I have a Philips DVD Player, model DVP 642.

It will be two years old next month.

It seems to have a power supply problem that is similar to what others
have reported, and is likely due to a bad electrolytic capacitor.

The symptom is:

The unit is in standby mode, with a red LED lit, as it is supposed to be.

Pressing the power-on button causes the red LED to turn off - as it is
supposed to - but nothing else happens. After a few seconds, the red LED
comes back on as though the power-on button had never been pressed.

Pressing and holding for a few seconds the power-on button makes the unit
seem to come to life and operate normally. No need to hold down the
power-on button.

The unit seems to function normally until it is shut off (into standby
mode), and the the same symptoms happen when I try to power it up again.


So far I have opened up the unit and removed the power supply.

No capacitors look to be bulging.

There is some rubbery pale-yellow stuff that seems to have been spread
deliberately on the circuit board, near one of the capacitors, but
especially along where a 7 conductor ribbon cable enters the circuit
board.

Is this the leaky stuff that some have called "yellow gunk" from a split
open capacitor? I picked at the stuff, and it is definitely *rubbery* and
not all all liquid.

Or is this some stuff that is meant to be a strain relief from the ribbon
cable to the PC board?

Does anyone know where to obtain a schematic at least for the power
supply? It would help to at least identify the caps on this board. Any
constructive suggestions?

A related question: If I parallel a pair of capacitors to get close to
the needed value, do the bodies of the two caps have to be insulated or
separated from each other?

--- Joe