[Duncan]

Hiya...

Not sure if this will get off of the ground or not... but there appears to be a lot of people here who have either done their own repairs, or are looking to repair to a Discman...

Anyone with any useful bits of information, please post them here... so that we can (fingers crossed) have an almanac of repair information

Thanks in advance for any input into this thread

 

[grancasa]

I'll post a question here, and see if any of you can help.

I've been reading Vwap's 777 repair thread, with regards to adjusting the pots on his player. I think I might have a similar problem.

I have a D-35 that has problems reading discs when it is sitting flat. It skips around and doesn't play music. But if I tilt the player ~45 degrees, it plays just fine.

The problem is, there are a ton of pots (I count 8) on the PCB, and I don't know what any of them do. Any help out there?

 

[vwap]

A great starting point would be LamerDeluxe's first post in his thread How to adjust your PCDPs tracking and focus.

I will most likely be acquiring a D-777 and a D-555 Service Manual in the next few weeks. Hopefully, that will detail more in-depth what each pot does. grancasa, I wouldn't touch any of the 40x pots, as it seems nobody has any clue what they do as of yet. For an explanation of the 50x pots, refer to the above post.

The process detailed above works best when you have plastic pots with fixed/definate "ends" on each side. Thus far, the two PCDP's that I haven't been able to revive are my D-777 and my D-66. Both of them have metal pots that spin ... and spin ... and spin. However, I was able to revive two D-35's, so this process definately works, but it works best when you know where to return the pots. Like I said, with those that have definate "ends" to the pots, it's very easy to remember where to go back to. However, with the ones that spin endlessly, it's a pain to attempt to figure out how many turns you've done already, and to count backwards after the fact... which then results in what I have here -- a broken D-777.

Good luck to everyone... if I find more information or manage to revive my various players, I'll post an update. (So far, I have a D-555, D-777, D-66, and Optimus CD-3400 that need repairs... so hopefully I'll get to post something...

)

 

[grancasa]

Thanks for the reply. I read the post you mentioned, and also the linked site with information on CD player repair. I adjusted all the pots just fine, rotated everything out of control and then got it back into place. The pots didn't change the problem.

It looks like the problem is with the motor that rotates the CD, more specifically the part that the CD touches and rotates on. If you look at any cd player, this "spindle" usually has a ring around it the is on a spring and moves to accept the CD. This ring seems to be broken somewhat on my player, becuase the "spindle" will sometimes rotate without rotating the CD. This problem goes away when the CD player is tilted, as this puts enough pressure in the spindle and ring to make sure the CD rotates with the spindle.

The CD also seems to wobble a little on the spindle, about 1mm. This might be the cause of the problem.

I took out the motor/spindle assembly, but there wasn't anything a could change. Does anyone know of a source for new motors/spindles if I choose to replace this one?

 

[vwap]

grancasa,

the older Sony Discmans, the D-35 included, uses a magnetic retention mechanism. If you put a small screw up to the circular plate on top, that's the magnet. What happens is that you put the CD on, and it just sorta "sits" there, and is free-moving. The magnet on top is the clamping mechanism that comes down to make the CD move.

You might want to try adjusting the plate on top (in addition to making sure the bottom ring which the CD sits on is aligned) to make sure that it's fairly straight. I'm using a D-303 as a reference, and the top ring is free-moving.. so that doesn't help much.. but it may have something to do with the clamping mechanism, rather than the motor itself.

 

[vwap]

New tip: If you're buying a player off eBay... my recommendation is to buy those players that skip intermittenly, but still play. While this may not work in all cases (a la grancasa's D-35's broken motor), I've had a lot better success with players that just have a skipping problem, yet still play. If it recognizes that a disk is in there, that's a good sign..

Duncan: Did you still need to know how to open a D-555 up? I was able to get mine opened and fixed.

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally posted by vwap Duncan: Did you still need to know how to open a D-555 up? I was able to get mine opened and fixed.

Yes please...

Thanks

 

[vwap]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan Yes please... Thanks

So first, you take off the four screws on the bottom, and the three on the back panel (where the line out and AC in are). Each of these screws has an arrow pointing to it.

So now, it's a pain to take off the front panel, but if you look in the left front corner (under the battery compartment on the front). You will be able to wedge a very small flat screw driver in there, then wedge it up. Then lift the front off and work the back out.

I don't actually have the opened D-555 in front of me, but now that you're looking at the first PCB.. I'm not sure exactly how to fix your problems, but you may need to get to the bottom layer... so there should be around 8 screws, all around the sides, so if you follow it around, you'll find them. Remember which holes you unscrewed them out of, as there are about 3 different sizes of screws that they used.

If you need any more help, let me know. I can take pictures and what-not.. What problemw ere you having again?

 

[Duncan]

Hi vwap...

loss of treble on one channel (through headphone out)...

I'll have a little play in a bit... see if I can take it apart...

I hope the caps are on the 'first' PCB you come to

 

[vwap]

Quote:

Originally posted by Duncan Hi vwap... loss of treble on one channel (through headphone out)... I'll have a little play in a bit... see if I can take it apart... I hope the caps are on the 'first' PCB you come to

The second PCB isn't that hard to get to.. Just make sure you don't pull anything too hard. What I did was lighly pry the tape off the film cable, taking it off the chips but leaving it stuck to the cable. This allowed me to stick the cable back on the way it came off, but still take the first PCB off enough to adjust the pots. (Which doesn't seem to be your problem)

 

[asdf916]

hey, I have a Sony D-EJ715 Discman. The problem with it is that the buttons on top of the case dont work anymore. Pic here. The remote that came with the player works at times, but i would have to replug the power supply to get it working again. The volume buttons on the side of the player also on works at times, but when i press either the (+ or -) buttons, it would automatically reduce the volume all the way down. Any ideas? I would get it repaired, but I'd rather use some of the money to get a MP3-CD Player.

 

[gwickes]

Hi everyone!
I've been over the repair threads here and there and wonder if anyone with the Sony D-303 has service manual or have saved the actual resistance measurements (or plans on getting them any time soon) for the focus/tracking pots 501-505 on all points of measurement. This is one of the players with zero end points on the pots - 360 stuff. If I can get the resistance values, I can "ballpark" the settings and get really close without a scope, kinda like comparison checking an amp (R channel OK - L channel Dead) would be. I'm in the Philippines and the local Sony Service Center has no service info on this model and won't even consider looking at it. I'd like to thank ya' now!

 

[Duncan]

asdf916

Have you ever had the player open? - my very basic understanding of your problem would (to me) indicate that one of the connecting ribbons has come out of place...

 

[Duncan]

gwickes

I think the service manual would be your best bet... from understanding vwaps plight with his D777 when he messed with his pots, they are set up according to the transport... each one differs ~ so any results gathered from us here, with multimeters probably wouldn't really do you much good

 

[gwickes]

Duncan
Thanks for your insightful reply, but the values would give me a 'ballpark' to start with, albeit not optimum conditions. Another model could be used for comparison, but with results even more likely off the mark. There's a Sony Sony Service Center down the road but no manual or service available.
Does anyone with a D-303 know/can obtain the EFM test point(s) so I can 'Scope it out?
Further comments invited as always .. thanks again!