What is everybody doing for parts?

[bluewater]

My Panasonic DMR-ES15 DVD recorder/player just stopped working. My research suggests its the reader/writer. I just used this mostly for playing and never gave it a thought. I wasn't paying attention to the fact that it was 16 years old and all the dubbing I wanted to do, never got done. I don't really know where to go for the part I need. Panasonic doesn't have it. I have several working VHS units and not interested in buying a DVD/VHS combo machine new. Is my only recourse to buy a used machine off EBAY?

[JVRaines]

Yup, you either have to cannibalize another unit or make the part yourself. Those are the choices. Does your machine still pass video through? You can sell it for a decent price because this model is valued for its excellent video stabilization hardware.

[bluewater]

The door no longer opens to put in the cd. And I get that the read/writer no longer works. I get a code, but forgot what it was.

[october262]

Did you try unplugging the unit and leave it sit for a few hours ??

[bluewater]

Its a u61 error code. I didn't initially. My first instinct is to open it up and look inside. I am thinking maybe the belt broke. The belt did not break. It's been unplugged since Sunday and it doesn't work. What I read about the error code was the capacitors are shot in the read/writer and that part needs replacing. Been pricing used units on ebay, but they are as old as mine is and time keeps on ticking
.

[johnmeyer]

The door no longer opens to put in the cd. And I get that the read/writer no longer works. I get a code, but forgot what it was.

The door opening is a classic belt problem. I've repaired dozens of older units like this simply by replacing the belts. What happens is that the rubber belt gets brittle and hard as it ages and at some point either breaks or, more usually, no longer has enough elasticity and grip to do the job.

PRB Belts is one source for such things.

[bluewater]

I thought the door mechanism was controlled by a gear type mechanism. Gear and tooth. When I have the top off and the read/writer taken out I can see a white piece of plastic with teeth that mesh with a gear. It looks to me that the top of the first tooth has worn down and the won't mesh with the gear. I give it a little shove to the right and it opens. I am going by memory as I had it apart on Sunday. But anyway. If it won't play or record and I can't replace the read/writer, I have to get a used one. .

[johnmeyer]

I thought the door mechanism was controlled by a gear type mechanism. Gear and tooth. When I have the top off and the read/writer taken out I can see a white piece of plastic with teeth that mesh with a gear. It looks to me that the top of the first tooth has worn down and the won't mesh with the gear. I give it a little shove to the right and it opens. I am going by memory as I had it apart on Sunday. But anyway. If it won't play or record and I can't replace the read/writer, I have to get a used one. .

This is definitely how computer DVD drives are designed. However, some set-top DVD players use the belt.

[raffriff42]

What I read about the error code was the capacitors are shot in the read/writer and that part needs replacing.

Some capacitors are easily replaceable. Do you have a picture of this part? Do you have the service manual, and does it mention replacing the capacitors?

[Brent G.]

Its a u61 error code. I didn't initially. My first instinct is to open it up and look inside. I am thinking maybe the belt broke. The belt did not break. It's been unplugged since Sunday and it doesn't work. What I read about the error code was the capacitors are shot in the read/writer and that part needs replacing. Been pricing used units on ebay, but they are as old as mine is and time keeps on ticking
.

Take a look at the electrolytic capacitors (appears like small soda can) to see if they are defective. They are defective if the sides are bulging or leaking white substance from the top. Use a magnifying glass if you have poor eyesight. The caps are easily replaced for around $1 (make note of capacitance and voltage), but the hard part is getting the board out so you can work on it. Take many pictures of the insides of the unit as you take it apart (you can never have too many closeup pictures), and when you unplug cables (like ribbon cables) be sure to mark one edge of the cable connector and the board connector with a felt pen (so you don't connect it upside down). Take close up photos of the caps you are replacing and make sure you note the placement of the black stripe (-) on the capacitor. You DO NOT want to put the new capacitor oriented in the wrong direction!

We have repaired many computer boards, monitors, and power supplies that had leaking capacitors. Usually the bad boards have several leaking capacitor so check all the capacitors on the board (other boards too while you have it apart). These leaking caps are a PIA. But they are an easy and inexpensive fix once you get the board out. If the caps are NOT bulging or leaking, they likely do NOT need replacing.

[orsetto]

Suggestions for disassembly and repair of the ES-15, including caps on the dvd drive controller board and power supply section, are illustrated on this thread over at AVSforum. If the drive mechanicals are the problem, and not just the caps, you'd need to harvest a donor drive (and boards) from another ES-15.

Personally, I'm not sure I would bother for this recorder model. As JVRaines mentioned, the ES-15 is prized for its utility as a pass-thru signal processor connected between a VCR and PC video capture device, but as a dvd recorder its pretty bare-bones and not really worth the trouble of repairing after ten years. The pass-thru function will continue to work even if the dvd drive functions are kaput, so either hold onto it for VHS dubbing to your PC, or sell it on eBay. If you want a more modern recorder with convenience features and digital tuner, buy a second-hand Magnavox MDR-513 with 320GB hard drive built-in. These are much easier to use for TV timeshifting. Avoid any other brand of second-hand recorders, or the newest Magnavox models made after the 513: these all tend to have issues.

Apparently, you've been using your ES-15 almost exclusively as a player, and don't really record with it at all. If you don't foresee any need to record dvds in future, save yourself some money and just buy new dvd player for $29 or a BluRay player for $70. BluRay players are more flexible, since they will also play BluRay discs and many PC video files from a USB stick, but most BluRay players are MUCH slower and more annoying to use if you don't need the BluRay capability.

[johns0]

Most computer drives and players use rubber drivers to open the door,i haven't seen any gear driven mechanism yet that opens doors directly due to the fact that people push the doors to close and gear drives would get ruined quickly.

[johnmeyer]

Most computer drives and players use rubber drivers to open the door,i haven't seen any gear driven mechanism yet that opens doors directly due to the fact that people push the doors to close and gear drives would get ruined quickly.

I've seen it both ways. Here is a YouTube video that I queued up to show a drive that uses a belt. The video shows how to replace it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgGoOpsPwRM&t=2m50s