laserdisc player doesn't play sound

[Knightmessenger]

thanks to craigslist I got a Sony MDP-600 and all 3 movies I've tried so far play the picture fine but no sound. I'm using the standard rca cables so if the video connection is working, why isn't the audio?
Yes, this player appears to have a digital sound output connection which I don't have the cable for. So I used the remote to change it to analog audio, not digital. There's also something on the remote called audio monitor which if pressed alternates between showing 1/L or 2/R or both on screen at the same time. There is a switch on the back labeled ATT which if switched on gradually makes a really loud static noise. The player has two outputs for RCA and s-video but either one, with the RCA cables, I get picture but no audio.

the only thing I can think of at this point is that it's set to play through a speaker or headphones jack that isn't connected in the front. But I don't know what else I could try to change the setting.

[hech54]

Just to clarify.....there is no audio through an s-video connection.
Video via RCA is yellow. Audio is red and white.

[Knightmessenger]

Right, I'm using the yellow/white/red audio cables. (I've read in multiple places that s-video does not give you a better picture from laserdisc.) So with the yellow composite video signal hooked up to the same set of inputs as the red and white audio cables, picture but no sound.

[Ennio]

Have you tried other laserdiscs?

Long time since I've been busy with laserdiscs, but I do remember moviedisc with 5.1 AC3 track which I could only play when the AC3 RF output on the player was connected to a AC3 RF compatible input of a such amp/receiver. I also think to remember the odd thing was that the "digital 5.1 track" was modulated on a carrier-wave or something, which was on the physical analog audiotrack of the disc, whereas the digital stereotracks 1 and 2 (the ones you see on your screen when selecting) - and, if any - were recorded on the digital audiotracks of the disc.

I don't know your Sony player but maybe you can change something in the menu if there is one? Maybe your manual says more about this.

Just my 2 cents

[Knightmessenger]

I'd have to look at the remote closer. If someone knows a page that explains what all the buttons do, that would be really helpful. I'll probably look up the manual when it's not way past my bedtime. I'm did not come across a settings menu on screen like I've gotten with a vcr or even the tv itself.

I did try 3 movies. Titanic, Patriot Games (this edition was not widescreen so probably an older release), and Whisper of the Heart (studio Ghibli).

[JoeS99]

This might be of help:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ah...54rPjZ6Y1zpGDw

[october262]

Do you have the sound muted ??
On the remote, see if there's an input button if the player has multiple inputs.
Should say on the display weather you have front or rear Input selected.
Also check your TV to see if you have it set to the right video
Input. Some TVs have more than one hookups.

[johnmeyer]

I still do laserdisc transfers. I looked at the manual for your unit:

User Manual

Page 10 of the manual shows the remote control buttons. Note the sound button. It lets you toggle between various different audio tracks. Most laserdiscs had both an analog and a digital track, but not all of them contained both. If your laserdisc has only one audio track, and the default for the player is the other track, you might not get any audio. Just press that button while the disc is playing, and see if you get sound.

There is an attenuation switch on the back panel. Try switching that back and forth while playing. It might be corroded.

If you have a TV monitor that has a coax RF input, try hooking that up and tuning to channel 3 or 4 and see if you get audio. That will help troubleshoot the problem and let you see if perhaps the audio output circuitry is bad.

Finally, try playing a standard CD audio disc.

[Knightmessenger]

I'm not sure if there's a way to check for the sound being muted. The only audio buttons I noticed on the remote and saw mentioned in the manual are the digital/analog and the swap between left, right or both channels.
I don't believe this player has a front input, just output jacks for headphones and karaoke microphone.

It should definitely be set to the right video input. Previously, I had the red/white/yellow cables connected to a video out on a vcr which played normally. The other end of the connection (to a dvd recorder and then to the tv) was unchanged. And even when I tried connecting the cables to the tv directly, nothing changed, I got picture but no audio.

There is one other thing. The couple that sold me the player didn't have the right power cord to plug into the ac input on the machine. But I happened to have one that worked from a 2005 dvd recorder that many here pointed out was a bad model and I had to replace. It has rounded corners on both sides whereas the player has a rounded side on one end and right angles on the other (see page 9 in manual).

But like I said it powers on normally and someone who works in computer stuff told me if the power cord fits and works, it does the same job either way. Again, I don't see how that could prevent me from getting audio when everything else works perfectly fine.

[Knightmessenger]

I still do laserdisc transfers. I looked at the manual for your unit:

User Manual

Page 10 of the manual shows the remote control buttons. Note the sound button. It lets you toggle between various different audio tracks. Most laserdiscs had both an analog and a digital track, but not all of them contained both. If youd laserdisc has only one audio track, and the default for the player is the other track, you might not get any audio. Just press that button while the disc is playing, and see if you get sound.

There is an attenuation switch on the back panel. Try switching that back and forth while playing. It might be corroded.

If you have a TV monitor that has a coax RF input, try hooking that up and tuning to channel 3 or 4 and see if you get audio. That will help troubleshoot the problem and let you see if perhaps the audio output circuitry is bad.

Finally, try playing a standard CD audio disc.

I've switched between the digital and analog audio and it doesn't change anything.

When I switch the attenuation button on, it just creates a gradual buildup of loud static noise.

[october262]

Is there any way for you to take a picture of the back of the player
To show us how you have it hooked up to your TV With the cables plugged in ??

[johnmeyer]

When I switch the attenuation button on, it just creates a gradual buildup of loud static noise.

Well, that is not promising. If I understand you correctly, you can hear something, but it is static. Therefore, if this is the case, then we know that the audio cables are connected correctly because you are getting "audio" in the form of static. If the cables were bad or connected incorrectly, you would get nothing.

