Philips DVP642 "no disc" of death: 6 month failure

_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

I am posting this as a helpful warning to those considering the DVP642 from Philips. It seems like a great low cost deal and that so many people have them - it must be a good buy, right? Wrong - if it only works for six months!

I have started to notice more and more people across several forums mention that their DVP642 has suddenly stopped reading any kind of DVD disc but will read CD's VCD's etc. This seems to happen around the 6 month mark, plus or minus a month or two.

Sure enough my DVP642 is just over six months old and BAM!

Suddenly this past weekend, in the middle of my brand new "Return of the King extended" 2nd disc - it happened to me. Player turned off and when I restarted it, no DVD would play. Not pressed, DVD-R DVD+R, nothing. But audio CD's will play and divx CD's will play. I can even flash it down to 0531 rom and back to to 1109 if using a CD, but it never comes back from the "no disc" of death.

Tried unplugging it for an hour. No change.
Tried using a "lens cleaner" disc on it. No change.

After alot of research, the most intelligent thing I have read so far is that most DVD players use two different lasers, one for CD and one for DVD and it probably drops dead in the DVP642 after so many hours or too much overheating after extended use.

Called Philips and after being on hold for 30 minutes they made me go through their silly diagnostics of trying different discs to prove what I already knew. Then I waited another 30 minutes on hold to the RMA department to tell me that since it was outside 90 days it would cost $30 to get a replacement (plus it would cost me about $10 to ship it there).

I'd like to hear from others who have experienced this and what happened after that - if they got Philips to do anything or if they found a work around. Maybe I'll just have to wait for the class action suit to happen in a few years

DVP642 seems like a great deal at $60-$70 but not if it only works for half a year!

Needless to say I am not spending another $40 to get a refurbished unit that might do the same thing in six month. After shopping around a bit and looking at $150 units with a YEAR warranty that do QPEL and GMC, I have decided instead to build a dedicated mini PC with video out that can also do TV capture and DVD burning as needed. It can be done for about $250 these days and the parts are completely replaceable.

Older related threads:
http://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=258831
http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/t230665.html

hoppy12 · Member Joined: 19 Nov 2004

That's funny because I've had mine for a year and haven't had this problem.

_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

Obviously I am not saying ALL of them fail, but a significant number do.
It probably come down to quality control. If 10%-15% fail, is that fair to the consumer that they just solve their problem with a 90 day warranty?

For new buyers, do you want to take that gamble that you you are going to be the 1 out of 10 that gets a bad unit or do you want spend $10-$20 more on a better brand with a longer warranty and possibly more features.

I was caught off guard with the 90 day warranty. I am not used to modern electronics failing so soon. I have two 6 year old VCR's still working well and they are far more mechanical. Just felt others should be well aware of this possibility BEFORE they buy.

johns0 · Puppet Master Joined: 05 Jun 2002 Location: canada

People come here all the time warning others about their dvd player,burner etc failing after a few month and not to buy it.Was told not to buy an apex 1500 cause it would die in a few month,2 years later still going strong.
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_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

Yes, again, nine out of ten may work, some are fortunate but it really bothers me how Philips plays the odds.

This is a particularly cheap model. Don't just take my word for it, look at the bunches of dead units on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/B000204SWE/ref= ... rallRating

It doesn't take much Googling to find other forums with DVP642 gone-dead complaints.

hoppy12 · Member Joined: 19 Nov 2004

I understand that you are saying that All of them didn't fail, I'm just saying that NONE of them have failed for me and I still highly recommend this player.

jtoolman2000 · Member Joined: 16 Apr 2003 Location: Maryland

I only bought mine to watch the occassional divx or avi from a tutorial or simmilar. So far I've used it about 30% for DVDs and the rest of the time for Divx/Avi. No problems so far - knock on wood.
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_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

Has anyone documented the insides of the DVP642?
I am wondering if the drive inside is user replaceable with some off the shelf part?
I don't care if I have to take it out of the existing case.

Zisguy1 · Member Joined: 04 Jan 2005

It does seem like Philips is having some QC problems with the DVP642. Nothing unusual re: products made in China...

Hopefully this gets resolved over time... usually it does, if a product line lasts very long. Doesn't help people who run into problems in the meantime, of course.

P.S. "knocking on wood" with my player also. I don't care that much anymore, since I've gone to DVD burning for my backups instead of DivX/XviD (which looks kind of crappy on the Philips anyway, those awful vertical lines)... next purchase will probably just be a good quality standard DVD player.

fmctm1sw · Convoluted... Joined: 03 Jul 2002

Reading CD's and not DVD's.. Or was it reading DVD's and not CD's? My Plextor PX-708A (PC drive) did the same thing. It was straight up broke, lucky it was under warranty....

_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

The 1109 rom eliminated most of those vertical line problems but it is indeed the DVD reading that is broken.

I'd like them to extend their warranty to at least six months to truly stand behind what they make. I wonder if there will be a class action scandal in a couple years to prove this is effecting a serious number of people, but of course I can't wait that long for a solution.

I've got a spare PC, all I need is a decent video out card and a cheap DVD reader and I am set I guess. With the right rebate sales or ebay I could do it for the $40 that it would have cost to fix the Philips.

canadateck · Semi Helper Joined: 08 Dec 2002 Location: Canada

If you have a Wal-Mart near you take it there,They will change it for a new one No questions asked you wouldnt even need the receipt. If they have it in stock,or they will give you store credit.

