ajk0952

Haha, 'k gotcha. No, I did check out the link you gave me. I'm just one of those people that likes to check, double check, and triple check and gather all facts before making any informed decisions. I can definitely see how the precision screwdriver set would come in handy for several tasks indeed. Yeah, I'm always one of paranoia when it comes to expensive objects. I always tend to "overcare" if theres such a thing about my portable minidisc. And I'd rather learn more and try to repair things myself instead of shipping it off to Sony for an exorbitant price.

Oh, and by any chance, is there a certain name for the screwdriver that I'm looking for? Yes, I do know that Sfbp said jeweler's precision screwdriver set, but I read somewhere on this forum about a No. 00 or No.000 screwdriver?

Gotcha'. Sfbp: Do you think you can tell me the philips screwdriver you have that I may purchase online? I think I need to tighten my screws a little bit more but can't since I borrowed mine from a relative. Thanks a lot. This is off-topic but can anybody let me know if they find any used MZ-NH1 (or new for that matter) for sale? Lastly, I just want to thank Sfbp, Avrin, and others that have helped me in my minidisc journey. I don't know how I would be able to maintain my minidisc machine without you guys. Hope you help a lot more people in the future and continued goodness to all minidisc owners! Can you at least acknowledge my thanks?

Wow, I never could be more wrong... I finally ordered the philips precision screwdriver set for my portable minidisc and boy, were the screws loose! The two on the back were very wiggly and the bottom screws on the unit were not even close to being tight. I haven't tried out the unit yet (MZ-RH1) and will know soon enough. I guess SFbp was definitely correct. Not to sound blatant but could the loose screws also account for the erratic operation of the vertical alignment motor thingie? Or that has absolutely no effect whatsoever?

Hi again, Minidisc Forum. Sfbp: No, I don't think there is any way of finding out the time or date unless I have been misinformed. Furthermore, I know this isn't exactly related to the topic at hand, but would you give me an accurate description for which screws on the MZ-RH1 tend to come loose most often? My minidisc model was made in Malaysia -- is this considered an inferior build then? I have noticed that my old MZ-R900 was made in Japan, yet the best of the crop is made elsewhere. I'm also on the lookout for an MZ-NH1 model for purchase and if you could give me some tips on getting my hands on one, it would be greatly appreciated (besides Ebay). How long do typical lasers last on a portable minidisc model?

Hi again. I just wanted to see what this would mean in laymen's terms. I checked the error log feature on my MZ-RH1 and it read "0003 -- 10001". Now, I did check the service manual of the MZ-RH1 and it listed the error as 0003 - Focus Error (no change) and 10001 -- Illegal cluster specified when error occurs. Now, I believe this error log might be the reason behind the problem of my RH1 from the start. If anybody can help me decipher the error message in plain, ordinary English, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your time and effort in reading this post. This is a previous post that never fully got answered. Sfbp, I believe, led me to understand that this was related to vertical alignment motor but just wanted some more opinions or expert know-how on this problem. This is just for my own personal reference so any possible deciphering would be appreciated from this MD community. Thanks.

Hi again. I just wanted to see what this would mean in laymen's terms. I checked the error log feature on my MZ-RH1 and it read "0003 -- 10001". Now, I did check the service manual of the MZ-RH1 and it listed the error as 0003 - Focus Error (no change) and 10001 -- Illegal cluster specified when error occurs. Now, I believe this error log might be the reason behind the problem of my RH1 from the start. If anybody can help me decipher the error message in plain, ordinary English, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for your time and effort in reading this post.

