"Reginald I. Perrin" wrote in message
.. .
"Arfa Daily" wrote in
:



"Reginald I. Perrin" wrote in message
.. .
The HT-DS400 Home Theatre system from Samsung is about a decade old.
The DVD loader that is part of it has become unreliable, rejecting as
"No Disc" all manner of decent items. It never was a great loader,
and now it is sadly diminished. I see on ebay that I can purchase
for around $40 (including postage) an exact replacement, part number
AH59- 01354A, but I am wondering if something that starts out as
more competent (and maybe cheaper) could fit in the same spot?

Failing that, might it help to clean the optics or lubricate
anywhere? The inside of the case is amazingly clear of dust,
considering the unit's age.


If that goes well, I would replace the fan with a more modern, silent
fan, and end up with a machine worth maybe $50. A labour of love?

Thanks to all.

RIP


Firstly, cleaning is unlikely to get you anywhere, unless a DVD player
has been sitting idle for a couple of years, or lives in a
heavy-smoker house. The reason for this is that, unlike a CD player, a
DVD disc rotates at extremely high speed. This causes the underside of
the disc to drag a layer of air around with it, which normally keeps
the laser lens spotlessly clean. Assuming that this is a fully
integrated drive similar to a computer one, on attempting to replace
it with an 'alternative', I would advise against it. The drive on many
players is an OEM part, and their system control looks for a digital
'signature' from it. If the existing one has managed to keep going for
10 years, I would consider that a result. Many DVD lasers struggle to
do a third of that before they can no longer read discs.

As to replacing the fan, you should be ok, but make sure that you pick
one with as near the same voltage and current specs as you can find,
as some machines control the fan's speed depending on the audio output
heatsink temperature, and some monitor the current to make sure that
the fan hasn't failed. Still others employ a three-wire fan, and look
at the tacho output to make sure that it's going round.

Arfa



Thank you, Arfa. I guess I should leave well enough alone, though in
its current state the Home Theatre is close to binnable. The DVD loader
is not at all like a computer disc unit, which is a well-labelled metal
box you slide in and then attach power and data connectors. The Home
Theatre DVD loader is an "assembly" with few or no manufacturer
markings. Ribbon cables connect the assembly with other circuit boards,
so it is difficult to tell where the "assembly" ends and the rest of the
"home theatre" begins, unlike the situation with a computer optical
deck. I was hoping that someone with experience with Samsung products /
home theatres might be able to tell me if there was a chance of success
by, for example, transplanting the DVD from a Samsung DVD player I might
find at a thrift store. I know it is a long shot.

RIP


Many DVD players use mechs that are basically a computer type, though often
without the outer metalwork, which then makes them less identifiable as
being such. The assembly that you were looking at on eBay is probably what
is known as a sub-deck. Usually, this comprises the metal deck, the laser
mounted and aligned (although some aren't, Panasonic / Technics being a
notable example), the sled motor and drive gears, and the spindle motor with
pre-aligned turntable. With some players, replacement is just a drop-in
operation with one ribbon cable and one or two 'normal' cables to be
connected. On others, when the deck is installed, mechanical adjustments
have to be made. On the Pan, this involves invoking some inbuilt software
that measures jitter, and then juggling three very awkwardly located screws
to minimise the jitter factor. On others - any of the Sony HCD-Sxxx series
for instance - a built in automatic alignment routine has to be invoked to
map the new laser's parameters, and apply corrections and offsets for any
factors that are less than optimal.

I think it is fairly unlikely that you would find a 'straight' DVD player
with exactly the same deck in it. In my experience manufacturers tend to use
several different assemblies across their ranges of HCs and basic players.
Just to fool you, they can often look exactly the same, but you then find
that screw holes are differently located, or the connectors are slightly
different.

Your best bet would be to hunt down a copy of the service manual, which will
have a section on replacing the laser. On some makes and models, it's a five
minute job, on others a long-winded nightmare. FWIW, Sammys are usually
straightforward. That said though, without the knowledge of what exactly is
required to be done on that specific player, you could well end up just
****ing in the wind ...

Arfa