This sounds a little like the audio amplifier circuitry is faulty.

I'm downloading the service manual and if it suggests something, I'll post again.

[johnmeyer]

I forgot to mention one obvious step: since there are two identical set of analog audio outputs, did you try the other one? Also, do you have any equipment that can accept the optical audio? You could try that and see if you get any audio.

[edit]You should also try the headphone jack, although it goes through the same circuits as the two RCA analog audio outputs. Going through the headphone will tell you if there is a problem in how the audio is accepted into your amplifier, because it removes that entirely from the equation.

The digital output goes through an entirely different signal path, and so if the problem is with some fried audio circuitry, the optical still might work.

[edit#2]Also, make sure you are pressing the "play" button and not the "forward" button. On my Pioneer LD player, it has the ability to play at various speeds, and if you set it to play at 1/2x or 2x normal speed, during which there is no audio. If you then return to 1x speed, but don't press play, the video will play at normal speed, but with no sound.

[Knightmessenger]

I did try playing a cd but the player had trouble with keeping it in the center and I actually had to open up the top cover to remove it. I did take a few pictures but I forget how to post them here. When it did play normally, I got no sound as usual.

And I did try both composite outputs, no difference.

There is another sound output option on the back of the player but I don't know what I need to use that.

[ralfbeckers]

Have you tried other laserdiscs?

Long time since I've been busy with laserdiscs, but I do remember moviedisc with 5.1 AC3 track which I could only play when the AC3 RF output on the player was connected to a AC3 RF compatible input of a such amp/receiver. I also think to remember the odd thing was that the "digital 5.1 track" was modulated on a carrier-wave or something, which was on the physical analog audiotrack of the disc, whereas the digital stereotracks 1 and 2 (the ones you see on your screen when selecting) - and, if any - were recorded on the digital audiotracks of the disc.

I don't know your Sony player but maybe you can change something in the menu if there is one? Maybe your manual says more about this.

Just my 2 cents

Dear all,
it may seem strange to discuss this Topic in 2016 and not in 1996. Anyway, many of us here got into their Hobby via LaserDisc and many still have their collections.
Yes, the CLD 925 would be an excellent choice, with all Outputs and good Video Quality. However, some of us (also) have Sony MDP Players. And alsmost no Sony Player has an AC-3 RF Output.
I have a MPD 740D as secondary Player and will retrofit the Output to it.
There is no info on the Web about how to do it on a SOny.
The good News is that in principal the retrofit is applied the same way as it is to the Pioneer models. Because they share the same Hitachi IC that demodlates FM Sound, so it is easy to find the tapping Point for the RF Signal before its bandpass filters.
If anyone is really interested in this subject, I would suggest to start a new dedicated thread and present the procedure to a wider audience.
The retrofit to the SOny Player is complicated, as the Audio board is hidden in the belly of the machine (rather than being readily accessible as with Pioneer), and Sony uses SMS Transistors, not solder-through like Pioneer.
Anybody?
CHeers!

[alissa914]

Reading this after I got myself a Sony MDP600 and found most of the responses a bit condescending.

For me, I was getting analog output just fine until I decided to hook up a digital optical connection out to the receiver. That works just fine.

Then I switched the ATT switch on the back and since then I haven't been able to hear analog audio from the outputs on the back. It just makes some digital sound coming through it.... I assume it's some kind of noise from the unit itself.

Hooked it up to the TV... same thing... A/V to HDMI converter.... same thing....

Only thing working is the digital output. Since all discs I buy aren't discovision discs and all have digital soundtracks, it's not a major problem for me. I can just hook up the optical output to the receiver and still hear it.

So basically, I think there's an issue with the analog audio on the unit and it doesn't work. But since the digital does, I just have to use that instead.

Anyway, so to the original post in this thread, check the digital output and I bet that still works. I have a universal remote and tried the settings on it like Audio Monitor (which was for karaoke discs) and swapping from analog to digital and back.... no dice.....

Lauren

[connerjamos]

Hi alissa914,

I had the same issue as you on my Sony MDP600 and fixed it.
It takes some soldering and taking the player apart but worked for me. If you open up the player, make sure it's had time to discharge (a couple hours at least)

I found that the cable with two gray and one black wire was shorted between the middle cable and black cable.
There's a two 470uF capacitors on the main power board that needed to be replaced.
Obviously just using optical audio out is easier...

Connor

[alissa914]

Hi alissa914,

I had the same issue as you on my Sony MDP600 and fixed it.
It takes some soldering and taking the player apart but worked for me. If you open up the player, make sure it's had time to discharge (a couple hours at least)

I found that the cable with two gray and one black wire was shorted between the middle cable and black cable.
There's a two 470uF capacitors on the main power board that needed to be replaced.
Obviously just using optical audio out is easier...

Connor

Thank you so much! This makes me glad I kept that player around. I'm not that great at soldering but I will definitely give this a try.

Thanks for letting me know this.

[johnmeyer]

Wow, a "necro'd" thread where the OP was still around and still trying to solve the problem! I don't think I've ever seen that happen. Thanks connerjamos.

[dellsam34]

No, the OP hasn't posted here since 2016.

[Knightmessenger]

No, the OP hasn't posted here since 2016.

I'm as surprised as anyone to see this. I took the player to a shop in the Metro Detroit area that is no longer standing and they couldn't fix it either. I wish I could find the actual diagnostic writeup but they said they said something about not getting the claw to attach properly to read over the disc. And the picture dropouts described were worse than what I had experienced.
I ended up finding a Pioneer s201 a few months later and it's worked just fine since. I would like to just donate the Sony player to anyone who might be interested in fixing it or using spare parts but since they never seem to stay intact during shipping, I haven't really gotten a chance to find a local taker.