Price Paid:  $500.00 from sears

Summary:
I would like to state that the posted fix does work - just make sure not to mess with the tray's alignment. I did the fix and inadvertently misaligned the tray and it took me hours to get it back to operation.

I simplified the fix a bit -

- unplug the unit with the drive door open. slide the door bezel off vertically.

- remove front and top housing.

- remove the 4 screws holding on the top housing over the DVD changer. disconnect cables that run to the 2 boards on top of the housing from other places, and then remove the top housing.

- remove the 2 screws holding on the black plastic support frame over the reader up front, and remove the screw off of the little circuit board on top, slide it out gently and set it off to the side and then remove the top support frame.

at that point you can see the read mechanism. The lens is hooked up through an orange ribbon that comes off the lens assembly and folds down and around, until it tucks under the player. The entire lens assembly slides on a track, push it gently to the end, and then attempt to find the adjustment knob and attempt the fix. on a part of the ribbon, near one of it's last folds, there is a small silver dial about 1/8th of an inch around. it has a small dimple in it. mark one side of it with a marker, and use a small screwdriver to turn it 1/4 of a turn.

reassemble, making sure not to kink the cables as you put them back in. Anyone familiar with repairing laptops should find this fix to be pretty easy.

no need to unscrew the changer from the housing, to remove many of the cables or anything. it is a pretty easy fix.

when you turn it back on, and it takes the drawer in, it might error. Turn it off and try it again. it should calibrate itself once the door is closed on the second try.

I attempted to play V for vendetta on my player and it flatly refused over many, many attempts. it played on the first attempt after I applied this "no play" fix.

also, this is not the player's fault. This is the fault of manufacturing changes in how the discs are made over time. So don't be so mad at panasonic...


javbw

Strengths:
good all around unit for an all in one.

Weaknesses:
remote door is silly. no optical ins or outs, so 5.1 via an xbox or digital music form an Airport Express are out.

Price Paid:  $650.00 from Powerhouse PLC

Summary:
I have found the DVD player and surround sound to be very effective. I did replace the front two
speakers with larger 4ohm speakers.
A major problem began 2 years ago Some New DVDs would not always play. Message on LED display says "NO PLAY".
I discovered today that the problem lies with the laser being underpowered for some DVDs.
On the web I found a fix.
Follow or get someone competent to fix SA-HT80 with the following instructions:

1. Remove all disks from player.
2. When door is open slide front door cover upwards to remove.
3. Leave door open.
4. Important! UNPLUG FROM THE MAINS.
5. Remove the 3 screws from under the front panel then remove cover screws.
6. Disconnect player from the mains. Remove cover.
7. Once you have removed the cover you will see on left side is the drive parts.
8. Pull out the two flat cables which go to the Drive from the
vertical circuit Board(Hold the cable with thumb and forefinger close to the
connector and slide the flat cables out of their connector.
9. Remove the screws fixing the drive unit to the base of the cabinet.
10. Now remove drive unit.
11. Placing the drive upright on a flat surface proceed to remove the two screws holding the Plastic bridge
that sits over the disk.
12. Also undo the screw on the small circuit board which holds the disk sensor switch onto the bridge
and unclip that small board. Remove the disc retainer(This has a magnet which helps to clasp the disk in
place when in operation.
13. On underside of drive remove the two small screws from the drive circuit board.
You can now gently prize this board loose.(There is some resistance as a plastic clasp is holing onto the
underside.)
14. Turn Drive back to upright position.
15. Remove the screws which hold the drive in(Screws go through rubber mounts to cushion the drive).
16. Once you have loosened the drive look at the underside and you will see one flat cable goes to the Laser.
Where this cable meets the metal part you will see a tiny device connected on the outside edge
of the flat cable.
17. Turn the POT 1/5 off a turn clockwise(looks like a small washer and be gentle with it) I used pointed
nose pliers for this.
18. Now reassemble DVD player.

Strengths:
Does most of Home Cineam in one box.

Weaknesses:
Fussy with disks due to not enough power to laser. Panasonic is not much help on this. Fix can be attemped as I have outlined.

Price Paid:  $600.00 from best buy

Summary:
I just started to get the same problems as all of you with the no play or sometimes it says something like can not read format etc. There seems to be something called a Panasonic Service Disc v2.0 TS20 do a search for it. I don't know whats up with it other than through extensive googling on this subject I came upon that. I am gonna try and see if it has anything to do with the region my player is set up in. Also it seems to be only happening with rented movies. Who knows how they mass reproduce them, maybe that's it. Also when searching I find topics on modding chips and such. FORGET trying to get anything out of Panasonic. They are clueless and/or avoiding the situation. Sounds like a class action lawsuit waiting to happen...

Strengths:
Worked for a while...

Weaknesses:
Not progressive scan, doesn't play all DVD's

Similar Products Used:
I have a 53" HDTV by Panasonic, can't wait till it can't broadcast HDTV in 3 years...

Price Paid:  $605.00 from Low Price Buying Ser

Summary:
Will not play new release DVD movies. Will play Special effect discs included with the new release movies, but not the movies. Will play old DVD's. Have not gotten a satisfactory response from the Panasonic Customer Call Center. They must know about this problem by now. Do not buy a Panasonic Product! They sell defective products and will not support their customers when they have problems with these products.

Strengths:
Plays OLD DVD"s and CD's

Weaknesses:
Panasonic Product

Similar Products Used:
Rocks and Stones

Price Paid:  $380.00 from andrews tv colcheste

Summary:
at first i thought WOW what a great buy, but now the damn thing won't play dvd's. I have got the 'no play' message as some other reviewers are saying. I am bloody annoyed as I have only had it about 2 years.
Looking back i must have been looking at it through rose coloured glasses. I used to have to live on the remote control as normal audio was so quiet you had to crank up the sound just to hear it, but as soon as any special effects came on you would get deafened...most unsatisfactory.
No joy from contacting panasonic either, how can they sell such a crock of rubbish and not be interested in repairing it for you. These posts scream out that it is not a one off fault, but people, customers, all over the world are suffering from it.
This is all a shame as I previously have got along with panasonic products.
To this end i am awaiting delivery of a panasonic sc-ht900 as a replacement.
Am i fool or the eternal optimist. Watch this space......

Strengths:
what i thought were strenghts have all been diminished by this 'no play' scenario and has clouded my mind to any strenghts it once may have had

Weaknesses:
won't play dvd's, 8 out of 10 anyway. sometimes if i keep persevering i will get one to play eventually....but after 40 attempts i have given up wanting to watch the damned film anyway.
speakers are absolutely useless

Similar Products Used:
none