Posted by Mike S. on 11/15/06 19:56

In article <1163605470.261066.324150@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com>,
lap <lap1974_sen@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>Hi, I have had this DVD recorder for two years without problems until
>recently. It freezes after an hour of DVD playback even though the DVDs
>are brand new or look clean. Therefore I want to clean the lens and
>upgrade the firmware.
>
>The upgrade is done with a CD-R. Unfortunately I noticed that it does
>not play CD anymore (CD audio hardly recognised). How can I reset it to
>Factory settings? Is it possible to upgrade it with a DVD containing
>the upgrade files? Can I get help from their customer support
>(light-on) even though it's no longer under waranty?...strangely the
>record feature is fine (onto CD and DVD). Do you think that the upgrade
>is equivalent to a reset? That I could recover tha CD player option
>without getting it repaired? Thank you for your help.

I'm pretty sure the bootstrap loader for firmware update is hard wired to
use a CD. Attempting a firmware upgrade on a unit that is having problems
reading discs is a recipe for disaster ... a sure way to turn your
recorder into a doorstop.

In any case, if it is having problems reading discs, then a firmware
upgrade is not going to fix that; nor is a "reset". You do need to see if
the lens is dirty and the tracking mechanism moves freely (i.e. no dried
lubricant or dirt on the rails). It is possible the loader (i.e. the DVD
"burner" drive mechanism) is failing and would need to be replaced.
Lite-On would probably do that for you, but the cost would be prohibitive
as it is likely you can buy a newer model for what they would charge you
for the repair.

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