Toshiba XS54 DVD-Drive Bites The Dust!

[ejai]

After only 2 months of moderate usage my Toshiba XS54 is in need of repair. The disk drive unit no longer operates correctly, whenever I put a dvd-ram, dvd-r, dvd-rw or even store bought dvds in the tray the unit give me an error, stating that the disk is unreadable. I know these things happen but I guess it's my luck (I was one of the first on this forum to run into the dreaded JVC M10SL LOADING bug).

I was wondering if anyone has this machine and knows how to copy the movies from the hard drive to the PC using the network hookup. I was able to get the connection to work but I see no selections for copying the movie files to the PC. I did notice a dubbing to network feature but when I attempt to use it I get a can't find device error, even though all the other operations work perfectly. I have complete communication with all the other functions on the XS54 except dubbing through the network.

I only want to copy them to the PC just in case the company replaces the entire unit and I end up losing the several recordings I still have on the hard drive.

[samijubal]

You've got rotten luck. I've been using the D-R4 every day for 5 months, it still works like day one. I've got another D-R4 in the bedroom that's about a month newer that still works fine, it doesn't get much use though. I guess you've tried unplugging it and plugging it back in.

[ejai]

Yes I have rotten luck, yet I still like this machine. I tried the unplugging thing and it still has the problem. I should be getting a return label from the company this week and they will fix the problem and send it back, I'm still within the 90 day warranty.

[gshelley61]

Try a hard reset... while the XS54 is on, if you hold down the power button continuously it will eventually go into a hard reset mode (the display will say WAIT for several minutes before going back to normal). My XS34 ran into disc reading problems like what you are describing, and that cleared it up for me. The disc reading difficulties with Toshiba units are well known about, and the hard reset usually works to restore functionality. Also, be sure to run a lens cleaning disc in the Toshiba regularly. Because the unit's case cooling fan stays on all the time, you can be sure the drive's laser lens gets dirty faster than is usual.

[samijubal]

Does that reset work on the D-R4 too? I haven't had any problems yet, but you never know.

[ejai]

Thanks gshelley61, I will try it as soon as I go home. I asked the tech support for Toshiba and they didn't even know that. I specifically asked is there a hard reset and they said not that they knew of. I barely was able to get a straight answer about using my PC network with the unit.

I will definately let you know if it worked. I do believe that the lens might be dirty but I am unable to get my cd disk cleaner to work now because the unit will not run it due to the disk error message.

[johnmoon]

Would this work maybe for my Chapter create problem on a DR-4?
(See My post)
I don't think I held down the button long enough?

[ejai]

Thanks Gshelley61, I tried what you said and it still doesn't work. I noticed that the settings in the setup are not set to the default settings even after the hard reboot. I'm wondering if there is another way to reset this machine so that it loses all the user settings, this might enable the setting to reset and that might fix the problem.

[gshelley61]

There is a backup battery in the XS34 and XS54, so even unplugging the unit from power for an extended period of time may not wipe the memory. Your best bet at this point is probably to go ahead and ship it to Toshiba and have them straighten it out.

I got a defective open box Gigabeat MP3 player recently and Toshiba fixed it for me under warranty at no expense to me at all, not even shipping. Turnaround was very fast, and it works great now. I find Toshiba to be pretty decent in the customer service area.

[gshelley61]

Would this work maybe for my Chapter create problem on a DR-4?
(See My post)
I don't think I held down the button long enough?

The D-R4 apparently has no backup battery like the hard drive models do... if you unplug it, you lose the clock and other memory settings, in effect like a hard reset.

[ejai]

I guess your right, I will wait for the shipping labels that they are sending me at no cost and let them fix it. I would like to know what went wrong for future reference.

[johnmoon]

I have a free shipping label also
I will be sending mine back shortly.

Thanks!

[ejai]

I have a free shipping label also
I will be sending mine back shortly.

Thanks!

Are You experiencing the same problem?

[jeffshead]

I was wondering if anyone has this machine and knows how to copy the movies from the hard drive to the PC using the network hookup.

I only want to copy them to the PC just in case the company replaces the entire unit and I end up losing the several recordings I still have on the hard drive.

Sorry to say, but you cannot copy to the PC via the Ethernet connection. Remember me asking you about the network functionality a while back? Toshiba needs to clearly state that in the description. Even the Toshiba Customer Service Rep I spoke to (prior to purchasing) thought you could transfer video to the PC. But you cannot. It really ticks me off because that was the main reason I chose the XS54 over the XS34. I still like the unit but that really upsets me. The Ethernet port will only allow you to transfer to another Toshiba recorder on your network. At least until someone comes up with an emulator that fools the unit into thinking the PC is another recorder.

I cannot get the Net keyboard to function on mine. Toshiba is mailing me the latest firmware. Hopefully that will fix the Net keyboard issue.

Sorry to hear you are having trouble already. I hope this is not a sign of things to come…

[ejai]

I agree Jeff, I too thought that the unit would be able to transfer files to the PC. Now that I know it can't, it still doesn't change how I feel about the main reason I bought it, and that was the picture quality. Toshiba's sales pitch for this unit was indeed misleading.