Thank you for your tips and general help sfbp! And I'd like to give props to Avrin for all the technical info. To Avrin: Did you touch your laser parameters for the RH-1 regarding the gigabyte discs? I'd like to set it to your settings if possible. If you did not fiddle with any laser settings, then I'll leave it the same way. As for Sfbp, so far, it seems like the read-error has dissipated ever since charging from the wall adapter instead of the USB 2.0 cable. I would like to tighten the screws (ever so gently) but what size should I use? The screw size is so miniscule that I don't even know if I have a working size driver available. Any reason why the screws would come loose? I figure that Sony would have made these units sturdy enough...quality control issue maybe. Anyhow, do you have any tips on minidisc maintenance that you would be able to give to me? I'd most appreciate it. Also, does it matter whether the USB cable is taken out from the RH-1 end or the pc end? I read on other threads that there is a certain order for attaching and removing the USB 2.0 cable to and from the pc for the RH-1. Lastly, when should I be worried about the eventual dead-end of my RH-1 (the only reason I can think of is if the minidisc won't play any sounds...) Again, this forum rocks, and I'm learning something new on minidiscs:)

Hi all. First, to Avrin's comment: Are there any settings in the service mode for changing HI-MD laser settings for RH-1 (just wondering if it's necessary to lower it because of high power?) If the method is too complicated, then forget I even asked. Thanks. I have decided to just leave the outside screws alone since the RH-1 looks sturdy and not loose (basically, the same way it came from the factory)...I will definitely try to charge via the wall outlet using the adapter and see if that does makes a difference. However, in your opinion, do you suppose this might be a larger problem that cannot be solved even via repairs? Just the sound of it -- vertical alignment motor -- sounds serious enough to hinder minidisc playback...I have used a SONY head cleaner once or twice just because they recommended it, and I have never cleaned the lens. I'm just giving advanced notice to narrow down the issue further. I am able to record via optical input and mic input so recording is not the culprit. Could the minidisc holding mechanism be broken?(I notice a round circular object inside the middle of the RH-1 and I reckon that is used to hold the minidisc medium in place and to make it spin?)

Thanks for a reply! Hmm, to be honest with everyone, I have never even opened the wall adapter and have always used the USB 2.0 cable alongside my RH1. Is the vertical motor alignment fixable? To make this a known fact, I only know how to use the device from reading the manual and/or reading the message boards on here. I have never taken apart my RH1, nor do I have any mechanical knowledge of a portable minidisc player. I have also never dropped my RH1 ever since I purchased it, and hardly any scratches...to put it short, it's resellable as new (I keep electronics in mint condition--a lot of people may think I'm an idiot, but I tend to really care for my devices...)If this vertical realignment problem is fixable in another way besides opening up the RH1 (which means I'd have to send it off to SONY repairs for an exorbitant amount of money), I'm all ears...I'm just glad that we're narrowing down the problem further...any other questions, feel free to ask.

Hi Minidisc Forum. I am new to these types of message boards. Nevertheless, I have had my RH1 for about 3 years (out of warranty, I know...) and have come across the notorious "Read ERROR" on my RH-1 several times. Now, mind you, the minidisc plays fine when I take out the medium and re-insert into the machine. However, if I leave the minidisc inside the machine for a long period of time and press play on either the remote or the player itself, SOMETIMES the minidisc will play while other times it will not and display the error. I have perused the HIMD message boards and have decided to follow Avrin's laser change settings (0124 I believe, and it is set on 39 currently...) and that does not seem to really resolve the issue. The scenario goes like this: I leave the minidisc in the RH-1 for a long period of time (more than 24 hours) and when pressing play, the machine will whirl in short bursts and make a "clicking" noise with each burst of the motor...however, when the minidisc is re-inserted into the machine, it will play fine... Now, do I have a faulty loading mechanism like other members have experienced here? Or do I need to further calibrate my laser settings...or do I need to send it in for repairs? And finally, if this problem is serious enough, am I better off purchasing a new RH-1 or spend money elsewhere(keeping fingers crossed that it won't come to this...) I have read on this forum that a member replaced their OP Assembly direct from SONY factory repair for the MZRH1 and would I fall into the same category? Any constructive help would be much appreciated. Thanks for reading this message with care and enthusiasm.