I've been trying to decide what to do. I see my options as:
- Replace it.
- Repair it myself.
- Get someone else to repair it.
I don't want to replace it, because it's working fine apart from the DVD drive, and I think that replacing the whole unit would be expensive, and there's a chance a new one would not be as user-friendly as my old one.
I've got some time on my hands (it's Christmas holidays at the moment) so I decided to try to repair it myself. I did some research and found a guy on youtube who replaces the drive in a DVD player with one hand, while filming himself with the other hand and listening to blues. If he can do it with one hand in a few minutes then surely I can do it too.
I took a screwdriver to the case and opened it up. Unlike the guy on youtube, my recorder doesn't seem to have a generic IDE/PATA drive. Instead it connects with some cabling and connections I've never seen before. On top of the drive is printed VXY2012. I found on Google that VXY2012 parts are supplied by PAVCSG, which is some division of Panasonic in Singapore. So now I'm waiting to hear back from a Panasonic spare parts supplier to see whether I can get a replacement drive from them.
I'll post updates of how I go getting the replacement drive and installing it.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteDid you try http://panasonic.com.au/Support/Customer+support/Service+centre+locator ?
A service center can sell you parts if you want to repair by yourself.
It's what I think I'll do, in france, for my DMR-XW300 which has the same problem.
Yeah I did try the Panasonic service centre locator. I found the service centre wasn't close to my house, and I didn't know they would sell parts. I thought they'd only offer to do the repair themselves.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I heard back from panasonicspareparts.com.au. The replacement drive from them is $232.70 AUD plus postage. I decided not to buy a replacement drive. Instead I bought a cheap stand-alone DVD player for $48. It doesn't burn discs like the old Panasonic one, but I very rarely did that anyway.
I found the same thing my drive also blown after about three years. I think the prices they charge for these things is ridiculous. I imagine they don't sell too many parts. So I'll bet the parts collect dust on a shelf at the warehouse until redundant where they become landfill. Not good Panasonic!
ReplyDeleteSame model, same problem, 3.5 years old recorder. But unlike you, I *do* use the recording to DVD function, and some further research into possible replacement units found that pretty much the only option was Panasonic, and that they had changed newer models so you could no longer high speed copy to DVD. So I actually went ahead and got the replacement drive from Panasonic spare parts. It arrived today, I've installed it, and I've had it both reading and copying to DVDs. Really happy (and relieved!)
ReplyDeleteHad the same problem with the DVD drive and took it to a Panasonic repairer that told me they also found a problem with the main circuit board that controlled all the drives. They said the DVD drive spare part was available (for around (AU$250) but the part for the circuit board was not! Not happy!!! any ideas out there?
ReplyDeleteI've had 3 replacement drives in my unit @ $350 each , installed by a Panasonic repairer , get a 3 month warranty on the new drive , each time the drives lasted about 6 months & the same problem arises , the original drive lasted about 3 years ,great product that unfortunately doesn't last ,
ReplyDeleteMine too (surprise, surprise). I'm wondering if Panasonic has built in redundancy so we need to buy updated models.
ReplyDeleteSame problem as above even with no disc it says cannot read disc. Panasonic is not helpfull with this problem . They want to charge $66.00 just to test it!
ReplyDelete