converting bad laser Sony DVD players into Test Pattern Signal Generators?

[turnkit]

I'm interested in the idea of a completely open-source freely copyable firmware replacement for Sony DVD models which primarily would be used to generate test audio and video signals.

I have several DVD Players, of different brands, that are essentially dead due to bad lasers. They cannot read discs consistently.

I came to the idea after discovering that the Sony DVP- series has a color bar generator built into the Service Mode firmware.

Anyone know of reverse engineering work already done on the firmware?

Would love to save all these bad machines from the dump and provide a nice community use option for them

Any thoughts?

[edDV]

I came to the idea after discovering that the Sony DVP- series has a color bar generator built into the Service Mode firmware.

First explain how to get to DVP "color bar generator built into the Service Mode firmware".

It would be great to have a color bar from my DVP.

[jman98]

I'm interested in the idea of a completely open-source freely copyable firmware replacement for Sony DVD models which primarily would be used to generate test audio and video signals.

Congratulations. This is the most original variation on the "I want to do something that no one else in the world wants to do, so why doesn't software exist that allows me to do it?" post that I've ever seen here. But it's still not going to happen.

[turnkit]

The service mode can be found online. I'll post it but you must be careful to NOT execute the Syscon Diagnosis in the option 4 - Servo , DSP Check without disconnecting the hardware AS YOU CAN BRICK YOUR PLAYER. Of course if the playback is already dead I guess it might not matter.

With the power off use the remote and press TITLE, MENU, then POWER. The menu can also show the number of hours the player has played DVD's and CD's which is nice if you are buying a used player.

But again, be careful not to run the Syscon diags SERVO DSP option as this CAN DAMAGE YOUR PLAYER.

There are some Sony Service Manuals online here: http://www.nodevice.com/manual/Sony/page55.html but I can't find handily where I found the S530D manual that mentions the instructions and warning. Likely most of these manuals will have the same information.

I don't have the player in front of me but I think it was the option 'Adjust Video Level' which brings up color bars, albeit without pluge.

Spanish explanation here: http://usuarios.multimania.es/tecnocddvd/modo_test_del_dvd.htm

~~~
(Regarding Mr. Congratulations response, your lame snipe at me for asking for knowledge of anyone who might be working on dissecting Sony firmware and negative outlook in general is, alas, all too common on forums like this. Please provide some constructive comments or exercise some restraint in posting. Everyone here wants useful information not to waste their time on negative comments. But truly, thanks for taking the time to read and respond; I'm just asking for some constructive responses. I'm just starting, and you're probably right that nothing will come of this, but if there is someone working on such a project, I can add what I can add -- some test players and research into creating many test pattern images.)

[turnkit]

I made a simple web site with Google Sites: https://sites.google.com/site/sonydvdplayercolorbargenerator/ to update any information I find.

Of real interest would be to find if Sony ever sent out a way to update firmware via a DVD, or if the firmware code is only changeable via hardware PROM reprogrammer (?) (Or jtag-?).

I tested on the Sony DVP-NS315. But I made a mistake in the last post. To enter the service mode press TITLE, then CLEAR, then POWER.

I think probably all Sony DVP- models may have this option. Please let me know if you can bring up the ADJUST VIDEO LEVEL menu option on your Sony DVP- model and I'll add it to a list on that site.

Note that the option EMERGENCY HISTORY will show the number of hours the laser has played DVD's and CD's, which is pretty cool.

[turnkit]

Wikipedia's Test Pattern article contains a gallery which includes some quality .svg patterns that would likely be useful:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_pattern#Gallery