matrixman_397 Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Hi there, i'm new here! I have a problem with my Sony MZ-R900 Mini Disc and would really appreciate any advice or help! Basically i have been using my Mini Disc for fine over the years. Recently my MD was making a few mechanical noises as if the something was being scrapped and it sometimes skipped playing and stopped. In order to continue playing i often had to hit the unit or change the angle it was sitting at and it would work again. I looked into the unit and could see part of the MD metal holder was slightly projecting out. I decided to open the unit up and straighten this piece out. While i was doing this i decided to clean the MD lens with some cleaning solution. I then put everything back together and now whenever i put a MD in to play it does not recognise it! It displays most of the time the, "No Disc" or "Disc Error", message. I am just wondering what on earth i could have done to it. As it was working the other day and am wondering whether i have just broken my MD ? Is it possible that the Lens is not clean or something like that, from this information i have given you do you think that i have broken my MD or is it something that can be fixed? Thanks very much, would really appreciate any help anyone can offer me as to what the problem with my MD might be? Omar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watcher666 Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 oh dear! :ohmy: Minidisc system's have too reading head's, One is a laser len's (like a CD player) and one is a magnetic head which is directly opposite and above the laser len's! You may have mis-aligned the two head's when you took it appart! Or you could have damaged the len's when cleaning. If i were you, id buy a proper len's cleaner and give it a go, but in all honesty i think your MD unit is permanently damaged and requires a replacement. Maybe an ideal time to switch to Hi-MD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrixman_397 Posted October 25, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 oh dear! :ohmy: Minidisc system's have too reading head's, One is a laser len's (like a CD player) and one is a magnetic head which is directly opposite and above the laser len's! You may have mis-aligned the two head's when you took it appart! Or you could have damaged the len's when cleaning. If i were you, id buy a proper len's cleaner and give it a go, but in all honesty i think your MD unit is permanently damaged and requires a replacement. Maybe an ideal time to switch to Hi-MD?Ohh dam, i hope thats not the case but prob is. When you say mis-aligned do they have to be exact, as they both look pretty much direct. The thing is i don't get what exactly i might have broken, as would the lens simply break like that? Rang the Sony Customer Care line and they want £70 standard charge for a repair! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watcher666 Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 Hi £70!!! I got my NH600 Hi-MD unit off of ebay brand new for £89! :ohmy: Yes, the head's do have to be exact! Im not too sure on the science part of it, but when you record a MD, the laser beneith heat's the disc up which de-stabalises the disc's magnetic layer. Then the magnetic head changes the bit's on the disc to either a 1 or 0 (digital)! Then it cool's down and is set! If the above is utter c**p then please correct me! :rasp: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syrius Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 ^^ You are correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrixman_397 Posted October 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Ok thanks man for all ya help! :smile: I think i'm gonna write a letter to Sony to get them to repair it and strongly word it. £70 is ridiculous and from what i'v been hearing Minidisc recorders don't seem to last too long which doesn't seem right to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrain Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 ^how many years have you had it? say 4 how much did it cost you per year/month/week/day? so have you got your moneys worth yet? sounds to me as though you've broken it, however even if they look at it for free the parts will probably cost more than a new lo-end himd. so why repair a 3 gens old md, that something else may go wrong in the next couple of months anyway when with a new one for the samish price you get access to newer tech [netmd/himd] & a new warranty. QED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadeclaw Posted October 26, 2004 Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 Ok thanks man for all ya help! :smile: I think i'm gonna write a letter to Sony to get them to repair it and strongly word it. £70 is ridiculous and from what i'v been hearing Minidisc recorders don't seem to last too long which doesn't seem right to me!£70 is on the cheaper side I say. In addition, the R900 is from a time, when warranty was shorter anyway and Sony is in no obligation to fix it for free. Personally, I agree with atrain here, get a new one and if you don't need a microphone input, the european NH600 is a good choice, as it isn't as crippled as the US-version... For the FAQ: Never use cleaning solution on a laser lens, regardless, if it is a MD or CD player. These lenses are made from plastic, which can be damaged/dissolved by the solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrixman_397 Posted October 26, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2004 I know, you'v all made some fair points, but i really like this MD and don't particularly want to buy a new one if its possible. I may do later on, but not right now. I'll see what my pestering of Sony comes to and then see what my options are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 In addition, the R900 is from a time, when warranty was shorter anyway and Sony is in no obligation to fix it for free.Haha, interesting you say that. My old R700 had a really odd issue in that era, and it would make some really disturbing noises. Gradually it reached the point where recording anything was moot as the sounds of the unit could be easily heard. I hassled Sony's technical support [these were the days before it became all automated] and eventually they gave me the proper address of a nearby service centre and they repaired it for free. $175 worth of repair I believe the statement said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matrixman_397 Posted October 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 Haha, interesting you say that. My old R700 had a really odd issue in that era, and it would make some really disturbing noises. Gradually it reached the point where recording anything was moot as the sounds of the unit could be easily heard. I hassled Sony's technical support [these were the days before it became all automated] and eventually they gave me the proper address of a nearby service centre and they repaired it for free. $175 worth of repair I believe the statement said.I'm pretty sure if you keep hassling them they should repair, what exactly did you say to them to get them to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Posted October 27, 2004 Report Share Posted October 27, 2004 This was a while ago so I don't clearly remember. I just told them I was an avid user of the MD format and I tried to be an advocate for the format. I also kinda lied about how new the unit was..:sleep: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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