvid might be creating problems with the laser? More than likely, just a bad unit.

And I echo the comment to stick with this player as it's pretty much the best-featured DVD player for the price.

wetsprockets

Other than the chirping and weak remote, I really liked it a lot while I had it. Region free. Plays most anything you pop into it. Fairly cheap. Progressive scan (though I don't have a hi-def tv, so it doesn't really matter). It probably was just a freak occurance with mine. My brother has the same player and it works fine for him. I may take a look at it again down the line, but for now I'll probably just go back to an old Panasonic player. I will miss watching divx/xvid on a tv.