Sony RDR HX980 service menu

[tarikm]

Hello people,

I am new to this album and I have also searched it already, but I couldn't find a way to get in the service menu to format the HDD. Mine got broken on the dvd player so I found exactly the same one only a newer model... Is there any possibility to do this or not?

I tried already like explained for other sony recorders but couldn't get a go in it unfortunatly...

Thanks in advance!

[fzabkar]

SONY RDR-HX-680,780,785,980,1080 Service Manual:
http://elektrotanya.com/sony_rdr-hx-680,780,785,980,1080.pdf/download.html

[orsetto]

Tarikm, as you know I replied to your question when it was posted in the RDR-HX725 thread. I am going to repeat my reply here in this thread, which has a more accurate subject heading so should be more likely to come up in search when other owners of a Sony x80 model look for help. The service manual linked above by fzabkar will have more detailed instructions:

Service mode in the RDR-HX*80 series is entered using a separate "service remote." Unlike the the earlier RDR-HX*10 thru *50 models, the RDR-HX*70, *80, and *90 models are not "100% Sony" designs using the older Sony interface (which let you enter service mode using buttons on the front panel and the normal remote). The *70, *80, and *90 Sonys were designed in collaboration with Pioneer, so they use the Pioneer interface (which requires the dedicated Service Remote and sometimes a Service DVD as well).

Pioneer was very consistent about this over the years, but the Sony versions can vary from model to model depending on the country they were sold in. Extensive info on service mode for these Sonys can be found here and here. The original Sony/Pioneer service remotes are no longer made or sold, but "clones" of it are available from various web dealers who specialize in hard-to-find remotes.

I don't have links to a remote vendor in EU. You would need to ask in more EU-centric Sony forums like the ones I mention above. What you need is a generic clone of either the Pioneer GGF1381 or Sony J6090203A remotes. There are several vendors in North America, you could try contacting them regarding their shipping costs to Belgium:

The actual Sony remote is still available here for $70 (US).

The same dealer sells a generic clone of the Sony here for $22 (US)

Another dealer sells a clone of the Pioneer version here for $52 (US)

That same dealer sells the same remote on eBay here for $38 (US).

If these dealers will not ship to Belgium directly, perhaps you have a friend or relative in USA/Canada who could order it and then re-ship it to you themselves.

My personal recommendation among these would be the generic Pioneer clone. I have used one since 2005 and it has proved extremely reliable. I also own the original Sony service remote, and have found it oddly unreliable (it was cheaply made, and the recorders do not always respond to it as expected). One of the clone remotes will be easier to get and probably work better.

As another alternative, certain inexpensive multifunction remotes with the JP1 design can be programmed to emulate the Sony/Pioneer service remote. For suggestions, try contacting member mdavej at AVS forum.