Hi everybody.
I've got a strange problem regarding my CompactDisc-Player DX6810 by
Onkyo. When I insert a disc, it spins up for about 3-4 seconds and
then simply runs out. It isn't stopped, the spindle motor just stops
turning. The track display then reads "0" and nothing else is
displayed, i.e. the calendar is empty and there's nothing like "no
disc" or else.

Here's what I've tried up to now:
- Changed the Pickup
- Changed the spindle motor
- Checked lubrication
- Checked FE and TE
- Checked the DC servos for spindle- and pickup-motor

Everything seems to be OK. I also watched the eye pattern on an
oscilloscope. It isn't a complete grid, but I think that is ok while
reading the TOC. Gain is ok and it's not overly noisy.
I also read the Troubleshooting-Guide by Mr Goldwasser from top to end
but now I'm stuck. Hope anybody here has some more ideas. I'll try to
support you as best as I can with more information or measurement
results.

Best regards and many thanks in advance,

Lasse

wrote in message
...
Hi everybody.
I've got a strange problem regarding my CompactDisc-Player DX6810 by
Onkyo. When I insert a disc, it spins up for about 3-4 seconds and
then simply runs out. It isn't stopped, the spindle motor just stops
turning. The track display then reads "0" and nothing else is
displayed, i.e. the calendar is empty and there's nothing like "no
disc" or else.

Here's what I've tried up to now:
- Changed the Pickup
- Changed the spindle motor
- Checked lubrication
- Checked FE and TE
- Checked the DC servos for spindle- and pickup-motor

Everything seems to be OK. I also watched the eye pattern on an
oscilloscope. It isn't a complete grid, but I think that is ok while
reading the TOC. Gain is ok and it's not overly noisy.
I also read the Troubleshooting-Guide by Mr Goldwasser from top to end
but now I'm stuck. Hope anybody here has some more ideas. I'll try to
support you as best as I can with more information or measurement
results.

Best regards and many thanks in advance,

Lasse

This model is not listed on the US Onkyo servicer's web site. Having
replaced the pickup may have introduced another problem, mainly that most
new pickups have a "solder short" which consists of two adjacent foil pads
soldered together so as to short out the laser diode and prevent
electrostatic damage during transport or handling. This solder bridge, if it
exists in your model, must be unsoldered for the new pickup to work.


Mark Z.

Mark,

I didn't use a new pickup. The "original" is still up and running, it
just needed a new lens. To make sure that it has no other faults, I
swapped it with another one from a Sony-player I found laying around
in our workshop. The Sony played fine w/the Onkyo-pickup and the Onkyo
still showed the same behaviour. The DX uses a KSS210A while the Sony
is equipped w/a KSS150A. Should've mentioned that; shame on me.
Hopefully you've got another idea.

Best regards,
Lasse

wrote in message
...
Mark,

I didn't use a new pickup. The "original" is still up and running, it
just needed a new lens. To make sure that it has no other faults, I
swapped it with another one from a Sony-player I found laying around
in our workshop. The Sony played fine w/the Onkyo-pickup and the Onkyo
still showed the same behaviour. The DX uses a KSS210A while the Sony
is equipped w/a KSS150A. Should've mentioned that; shame on me.
Hopefully you've got another idea.

Best regards,
Lasse


You had said:

" Here's what I've tried up to now:
- Changed the Pickup
- Changed the spindle motor
- Checked lubrication
- Checked FE and TE
- Checked the DC servos for spindle- and pickup-motor

OK, then. They weren't new parts. Muddies the water still. If the spindle
motor's platter height is off, focus will fail. The height at which the disc
sits is critical. Could have a clamping problem, and I've seen some Onkyo
models have a cracked wormscrew gear which caused erratic playing and
startup problems.

Mark Z.

If the spindle motor's platter height is off, focus will fail.

The new spindle motor came mounted on the supporting chassis with a
new
pulley already assembled. I think that the height is correct. Since
the player
behaves like before, the old motor should be still ok an not the cause
for the
problem.
How can I check the focus? AFAIK that's what the FE-Pin is for, but
there is
nothing to worry about. I've seen that signal clipping in other
players but that
is not the case here.

Could have a clamping problem

What is that?

I've seen some Onkyo models have a cracked wormscrew gear
which caused erratic playing and startup problems.

There is no wormscrew in this one...


Lasse

wrote in message
...
If the spindle motor's platter height is off, focus will fail.

The new spindle motor came mounted on the supporting chassis with a
new
pulley already assembled. I think that the height is correct. Since
the player
behaves like before, the old motor should be still ok an not the cause
for the
problem.
How can I check the focus? AFAIK that's what the FE-Pin is for, but
there is
nothing to worry about. I've seen that signal clipping in other
players but that
is not the case here.

Could have a clamping problem

What is that?

I've seen some Onkyo models have a cracked wormscrew gear
which caused erratic playing and startup problems.

There is no wormscrew in this one...


Lasse

I think you are going to need a service manual for this one.

The clamper is that portion of the mechanism which maintains the physical
contact of the disc to the spindle motor platter.

The FE is the Focus Error test point. Irrelevant until the unit is playing.

You originally said the unit just needed a new lens. Did you actually have
any playing problems? The KSS-150 and 210 are interchangeable, but an old
one you had laying around could have problems of it's own.

