JVC SR-MV40US "Disc Error" on ANY dvd/cd ... a known COMMON flaw?

[ggoat!!!]

Hi everyone...


At the beginning of the year, I posted regarding problems I was having with my parents' DR-MV1 units with the dreaded loading problems. Needless to say, after buying parts units from eBay, those units work perfectly.

For myself, I decided to purchase the JVC Professional model SR-MV40US several weeks back. Great price from Amazon...but neither of the two units I've had work. They were brand new, unopened. Neither of the units read any type of discs...no commercial movie dvd's, cd's, blank dvd's, NOTHING...they each give a "disc error" message on the front panel, with a corresponding "unreadable disc" error on the screen. They did this right out of the box.

When I notified Amazon regarding the 2nd unit not working, I was told there was a known problem with these units and that I could NOT have a replacement...only a full refund. Other reviews on Amazon's site hint to this same problem...unreadable disc errors, replacement machines sent out, Amazon refusing to replace machines due to "known problems beyond their control" with the units. I can find no other mention of a known problem with the 40US ANYWHERE on the internet. But, it seems like there HAS to be a fault with these units.

I opened one unit up, and noticed that the dvd drive looks and feels like a piece of utter crap. Super lightweight, flimsy,not encased, constructed of plastic...nothing like the drives in the DR-MV1 decks. The control cable is the same and hooks up the same way, but the power cable to the new drive seems vastly different. I also noticed that the power supply board as well as the board under the processor were only slightly altered, and that the LS1 processor board was the same as the MV1. For research, I decided to see if I could actually install the SR-MV40US' slighty different power supply board, processor board/processor, and dvd drive into an SR-MV30US unit (nearly identical to the MV1) that has the afformentioned loading problem (I haven't gotten around to repairing it). All these parts swap right in, everything hooks up without modification (as long as you swap all the afformentioned parts together), and the unit comes on, no loading error...the only problem was the SAME "disc error" message that I got when these parts were in the SR-MV40US due to the faulty new style dvd drive. But, what I concluded was that even though these parts were different, they are interchangable in the sister models to the 30US/MV1 in that the front panels' buttons, the vhs drives, output connectors, etc. all work properly if the newer boards are installed in the older units.

SO...I'm now wondering if the OPPOSITE is true (I'm 99.9% sure it is). That is, since the new dvd drives in the 40US are NOT interchangable with the MV1 drives on their own without swapping the corresponding boards (since the power supply cabling to the drive is different), I'm thinking it is possible to install a GOOD/repaired MV1 power supply, processor/processor board, and dvd drive into the new MV40 deck. I KNOW the drives in the MV1 decks are robust. Problem is, I don't have a working parts deck to do this yet...

The reason I bring this all up is that I'm wondering if there IS INDEED a known problem with the newer SR-MV40US dvd drives. Both units I've had have the problem, as well as 1/3 of the Amazon customers who reviewed the unit. But, I find NO mention of any problems on this site, nor under a google search. I find it odd that I would get two units with dvd drives that completely don't work, however. I called Amazon and got a clueless **** who had no CLUE what I was asking about...i.e., "What are the known problems with this unit and why do you still sell it if you KNOW there is a problem?" Needless to say, she couldn't answer the question...Amazon couldn't tell me WHAT the problem is, even though they deny a replacement BECAUSE of this problem...yet again, have no clue as to what the problem IS.

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF JVC HAS A KNOWN FAILURE IN THE DVD DRIVE OF THE SR-MV40US OR ANY OF THE NEWER JVC UNITS? And, if so, HAS JVC ADDRESSED THIS? Seems that if they HAVEN'T, then ALL of the 40US decks as well as ANY OTHER DECKS with this same dvd drive are very much more than likely to fail. The part number on the drive is PMD0120A.

Does anyone have any insight on this????


Thanks!
Jeff

[lordsmurf]

2010 update -- Fixing the JVC DVD Recorder "LOADING" Issue / JVC Will Not Recognize Blank DVDs
I've compiled a new thread on this topic at http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/showthread.php/fixing-jvc-dvd-2008.html -- I've been trying to organized all available JVC information better for those who need it!


************************************************** **********************

Need more information: What blank discs are you trying to use? I suggest a Verbatim 16x DVD-R.

"I was told there was a known problem with these units" and "Other reviews on Amazon's site hint to this same problem...unreadable disc errors" sounds like your typical stupid user comments from people who couldn't figure out the machine. Not saying they are, but that's a common style of negative comment that is BS.

The LSI chipset would be the same. What makes the machine pro is the features and overall build quality.

Let's face it: all DVD drives are flimsy when out of the protective metal shells. Laser technology is tiny and not rugged. So while I have no doubt your complaint is valid, that complaint goes for basically every drive in existence.

I've never heard of any problems with this unit. Maybe they have a damaged shipment?

Amazon is not much different than a Best Buy or Walmart employee. In other words, they know nothing on the products they sell. At best, another customer said something and they're repeating it, true or not.

