I am looking for a DVD player model that has a user accesible test mode menu
that a service technician would use. We would like to be able to make
measurements of the DVD player's electronics in various test modes. The
purpose is for use in a class where we are teaching how CD and DVD players
work.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Kevin

"Kevin" wrote in message
...
I am looking for a DVD player model that has a user accesible test mode
menu that a service technician would use. We would like to be able to make
measurements of the DVD player's electronics in various test modes. The
purpose is for use in a class where we are teaching how CD and DVD players
work.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Kevin

Most of the Sonys from a couple of years back had a full blown accessible
auto setup and auto diagnostic mode. I guess their current ones probably do
as well. I can't remember ever having seen a CD player with any visually
displayed test mode as such, although Pioneer players used to have a test
mode where various functions could be actioned manually ie run the sled
miotor, run the spindle motor, force the laser on, force continuous focus
seek etc.

But what is the mileage in this ? Modern DVD players - even the better
quality ones - are seldom worth repairing, even if the service info and
parts are available. Service assistance from the manufacturer usually isn't.
Most DVD faults are related to the optical block, which isn't difficult to
diagnose, but either isn't available as a spare, or is prohibitively
expensive. Next most common problem is power supply, particularly
electrolytics. Any other fault, is unlikely to be resolvable, with
'standard' bench equipment, and limited knowledge, unless it's a software
problem that is known, and for which the manufacturer has a patch. It is
very rare to actually get into a player with a meter to measure voltages.

CD player faults are almost always optical block, power supply, or
mechanical. Optical blocks can be had for most makes at a reasonable price,
so they are worth repairing, but with the notable exception of Pioneer
players, most these days do not have any setups that are intended to be
measured or adjusted.

Arfa

Arfa, thanks for the information.

I purchased the service manual for a cheap Sony DVD Player, DVP-NS57P for
$7.99, which I downloaded from http://www.completeservicemanuals.com From
the service manual, I found that this DVD player does, in fact, have a test
mode, so I ordered 3 of the DVD players for the classes.

Kevin
"Arfa Daily" wrote in message
...


"Kevin" wrote in message
...
I am looking for a DVD player model that has a user accesible test mode
menu that a service technician would use. We would like to be able to
make measurements of the DVD player's electronics in various test modes.
The purpose is for use in a class where we are teaching how CD and DVD
players work.

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Kevin

Most of the Sonys from a couple of years back had a full blown accessible
auto setup and auto diagnostic mode. I guess their current ones probably
do as well. I can't remember ever having seen a CD player with any
visually displayed test mode as such, although Pioneer players used to
have a test mode where various functions could be actioned manually ie run
the sled miotor, run the spindle motor, force the laser on, force
continuous focus seek etc.

But what is the mileage in this ? Modern DVD players - even the better
quality ones - are seldom worth repairing, even if the service info and
parts are available. Service assistance from the manufacturer usually
isn't. Most DVD faults are related to the optical block, which isn't
difficult to diagnose, but either isn't available as a spare, or is
prohibitively expensive. Next most common problem is power supply,
particularly electrolytics. Any other fault, is unlikely to be resolvable,
with 'standard' bench equipment, and limited knowledge, unless it's a
software problem that is known, and for which the manufacturer has a
patch. It is very rare to actually get into a player with a meter to
measure voltages.

CD player faults are almost always optical block, power supply, or
mechanical. Optical blocks can be had for most makes at a reasonable
price, so they are worth repairing, but with the notable exception of
Pioneer players, most these days do not have any setups that are intended
to be measured or adjusted.

Arfa

"Kevin" wrote in message
...

Arfa, thanks for the information.

I purchased the service manual for a cheap Sony DVD Player, DVP-NS57P for
$7.99, which I downloaded from http://www.completeservicemanuals.com From
the service manual, I found that this DVD player does, in fact, have a
test mode, so I ordered 3 of the DVD players for the classes.

Kevin


In "Auto Adjust" mode - usually option 0 - some of the Sony models used to
tell you what they were doing on the screen such as "focus offset adjust" ,
whilst others just got on with it, and only told you whether a test and
adjustment of a parameter set, had passed or failed. The ones which told you
what was going on, used to put up a table of results at the end, which was
very useful for assessing the state of the laser. Most of the adjustments
ranged in value from 00 to FF, so you were usually looking for a setting
somewhere around the middle of that range, 2F or so. Any that came up
significantly different from that sort of value, usually indicated trouble.
It was interesting to see the differences in focus offset value that the
diagnostics had calculated, for layer 0 and layer 1.

If the players that you have ordered have this kind of display, you should
be able to use it as a good illustration in your classes.

Arfa