cleaning recommendations for new cd dvd player
Aug 8, 2002 at 8:13 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 13

fyrfytrhoges

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after just receiving my new sony dvd/cd/sacd player I was reading the instruction manual and noticed it reads:do not use commercially available cleaning disks as they may cause malfunction. so how are you supposed to clean the laser lens???? any suggestions???
 
Aug 15, 2002 at 12:58 PM Post #2 of 13
Making a search for cleaning procedure, I just noticed that you didn't received any answer to your post. Sorry about that.
Manufacturers are too sensitive about warranties. Try a a well-known brand name cleaner as Maxwell, TDK or Discwasher. Or, if you are brave, just take apart the player and clean the lens with a q-tip impregned in optical lens cleaning solution and then buf the lens with a dry one. Be very careful but don't worry. Do this only once in a year. I did this to all my players (home changer, dvd player and even car changer) and the results are impressive. Go ahead.
 
Aug 15, 2002 at 1:02 PM Post #3 of 13
Making a search for cleaning procedure, I just noticed that you didn't received any answer to your post. Sorry about that.
Manufacturers are too sensitive about warranties. Try a a well-known brand name cleaner as Maxwell, TDK or Discwasher. Or, if you are brave, just take apart the player and clean the lens with a q-tip impregned in optical lens cleaning solution and the buf the lens with a dry one. Be very careful but don't worry. I did this in all my players (home changer, dvd player and even car changer) and the results are impressive. Go ahead.
 
Aug 15, 2002 at 10:36 PM Post #4 of 13
I've never used a "lens cleaner" on any optical drive (CD, CD-ROM, MD, DVD). The problem is that many of them use cheaper plastic lenses that scratch very easily, and these "cleaners" (which use brushes that actually contact the lens) can scratch them.

IMO, unless you're in an environment where smoke can coat the lens, you're much better off using a can of compressed air and periodically blowing the lens to remove dust/dirt.
 
Aug 16, 2002 at 3:16 PM Post #5 of 13
so are you guys saying that there is something wrong with my player if it starts skipping after about 10 hrs. of play? what would cause this? and if these cleaning devices are so useless why do they make them?? Money???
 
Aug 16, 2002 at 5:26 PM Post #6 of 13
I once had a CD player that developed skipping early on. It turned out to be the way the wiring was dressed was affecting movement of the laser. After making sure the wiring was not affecting movement, the player never had another problem.

Since I have not been part of the process of designing and marketing a commercial lens cleaner, any guess I made as to why they are marketed when they can be damaging would be speculation at best.
 
Aug 16, 2002 at 7:42 PM Post #7 of 13
Quote:

Originally posted by fyrfytrhoges
so are you guys saying that there is something wrong with my player if it starts skipping after about 10 hrs. of play?


Definitely.

Quote:

what would cause this?


Heat? Do you mean after ten straight hours of playback?

Quote:

and if these cleaning devices are so useless why do they make them?? Money???


That's my guess
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Aug 16, 2002 at 8:15 PM Post #8 of 13
I have a question about using compressed air. All the compressed air I have seen (for sale in computer store) so far are all "wet". The problem with using this kind of compressed air is that it'd wet the lens and more seriously potentially short circuit any electronics you may be spraying on to. Is there a "dry" type of compressed air which is safe for cleaning the lens?
 
Aug 16, 2002 at 9:09 PM Post #10 of 13
Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor
I have a question about using compressed air. All the compressed air I have seen (for sale in computer store) so far are all "wet". The problem with using this kind of compressed air is that it'd wet the lens and more seriously potentially short circuit any electronics you may be spraying on to. Is there a "dry" type of compressed air which is safe for cleaning the lens?


Any compressed air you buy for use with electronics is either "dry" or safe for use (if liquid gets on anything it evaporates immediately). Falcon "Dust Off" is one example -- they sell these at Costco for about $10 for four cans.
 
Aug 17, 2002 at 5:40 AM Post #11 of 13
Yes, I have "Dust-off". I think it's only supposed to be used to clean computer keyboard. It's definitely not dry, in fact, if you spray with the can tilted, the liquid will drip like from a faucet. There's a guy at work used it to clean his dusty computer motherboard, I warned him about it but he did it anyway, and the next thing he found out: the motherboard was fried.

I'm holding a can right now, reading the label. it does not say anything about if it's ok to use on electronics. However, I found this, "NEVER USE ON CAMERA MIRRORS". It does not explain why, but it makes me wonder, if it's not supposed to be used on camera mirrors, is it ok to use it on laser lens?

It seems pretty risky.
 
Aug 17, 2002 at 7:56 AM Post #12 of 13
Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor
Yes, I have "Dust-off". I think it's only supposed to be used to clean computer keyboard.


Nope, it's also intended to be used to remove dust from electronics.

Quote:

It's definitely not dry, in fact, if you spray with the can tilted, the liquid will drip like from a faucet. There's a guy at work used it to clean his dusty computer motherboard, I warned him about it but he did it anyway, and the next thing he found out: the motherboard was fried.


It's dry *unless* you spray with the can at an angle or upside-down. That's why it says explicity on the can "Always use product in an upright position." If the can is upright, what comes out is completely dry. If it's at an angle, you get the liquid form.

I've worked in hardware support and repair, and this stuff is widely used to remove dust and debrit from motherboards and other electronics -- with the caveat that you never spray with the can at an angle
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Quote:

I'm holding a can right now, reading the label. it does not say anything about if it's ok to use on electronics.


The advertisements for Dust Off say "Suitable for workstations, labs, repair benches, household use, on-location photography, etc." so clearly it's an intended use
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Quote:

However, I found this, "NEVER USE ON CAMERA MIRRORS". It does not explain why, but it makes me wonder, if it's not supposed to be used on camera mirrors, is it ok to use it on laser lens?


The use of compressed air on camera mirrors seems to be pretty controversial. Some people (and even some camera manufacturers) explicity say that you *should* use compressed air like Dust-Off. Others say you shouldn't, citing that the pressure from the compressed air can 1) wear down the delicate surface of the mirror; and/or 2) cause the mirror to misalign.

Whether either of those concerns is warranted, I don't know; but they are both concerns due to the *pressure* of the air cans, rather than the substance(s) that are being sprayed. As for cleaning CD/DVD/MD lenses, as long as you don't tilt the can (which causes the contents to be sprayed in liquid form), there should be no risk at all.
 

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