My machine will not work. Load a disc, it may (or may not) start then will shut off. Pull the plug & wait for it to reset I can power it back on then get my dvd out.
Looking for version & error codes, I show version 250 but it also shows HO98.
It is usually the spindle motor on a Panasonic. Open it and see if the disc spins, if not give it a little spin by hand, if it starts spinning it's the spindle motor.
Opened the case, the disc spins, title says read, then it powers down. Have to pull the plug for a while, then I can turn it on and either repeat as it did or remove the disc before it shuts down.
Doesn't look like the spindle motor.
P.S. Checked the meaning of H098.
H - Panel controller model number 098 - Panel controller release number
Don't know on that one. Haven't seen an H098, They are usually H02, H05, H07. You could try cleaning the laser, wet a q-tip with alcohol and lightly clean the lens, don't push hard.
I'm losing faith in Panasonic myself, been reading too many bad things about them lately. My E20 DVD recorder that I paid $800 for and was only used to record not play only lasted a little over 2 1/2 years before the drive went out. Most of what I own is Panasonic, their older stuff was very reliable, don't know about the newer stuff.
Anonymous
Posted on
Had EXACTLY same thing happen to my RP91 last week. Curious to see if there is some sort of reset to factory specs.
Usually means bad spindle motor or bad laser. Open and see if the disc spins, if not give it a little nudge by hand, if it starts to spin it's the spindle motor. You should be able to see the laser, it should be pretty bright, don't look into the beam or get your eyes too close to it.
Stevio
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Hmmm... thanks Dave. I'll have a look in the morning (I'm in the UK). If it is the spindle is there anything i can do, or is it not going to be worth it? Dunno how much a new spindle is, how easy it is to fit or where I can get one from?
Don't know in the UK. I've fixed a few of them by carefully taking apart the motor, cleaning everything and reassembling. I can tell you how to do it if that's what's wrong and if you can work on stuff. If you have never worked on anything then you probably couldn't fix or replace the motor either one.
Stevio
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Just had a look and the motor turns for a bit and then cuts out. The menu comes up on the TV and then goes when the motor cuts out. The laser appears to be OK, although it does also turn off when the motor cuts out (I assume this is normal, though?). Don't reckon it's worth me paying to get it fixed so I may as well have a go! I'm usually not too bad at taking things apart and cleaning etc although I know nothing about DVD's. Any advice would be very welcome.
If you have soldering equipment and can get the motor out then I can tell you what to do. Before removing the motor spindle mark the height somehow so that you can get the height right when reassembling. When prying the spindle off pry at the motor shaft to keep from warping the spindle. If you get the motor out post here and I will tell you how to repair the motor. It's a pretty delicate process, but not real hard.
Stevio
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Cheers Dave. Have now got soldering equipment..... will have a go soon, bit busy at the moment but I will post back in the next few days.
Sango
Unregistered guest
Posted on
The unit is shutting down because most likely the disc couldn't spin up. It's more of a safety shut off.
Also the firmware on your RP91 is an old version. The latest is version 262.
I'm very well known on AVS, so you can stop by and hear the detail about my knowledge about the Panasonic players.
Sango
Unregistered guest
Posted on
I wanted to add several things
H07 is a spindle motor failure - from the SVC Manual
When you go to the players user menu, it's normal for the spindle motor to spin down.
For the soldering equipment, make sure the iron is a 15w (designed for electronics) grounded, nothing higher or you risk damaging the electornics.
Also after reparing the spindle motor, the unit needs to be recalibrated and that requires the use of using the tilt adjustments to get the optical pick up to read at it's optimum level. To be able to do that, you need a special disc for this purpose.
For purchasing a new spindle motor in the UK, try contacting your country's PAnasonic to see if you can purchase one. If not, you can purchase it from the US Panasonic parts site.
Stevio
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Thanks for all the info folks. I've had a few personal probs and haven't been able to attempt this yet. I'll post here when I get time to have a go.
cheers
CarlosG
Unregistered guest
Posted on
Sango.. that is very good info. My RP91 is having the H02 code as well. After opening the unit, I could get it to play 3 or 4 more times, by spinning up the motor a bit. Now it would no longer do that. If I were to buy the replacement kit from panasonic, and replace the assembly myself. Do I need to calibrate the unit?
Sango
Unregistered guest
Posted on
The use of the calibration disc is recommended after changing spindle or optical because it's the way to ensure the optical pick up is set at optimum reading levels. I personally say it's necessary because depending how much the calibration is off, the unit can have trouble reading discs by taking longer by read/re-read, perhaps picture degradation and audio skipping, all the way up to the worst case by not reading any disc at all.