Might be a good idea to put everything back to original configuration and
start over.


Mark Z.

I think you are going to need a service manual for this one.

I found one to download. Besides adjustment of focus and tracking
there's not much to read . W/out having the described test disc I
tried to do the measurements as far as possible. The results are quite
much the same.

The clamper is that portion of the mechanism which maintains the physical
contact of the disc to the spindle motor platter.

That's what it does. It's running free, isn't vibrating and doesn't
slip over. Seems ok to me.


You originally said the unit just needed a new lens.

Yes. Actually that's what I did: I carefully popped out the old, blind
one and replaced it with a clear one from an old pickup which had a
weak laser. I glued it in place and checked if everything else is
still ok. The lens is still moveable, I didn't break any of the
plastic supportings. The coils are also working, checked that with a
little AC.
I watched the eye pattern before and after lens change. The only
difference I noticed was a HF-voltage gain of about 40%.

Did you actually have any playing problems?

Nope. I got this player with the problem it is currently having.

The KSS-150 and 210 are interchangeable, but an old
one you had laying around could have problems of it's own.

It might be old, but the player where I got it from is still ok! As I
said, that player also works fine with my new-lens onkyo pickup, but
the onkyo still shows the same error.

Might be a good idea to put everything back to original configuration and
start over.

I don't have the old lens and spindle motor anymore. Besides that
everything's still original.


Lasse

I think you are going to need a service manual for this one.

I found one to download. Besides adjustment of focus and tracking
there's not much to read . I tried to do the described measurements
as far as that was possible w/out that test disc and the results were
quite much the same. Maybe that's misleading?

The clamper is that portion of the mechanism which maintains the physical
contact of the disc to the spindle motor platter.

That's what it does. It's running free, isn't vibrating and doesn't
slip over. Seems ok to me.


You originally said the unit just needed a new lens.

Yes. Actually that's what I did: I carefully popped out the old, blind
one and replaced it with a clear one from an old pickup which had a
weak laser. I glued it in place and checked if everything else is
still ok. The lens is still moveable, I didn't break any of the
plastic supportings. The coils are also working, checked that with a
little AC.
I watched the eye pattern before and after lens change. The only
difference I noticed was a HF-voltage gain of about 40%.

Did you actually have any playing problems?

Nope. I got this player with the problem it is currently having.

The KSS-150 and 210 are interchangeable, but an old
one you had laying around could have problems of it's own.

It might be old, but the player where I got it from is still ok! As I
said, that player also works fine with my new-lens onkyo pickup, but
the onkyo still shows the same error.

Might be a good idea to put everything back to original configuration and
start over.

I don't have the old lens and spindle motor anymore. Besides that
everything's still original.


Lasse

wrote in message
...
I think you are going to need a service manual for this one.

I found one to download. Besides adjustment of focus and tracking
there's not much to read . I tried to do the described measurements
as far as that was possible w/out that test disc and the results were
quite much the same. Maybe that's misleading?

The clamper is that portion of the mechanism which maintains the physical
contact of the disc to the spindle motor platter.

That's what it does. It's running free, isn't vibrating and doesn't
slip over. Seems ok to me.


You originally said the unit just needed a new lens.

Yes. Actually that's what I did: I carefully popped out the old, blind
one and replaced it with a clear one from an old pickup which had a
weak laser. I glued it in place and checked if everything else is
still ok. The lens is still moveable, I didn't break any of the
plastic supportings. The coils are also working, checked that with a
little AC.
I watched the eye pattern before and after lens change. The only
difference I noticed was a HF-voltage gain of about 40%.

Did you actually have any playing problems?

Nope. I got this player with the problem it is currently having.

The KSS-150 and 210 are interchangeable, but an old
one you had laying around could have problems of it's own.

It might be old, but the player where I got it from is still ok! As I
said, that player also works fine with my new-lens onkyo pickup, but
the onkyo still shows the same error.

Might be a good idea to put everything back to original configuration and
start over.

I don't have the old lens and spindle motor anymore. Besides that
everything's still original.


Lasse



Did you actually have any playing problems?

Nope. I got this player with the problem it is currently having.


I think we're not communicating well. I did go back to your first post, so
my question is answered, however.

I have seen on some older Onkyo's that the laser will focus but if the
inside (limit) switch has not been actuated, will just sit there and spin.
The one I'm thinking of did not die after 3-4 seconds, but might be worth
keeping in mind. Also, if somehow the disc rotation is backwards, like if
the polarity of the disc motor is wrong, you will see no difference in the
eye pattern, but the decoder IC will not be able to lock on. Speaking of the
decoder IC, it could be suspect at this point, especially if it's a CXD2500
type - there were lots of problems with those.


Mark Z.

I have seen on some older Onkyo's that the laser will focus but if the
inside (limit) switch has not been actuated, will just sit there and spin.

That switch is also ok and working well.

Also, if somehow the disc rotation is backwards (...)

No, the direction is correct.

Speaking of the decoder IC, it could be suspect at
this point, especially if it's a CXD2500 type

Unfortunately it's one of those .
I think that this will be the player's epitaph. I'm not willing to try
and replace such an IC, provided it's still available.
Mark, thank you very much for your help and suggestions!

Cheers, Lasse