Hi everyone... My dvd/vcr player has the dvd (SD-v55ht) with the 'disc error' nuisance (cleaned, uplugged, but nothing) though, it plays music cd's just fine & the other given to me has the vcr broken (DS-v393). Both Toshiba's, so I'm assuming they are compatible in basic parts. The salesman at the store told me the model on mine had been recalled due to "laser reader problems" - though, warranty has expired & the nearest Toshiba place is in another county. Mine is barely used & really not cost effective to send in to repair, especially by mail to Toshiba. Can somebody please tell where & how to replace the laser reader? Any photo available? I have them open in front of me but I don't know where the part is (?). Thank you in advance...
Thanks for your reply. I thought about this, too. Though forgive me for my ignorance as I have never done this - and I'm afraid of it catching fire or something when I plug it in, after everything is done. Please be patient w/me as I'm learning. I see on mine the circuit board on the bottom & the other has it on top, plus those white tapes on the sides (what are those?). Just take the 2 screws out and plop it in? Thanks...
If yours has the board on the bottom and the other on top, they probably aren't compatible. You can swap the VHS if the DVD works in the other machine.
Thanks... and yes a good point, I did think about that too, though the other machine is scratched up, plus the VHS has had heavy use & will probably break down any day - though the person probably used the dvd once, plus that dvd components look better constructed than mine - even better plastic & the laser eye has like a nice covering around it, where mine is bare bones. I want to keep my unit (also part of a home theater system) & I'm almost certain it's probably something simple/basic to replace. That's why I was suspecting the laser reader or pickup (whatever it's called (?) & I bet they are compatible since remotes work on both units. I've read other posts on how it's a specific piece that can be even ordered/replaced. I want to do it since I really have nothing to lose & not cost effective even to send to another repair shop. I want to tinker with it. I need to know where it is & how to take out? Is it that round piece where the glass laser eye. P.S.- I'm a handy person, any task is a wanted challenge - always willing to learn . Just need guidance in unknown territories.
I have a Toshiba DVD/VCR player (SD-V393). For the past 2 months, whenever I tape a show on VHS, the picture that plays back flips constantly and won't straighten out, even with tracking. It was fine the first couple months. What's even weirder is it will play a store bought movie on VHS perfectly. It's just the shows I tape that don't play well. Any ideas?
I doubt the parts on both models are interchangeable, despite the fact that both are Toshiba and both remote controls work with one unit or the other.
The SD-V55HT is an HTIB VHS/DVD combo unit while the SD-V393 is a regular VHS/DVD combo. Orientation is the first noticeable difference since the decks are on opposite sides on both models.
The other clue is your description of the DVD player components between both units. How significant is the difference in appearance between both units? If they're different, then it's likely that they are not interchangeable even with whole drive assemblies on the main chassis of both units. - Reinhart
"I have a Toshiba DVD/VCR player (SD-V393). For the past 2 months, whenever I tape a show on VHS, the picture that plays back flips constantly and won't straighten out, even with tracking. It was fine the first couple months. What's even weirder is it will play a store bought movie on VHS perfectly. It's just the shows I tape that don't play well. Any ideas?"
What is the condition of the cassette that you are recording on?
Try recording on a new blank cassette and see if the problem persists. It may be possible that the tape in the cassette you are currently trying to record on may be damaged or worn. - Reinhart
Thanks for the idea, Kip but I already thought of that. I've tried a new tape and whatever I tape still flips. Yet I put in Shrek on VHS and the picture works fine. All I want to do is watch Oprah and not get nauseous from the flipping picture...is that asking so much from a machine? Want to hear something even weirder? The picture flips when I play tapes that are a couple years old but they were taped on another machine and worked fine on that machine! So the picture flips only on VHS tapes that I have recorded things on to. Is there something different about the movie tapes vs the blank ones besides the recordability?
"Thanks for the idea, Kip but I already thought of that. I've tried a new tape and whatever I tape still flips. Yet I put in Shrek on VHS and the picture works fine. All I want to do is watch Oprah and not get nauseous from the flipping picture...is that asking so much from a machine? Want to hear something even weirder? The picture flips when I play tapes that are a couple years old but they were taped on another machine and worked fine on that machine! So the picture flips only on VHS tapes that I have recorded things on to. Is there something different about the movie tapes vs the blank ones besides the recordability?"
You may need to get the tape path on your VCR checked out and possibly have the entire path cleaned. Preferrably, you may want to consult a repair professional on cleaning the tape path of your VCR if you're not sure about how to do this.
However, you can try a head cleaning tape and see if that clears it up (follow the directions completely to avoid accelerated head wearout).
Although, IMO, wet or dry type cleaning tapes don't totally cut it: while they will clean the heads they aren't really effective in cleaning the tape path, particularly the posts, guideposts, and capstan.
As for why commericially duplicated tapes may play normally versus home recordings, well, we may need more info about your home recordings.
For instance, your copy of "Shrek" was likely recorded in Standard Play while your home recordings may have been done in Extended Play. Your VCR would be using a different set of heads for each tape speed, so the EP heads could be clogged while the SP heads may be fine. Of course, this would apply if the VCR is a double azimuth 4 head. Also, there's better chance of interchange compatibility with faster SP recordings than slower EP recordings between different VCRs.
Also, the video tracks that are recorded on your copy of "Shrek" are likely wider than tracks recorded by your home VCR for better interchange compatibility between different decks. This would apply if the tape was duped either with a duplicator deck (instead of a home VCR), a high speed sprinter, or a thermal transfer magnetic printer. (Most likely, your tape was recorded on a sprinter.) - Reinhart