Toshiba SD-3815 has trouble reading DVDs

[AlexJS]

My little Tosh had been working quite well until last weekend. I fed it a dirty Netflix disc (yeah i know, i shouda checked it) and now it can't play any DVDs without hesitating, stalling or skipping, even on a pristine disc.

it will play just fine for maybe 3 minutes then I can hear the hum of the motor change to a higher pitch, like it's revving up. Then the picture will freeze for a second and continue. About 30sec later, it will rev up again, freeze, then skip ahead anywhere from 30sec to 1min in the film. It will keep doing that for a while - I haven't had the patience to see how long. Sometimes it will rev up, freeze and stop spinnig the disc after a minute, like it can't find the track.

I have opened the case and checked to make sure there was nothign on the lens. (It was clean as a whistle) I also gave it a blowing out just in case (didn't notice any dust either) but that didn't solve anything.

BUT, it seems to play standard audio CDs without a hitch. Bizarre, no?

Anybody know what might be the problem?

[SilentBob]

Roughly how old is your player?


I recently (about 4 months ago) had to bring my Toshiba SD-2800 in because it had the skipping and the humming sound (well almost like a chugging sound) It was about 3 years old and I bought the 5 year extended warrenty and they had to replace mine with an all new system. Seems like the internal mechanics are just starting to go on the system and that you either a) hopefully have a warrenty on and can exchange for a new one or b) be shit out of luck and will have to fork over money for an all new player.

[AlexJS]

it's not quite two years old and it was factory reconditioned. Not sure what the warranty was but I think it was pretty short. I kinda thought it would just crap out altogether, but maybe that's coming...

Anyhoo, I got a Panasonic DVD-S27 single-disc player for DVDs - only $70 or so on Overstock - and keeping the Tosh for audio CDs (still plays them without a hitch, so no point tossing it just yet.)

[NotaNumber]

Since you seem to be comfortable with opening the player up you might try cleaning the disc clamp. DVDs are heavier and had different rotational speed than audio CDs so they could just be slipping. Radio Shack's professional tape head cleaner and those chamois or sponge cleaning sticks are recommended. Alcohol could damage any rubber surfaces on the clamp.

[Jeff003]

It sounds like the laser is failing on it.I'm not having that freezing problem on my toshiba on every disc but it doesn't won't to load Seinfield s2.I have to cut it off and cut it back on then it loads fine.One thing I have noticed about my Toshiba thou is that it has a harder time with defective disc.I had a bad disc that pixed in my Panasonic but it froze on my Toshiba.I do like the fast layer switch capibility on the Toshiba.The only layer switches I have noticed are on the star wars movies.If mine starts freezing on every disc I'm just going to replace it.