I'm working on this RCA DRS700N DVD player from 2002 which won't read
DVDs at all and will read some CDs with GREAT difficulty.

Even when it does play, the 'eye' pattern is fuzzy, unstable and it
loses focus frequently. After about 30 seconds it suddenly slams the
pickup past the outside end of the disc and hits the stop at the end
of the tracks. It keeps trying to move the pickup out beyond the end
of the tracks and the lens is stuck focused fully up. The only way to
get out of this condition is to pull the plug. The same things
happens every time it manages to play a CD.

I cleaned the pickup, checked the spindle motor and ruled out any
other obvious mechanical defects.

The Fairchild FAN8004 IC which drives the tracking, focus, sled motor
spindle motor and loading motor gets very hot while it's playing, or
trying to play. The board under this IC is discolored. Has anyone
seen this part fail? It seems suspicious that it would ram the pickup
sled to one end of the track and never time out.

I would like to try replacing this IC, but I can't find anywhere to
order it from. Mouser has a 1,600 part minimum order for this part
and Fairchild can't supply it directly, even as samples. Any idea
what it would cost from Thomson? It's obviously not worth putting
much money into, but it's a nice player with a built in dolby digital
decoder and looks like new.
Andy Cuffe

The IC may be driving a shorted spindle motor. This would account for the
heat buildup.

Mark Z.

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"Andy Cuffe" wrote in message
...
I'm working on this RCA DRS700N DVD player from 2002 which won't read
DVDs at all and will read some CDs with GREAT difficulty.

Even when it does play, the 'eye' pattern is fuzzy, unstable and it
loses focus frequently. After about 30 seconds it suddenly slams the
pickup past the outside end of the disc and hits the stop at the end
of the tracks. It keeps trying to move the pickup out beyond the end
of the tracks and the lens is stuck focused fully up. The only way to
get out of this condition is to pull the plug. The same things
happens every time it manages to play a CD.

I cleaned the pickup, checked the spindle motor and ruled out any
other obvious mechanical defects.

The Fairchild FAN8004 IC which drives the tracking, focus, sled motor
spindle motor and loading motor gets very hot while it's playing, or
trying to play. The board under this IC is discolored. Has anyone
seen this part fail? It seems suspicious that it would ram the pickup
sled to one end of the track and never time out.

I would like to try replacing this IC, but I can't find anywhere to
order it from. Mouser has a 1,600 part minimum order for this part
and Fairchild can't supply it directly, even as samples. Any idea
what it would cost from Thomson? It's obviously not worth putting
much money into, but it's a nice player with a built in dolby digital
decoder and looks like new.
Andy Cuffe

On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 19:58:43 -0500, "Mark D. Zacharias"
wrote:

The IC may be driving a shorted spindle motor. This would account for the
heat buildup.

Mark Z.

As I said, the spindle motor is good.
Andy Cuffe

I would like to try replacing this IC, but I can't find anywhere to
order it from.

You could try to diagnose the IC.

When you start to have difficulties, blast the suspect IC with some freeze
spray.

Any idea
what it would cost from Thomson? It's obviously not worth putting
much money into, but it's a nice player with a built in dolby digital
decoder and looks like new.

If it becomes too difficult to find a replacement IC, you may have to consider
parting it out if you do frequent repairs.

As for a replacement DVD player:

Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, or JVC. Those seem to be the only brands that make
DVD players that offer decent performance and reliability for reasonable
prices. - Reinhart

The IC may be driving a shorted spindle motor. This would account for the
heat buildup.

Mark Z.

As I said, the spindle motor is good.

Sorry to butt in.

You can have marginal parts that still appear to be functioning perfectly. -
Reinhart