If you want a better answer, call B&H and ask them about their returns. That might not yield much help because B&H phone answerers are historically a bunch of rude-assed yankees, but it's worth a shot. Do not tell them anything, only ask questions. If you say something, knowing nothing for sure, you'll just spread rumors. Ears only, no talking.

Then call JVC last, and get info straight from the horse's mouth.

At worst, it sounds like a drive error, not a machine error.

Don't jump on any rumor mills or idiot bandwagons, take it slow. Then let us know what you find out.

[ggoat!!!]

As I stated, the problem has NOTHING to do with what brand of discs are being used. This problem has NOTHING to do with recording, as I stated in the original post.

The unit will not recognize ANY disc...it doesn't recognize blank discs, recorded discs, store-bought movies, music cd's, NOTHING. Has NOTHING to do with recording. This isn't a problem that you even have to "learn how to use the machine." You turn it on, insert a disc, and are told, "Disc error." "Stupid" Amazon reviewers or not, this is a pretty basic problem. The key is to read thoroughly before rushing to judgment.

The build quality is much worse than the MV1 or the 30US. Much flimsier plastic for the front panel; even the metal top panel is noticably more thin.

I did not expect Amazon to really know much...but honestly I did expect them to be able to tell me WHY they can't ship me a replacement.

The dvd drive in this unit is absolutely shocking in its cheapness. It doesn't even resemble a toy. You can literally bend the unit as a whole in your hand.

I spoke to JVC this morning. After getting the runaround with their different departments (even though I called JVC's Professional telephone number), I finally talked to someone, who did verify that there IS a known problem with these units, but it has not been published ala the "loading" problems of previous units. I was told, "We got some bad drives."

HOWEVER...he could not tell me IF the problem has been corrected in the production. He could NOT tell me if the drive has been replaced. He could NOT tell me if this drive is the same that is used in ANY of the newer models (such as the SR-MV45US). He could NOT tell me if there was a new/improved drive available or made during the production run that addresses this problem. He could NOT tell me if there was any way to tell if a particular model or production run (say, above a certain serial number) had a WORKING or IMPROVED dvd drive. He could not tell me HOW to tell if a unit I would purchase would have a new/improved drive. He had NO IDEA if there was a new part number or updated part number/reference number that would indicate an improved/repaired replacement drive to address this problem.

I thought for sure that JVC, aware of the problem admittedly, would be able to tell me, "You need drive so and so, and all units manufactured before so and so serial number have the older bad drive." Alas, that didn't occur.

All I was told by JVC was that "we had a lot of bad drives." Nothing more, nothing less.

I think I'm going to try to retrofit the 40US with the drive components from an MV1 as stated above. At least I know, that once repaired, those WORK. There is no guarantee that any of the new JVC Professional dvd recorders have drives that actually work or won't prematurely crap out a month or so after purchase. Hell, JVC directly could NOT even tell me if the problem has been corrected NOR could they tell me HOW I would know IF the problem WAS corrected in any particular model or production run. Basically, the buyer's choice is to buy the unit, and hope for the best. If the drive doesn't work, you can either return it for a replacement that may or may not work now (or later), or you can send it to JVC for replacement of the drive with one that JVC isn't quite sure if it is improved or not; and hope it is fixed...of course with the buyer paying shipping and risking physical damage to the unit from someone who doesn't really care if it gets scratched up or not.

Great.

[laserman]

The recorders containing the PMD0120A-C1 drives have a known problem, or rather, some of them do, depending on the manufacture date.
If you give me the serial number from the drive I`ll check to see if it is repairable.

[oldandinthe way]

Clearly there should be a product recall (if it is a bad batch of drives of all units which used the defective drives). Clearly JVC like SONY avoids recalls (SONY has waited up to 2 years after knowing of a defect to launch a recall).

Clearly Amazon loses money when it sell defective products and has to replace them, so it will not ship you a replacement.

Since you obviously believe JVC products when they work are superior (or you wouldn't have bought this) it is your decision as to whether you want another JVC product given the manufacturer's policies on customer service.

[lordsmurf]

I have to say you got a real idiot on that phone call. Most JVC techs tend to know their stuff. You may have only had a phone jockey, not an actual troubleshooter/tech on the line.

It does just sound like a bad drive.

Open up any DVD player or recorder, and you'll see the same flimsy craptastic quality.

Swapping may be the best, if possible.

[doingmythang]

I've had the same unfortunate horrible experience with this JVC product.

I initially bought the JVC SR-MV40US professional vhs/dvd recorder from Amazon about 4 months ago. I got it, everything worked fine for a week or two, and then bam, it stopped working. I got that 'disk error' and it would no longer accept any of my dvd's to play or record on, that worked before.

Called JVC, and they said once you see that 'disk error' it's very unlikely that the product will ever work again... and I had to send it in to them. Contacted Amazon, and they were very nice and accepted the return and sent me a new one overnight, before I even returned the defective one.

Well, it arrived, worked for a little bit, and then again... for the second time, it stopped working. I'm seriously pissed. This is not a quality product. It's ridiculous. For the money I paid I should not be having this many problems. Time to see if I can get a full refund this time around.

This is absolute BS!

[lordsmurf]

Why didn't you send it to JVC and just get it fixed?