They do it here,anyway.

ken.vs.ryu · Member Joined: 21 Dec 2004

you spend more on coffee or drinks than $10 a month.
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_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

Actually I bought it orginally at Wal-Mart and I did try to exchange it. They looked at the serial number and looked it up in their system. All electronics over $50 are tracked by serial number for the past couple years at Wal-Mart.

They knew it was six months old and would not exchange.

canadateck · Semi Helper Joined: 08 Dec 2002 Location: Canada

They have never done that to me,I returned a VCR that was over 1 year old.

canadateck · Semi Helper Joined: 08 Dec 2002 Location: Canada

Send it to me I'll return it for you.

They must be more strick in the US, They told me if I ever have any problems with any thing I buy no matter how long ago , if they have it in stock they will exchange it for a New one or give store credit.

RottenFoxBreath · Member Joined: 25 May 2004 Location: Scotland

god bless europe and its 12 months warranty.
none of that 90 day crap.
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_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

I've heard the 642 is cheaper there too (well the 630 sister model).
I guess they figure north america will put up with this nonsense and
just go buy another... I'm not even gonna buy Philips CD-R's anymore.

newbie36 · Member Joined: 05 Mar 2004

Ive got a philips dvp642 and I know 2 others that do as well....one friend plays it a little bit...another alot and it fried after 7 months...Im starting to notice problems on mine now as well....like the svcd suddenly decides to skip 5 or 10 minutes...real annoying

MJA · Member Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Location: IL

_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

So no one has done any photos of the inside?
I guess I can open it up myself and see, not like I am voiding any warranty.

Zisguy1 · Member Joined: 04 Jan 2005

Ripper64 · Member Joined: 17 Feb 2004

I picked up a DVP642 today at Wal-Mart.The girl told me right at the counter to keep the receipt because you get a 12 month warranty.She said it was a Wal-Mart thing.I thought it was 3 months or 6.She said no 12 months.Sounds good to me.I live in Canada.By the way all they have is the one's with the 0531 firmware.The date is October 30 2004.They got a whole whack of them at the time and still have a few left.The boxes are beat up on a couple.If anyone wants one guranteed 0531 Macrovision free "S" version let me know.As long as you cover the costs.

_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

That year coverage must be a "walmart Canada" thing. In the USA the walmarts cover most items 90 days for return and 30 days on electronics.

Ripper64 · Member Joined: 17 Feb 2004

I would say it is a Canadian Wal-Mart thing.Maybe anyone from Canada who purchased one from Wal-Mart can verify.

canadateck · Semi Helper Joined: 08 Dec 2002 Location: Canada

I can return anything (NO Time Limit) as long as its in stock if not they will issue a Store Credit,Read my post on this thread.

MrRay · Member Joined: 03 Apr 2005 Location: New Brunswic, Canada

My DVP-642/37 just bit the dust. I bought it just before Christmas, so I guess getting 4 months or so out of it (at $25/month CAD) is better than nothing.

I got the No Disc error, but then I couldn't even open the disc drawer. The DVD wasn't spinning, and there was no mechanical sounds whatsoever. The menus worked fine and the pretty little screen saver came on, but I couldn't play the dvd or get it out.

Luckily I also bought it from Wal-Mart Canada, so they took it back with no questions asked. In fact, I said to the lady "How do you know I didn't buy it from Radio Shack or somewhere else?" and she said "It makes no difference to me - you're returning a product we sell because it doesn't work, so we get our money back in the end." Crazy.

Oh, and when I told them my DVD was stuck in there a guy from their electronics dept came and opened it up. (I wasn't gonna crack that thing open and reduce my chances of returning it!) He took the top off, plugged it in, and started poking around at the drawer mechanism. It became un-stuck and opens & closes like a charm! But it still gave the "No Disc" error, so I got my store credit and moved on.

Speaking of moving on, I'm now looking at the RJ1500DVXII (website). It appears to play everything that the DVP642 plays, and although the cost is higher, I'll be relieved to move away from Philips.

Did I mention I went through two DVP-642s? And before I bought the first DVP642 I had a similar (nonDivX) Philips player that went out within 11 months of buying it. It squealed when it played and I found that it had to be upside-down just to get through a DVD. I'm not impressed with Philips lately.

giannid · Member Joined: 14 Dec 2004

You know, there is a trip lever at the bottom of (underneath) the DVP642 player that allows you to manually open the tray door. It's just a little slot with a plastic lever visible on one side of the slot. You can trip it with a knife or toothpick or something.

Caution: It's not likely, but we should remember to unplug electrical items before we start putting knives into them

_ck_ · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2005

Apparently Philips is getting enough dead units to start a refurbished line of DVP642's - this also should be a HUGE warning to potential buyers:

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=922788

Don't be tempted by the price shoppers - its still 90 day warranty on used components (though overstock has a 2 year extension for $10, who knows if they will be around for two years?)

Selling refurbished at a slight discount seem like new buyers funding the discount with their $30 expired warranty exchanges, just like rebate deals rely on a certain number of people not filing for the rebate (or doing it wrong and disqualifying).

steve2713 · Member Joined: 19 Nov 2003

They've been selling those refurbished for awhile (at least a couple of months). Is it related to the laser problems? I suppose it's a likely cause as any.

Refurbished isn't necessarily a bad thing, though. If they're repaired properly, refurbished products are sometimes better than buying the product new, as the quality control and repair is done better than what often causes the units to become refurbished in the first place.

I'd probably rather buy the same unit for the same price refurbished with the addition of a 2 year warranty in this particular case.