Help for Cyberhome 1500 Tray-Problem!!!

[Frieda]

Hi,
I have a problem with my Cyberhome 1500 DVD-Recorder: the tray doesn't open anymore - the reason: I don't know!!! Another problem is - it's the second one with the same problem (the first one I brought back to walmart). On both is the newest firmware from Cyberhome. I don't wanna bring back the second one cause everything else was working fine!
When I turn on the recorder nothing is working - no buttons and nothing with the remote control.
Thanks for every help to open the tray...

[Frieda]

...okay , I brought that thing back to walmart and took NOT another one!!!

[adamkyle]

i have noticed this with my cyberhome 1500 dvr, whenever you leave a disc in the tray and the power is turned off or it is put into standby, the recorder will lock up into initial startup mode displaying cyberhome and not doing anything else. one time i waited a few minutes and it read the disc continuing with the load, another time, i actually opened it up and hit the inner eject switch to release the disc. this is not hard and will not hurt your player. anyway, now all i do is make sure i eject the disc and take it out before i shut down. with no disc in the tray, you will be able to power on and then place a disc in the tray for normal operation. also, please do all firmware updates to fix existing problems like tuner channels and use a vcr for an outside tuner, this is alot better for stereo sound. this is an awesome recorder and can be used for making awesome dvd's.
any other questions, just ask.

[mp3superfreak]

i have noticed this with my cyberhome 1500 dvr, whenever you leave a disc in the tray and the power is turned off or it is put into standby, the recorder will lock up into initial startup mode displaying cyberhome and not doing anything else. one time i waited a few minutes and it read the disc continuing with the load, another time, i actually opened it up and hit the inner eject switch to release the disc. this is not hard and will not hurt your player. anyway, now all i do is make sure i eject the disc and take it out before i shut down. with no disc in the tray, you will be able to power on and then place a disc in the tray for normal operation. also, please do all firmware updates to fix existing problems like tuner channels and use a vcr for an outside tuner, this is alot better for stereo sound. this is an awesome recorder and can be used for making awesome dvd's.
any other questions, just ask.

I believe this is what is wrong with my unit. (Described in the "Cyberhome 1500 Review" Update) Can you describe where the "inner eject switch" is? I would greatly appreciate your help, b/c I know Cyberhome tech support will take weeks to get back with me. Thanks.

[adamkyle]

hey dude, try this link https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=192028&highlight=chdvr+1500 this is where i got info on opening the unit and getting to the eject switch. make sure you eject the disc before you shut down until they fix tthis problem

[adamkyle]

you know, i don't know why this happens to this great player but i am not sure it'll be reason enough to take it back. this is a great recorder and really does alot of stuff any good recorder should but this is a problem i would like to have fixed sometime in the near future.
i am not gonna try different disc to see if the problems happen to them only because i do not feel like taking the player apart everytime just to eject the disc, lol. i do not have that much time on my hands.
i have e-mailed cyberhome and they have not replied but am certain they will fix this as they have other problems in the past.
all in all, it really is a good player and once you learn how to eject the disc manually, all is not lost and this player will again be ready to make good quality dvds
if no disc is in the player, it will power on fine and read like it should but if you happen to leave a disc in the player and shut down, well you know what you have to do. i did it twice now one was my fault and the other was my 2 year old (bless her heart) now i keep it up high lol.

[mp3superfreak]

Thanks for the response. I'll try it and let you know if it works.

EDIT: Tried it, with no avail. I actually found this inner eject button before and was not sure if it actually was the eject button or not b/c it would not eject for me. Proof positive to me that my IDE DVD+RW unit is most likely DEAD and the culprit of my problems. Too bad my unit is past the 90 days P&L warranty and we'll see how much they try to charge me for labor to fix my unit (if and when they respond to my RMA request).

BTW, I took a picture of the unit with the cover removed for other's to see and will post a picture soon in my review. The DVD+RW unit is manufactured by CIS Technology, Inc. and is model number: DX042D. I did a quick google search and did not find any vendors selling this unit. If I could find a cheap (<$50) +RW IDE unit, I might try it, especially if I can't get any help from Cyberhome. If not, I may just wait for the Lite-On 5005 to drop a little in price.

[mp3superfreak]

I found another possible solution on Afterdawn's forums:

My Cyberhome locks up if I try to play DVD’s recorded on a computer. When it locks, none of the buttons on the unit or remote function.
For those who are willing to open the unit and out of warrantee, here is a method for removing a disc from a Cyberhome 1500 when it will not eject. The method requires a PC with Windows and a CD or DVD drive or spare cable set. I you have ever installed a computer drive, you should not have any problems with this operation.

1 Remove the cover and you will find a DVD drive surrounded by some the circuit boards.
(It is a nice and neat package.)
2 Unplug the ribbon cable and the power supply cable from the drive.
3 Open your computer and unplug the ribbon and power supply cables from the CD drive if there isn’t another set of unused cables available.
4 Plug the computer cables into the 1500’s DVD drive.
5 Now turn your computer on. When Windows is ready, go to My Computer. My Computer will list all your drives, including the Cyberhome DVD drive.
6 Click the right mouse button then select eject from the menu and the drive door will open and you can remove the disc.
7 Turn your computer off and reconnect everything.
When you turn on the 1500 recorder, the draw will close and the system is ready.

I tested this on PC's with Windows 95,98 and XP

Read More Here

Unfortunately, this only partially worked for me. The Cyberhome's IDE DVD+RW unit was recognized by my PC and it DID eject the DVD+RW disk inside (whew!). I was hoping this would solve my problems. Well, not so fast. When I plugged the Cyberhome's cables back in and turned the unit back on, it did the same as before....Cyberhome LOGO on screen for 20 secs, READING for 60 SECS, NO DISK until I turned the unit off with the switch. (would not respond to any other commands) My problems must be internal power switching or something. The IDE unit is not receiving power or a proper signal from the main unit. This dismisses my theory that the IDE drive was dead. Oh well, now wait for Cyberhome. Oh, I found the warranty number for Cyberhome from HSN.com. I'm calling it on Monday.

[zleepy]

Neither method opens my tray after I upgraded firmware (U0226200401XA.ZIP) & 128A SERVO.

I went thru setup and set timer for my regular program and went to "Standby".
Forgot to put my half used RW in so I turned it on, inserted disc & hit Standby.

Tried to open the tray but it locks up on "CYBERHOME"

OUCH! If it aint broke, etc.

[zleepy]

Found the location of 'paper clip' hole on my X model (October 2003).

Looking at the front, it is 1/16 inch to the right of the "Return" button
and just below the tray (not the front tray cover).
I drilled a hole for a paper clip on the front tray cover.

The paper clip notch is about 1/4" by 1/4" and it slides the clip to the right.
-------------

The electonic buttons on the front panel circuit board and the one on the DVDRW circuit board are inaccessable.

The U shaped front cover can be easlily removed by removing 5 screws on the bottom. Spread the U and pull foward.
I found that removing the front 2 feet made the bending easier.

PS: if I power Off, I have to use a large paper clip to open it.
I'm going to sleep now.

[BETA SP]

Hey everybody,

Tried 3 different units (2 returned to WalMart, the other "repaired" by CyberHome.......still had tray lock-up problems, and OTHER issues, including excessive heat. Tricked WalMart into letting me return the "repaired" unit......frustrated with these things. Too bad, recorder produced such good dvd's, too....when it worked, that is.

Got smart and ordered the Philips DVDR75, as others have suggessted. Got it for $337.01 (shipping incl), at 6ave.com.......well worth the extra hundred bucks or so!

Here is link to others having same problems on different forum.

http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/60845


Cheers!