Good video. I purchased a DMR-EH52 similar to the EH50 in great condition. Still working even with two caps blown, which I went and replaced for good measure!
Sadness that you couldn't fix it after the heroic attempt. That machine was actually my original machine and the other two I have were bought to fix it. Meanwhile thanks to you I have two of three working so I guess I can't cry too loudly. At least I have a spare power supply board for when the next machine failure happens. The hard drive screws were removed when I noticed that one of the working machines was missing screws so I used them on that unit. It's too bad that these are discontinued products as they were the best I ever found. I also have an LG but I'm not as fond of the operating and editing system on that unit.
I agree. My EH50 is great. I have a Sony also with a hard drive and it also edits well. My Sony has use DVD-+R and RW and will burn a dual layer disk on the fly which is cool.
@@12voltvids Just saw it now. It's probably the heaviest built VHS machine I ever owned except perhaps the RCA600. The JVC definitely has more functions.
I have a friend that bought a few of them after the first one died haha Man. You are like any encyclopedia, there's so many makes and models and different types of av devices and you are bang on every time.
I hated how the VFD's always went, on these. The later design with the the curved front used to fair much better. Our current (albeit 2015 model) Panasonic Blu-Ray recorder doesn't even have a stand-by clock due to EU directives on power-saving!
Hard drives powering on or not is independent of data cable. In other words, if the correct voltages are applied to the power port, it is guaranteed to start spinning or otherwise it is defective. I test computer power supplies often by attaching a drive to them, of the variety you are using here. Perhaps a bad or defective cable or signal can cause it to fail to start. This I am not sure of. So, remove data cable and test in this manner for result.
The drive not starting is due to the logic board not csmmwnung it to start. I am fully aware that the drive will start if the data cable is unplugged. That does nothing for the problem. I swapped the HDD to prove the HDD was not keeping the digital board stuck in self test mode. A bad HDD or for that matter bad dvd drive could also cause the same problem however if the DVD or hard drive is the cause the system will eventually boot with a message to check hard drive or check DVD drive. It never booted therefore the trouble is in the digital board which is the common link for both.
That was just scratching the surface. Many more records in the box. There are a bunch of LP records too. I showed 1 stack. I spent the day going through them to get them listed for sale.
Sometimes Those Expensive DVD Recorders With Hard drives In Them After They Get So Old They Aren't Worth Fixing. All Their Good for Is Parts. Ask The Owner If You Can Have It For Parts To Fix A Flat screen TV. Or A Stereo.
Thanks for that explanation. My Panasonic DVD Recorder had an IC with a hole blown through it. I ended up throwing it away before I realized they were no longer available. Now, I use a video grabber, but I wish I had a good DVD Recorder. But not one with such high maintanence. Are those 78 records with a lot of money? Seems like at least of some of them should be. Very cool though. I agree.
I Remember I Had A Couple Of Walkmans That Had No Sound Coming Through The Headphones. So What I Did I Got Out The Soldering Iron & Resoldered The Headphone Jack. Then I Never Had Trouble With It As Long As I Had It.
When i get them. Remember I'm not in the business, I only work on units that people ask me to work on and it's pretty much word of mouth. I don't advertise and I don't run a shop. I could in fact the guy that runs the local vintage stereo shop has offered me a job more than once. I retired from that work 18 years ago. If I had to do it, it wouldn't be fun.
I have an DMR-EH69 that works fine for everything but will not take a DVD, it just keeps opens and closes the tray than gives me an error and does a self check. After doing this a few times it will take it then I can record on it until I put in another DVD. it does the same thing with a movie DVD. I checked the caps on the power board they seem to be good. I would just buy another one but they ether don't make them any more or not sold in the U.S.A. Any suggestions would be appreciated Thanks.
A very informative video. I wonder if you have ever done a video regarding the Fading / Dimming Displays on these units.. its super common. But everyone seem to wave their hand and declare it a bad design without much troubleshooting. Is it? Or is it something like a bad Capacitor or Resistor in the display board itself? High voltage implies a resistor might get bridged.
@@reminder_cor It does, but those boards are no longer available and from what I remember they are hardware locked to the DVD drive so you had to change that too.
Now that's a shame, always annoying when there are extra problems :-( The parts machine is a pile of shit, hopefully you recovered your capacitors. I liked your explanation of the psu :-D, i tend to keep only the basic flyback type in mind. I've taken loads of those free hard drives out of dead boxes, every one is handy :-D Backup data is my use.
I have an e85h unit that stopped burning DVD's. It attempts to burn for about 30 seconds then stops, goes thru please wait, and self check. Returns to normal. No error codes. but won't burn a dvd. Do you think the problem is the digital interface board?
Yes. I have burned hundreds of DVD's same brand and format DVD-R. The reason I ask is because the unit still plays and reads DVD's fine. So I'm thinking the laser is fine. My knowledge is limited about how the burning and writing is done, and what is entailed concerning the circuit. But I have had success replacing capacitors and a voltage regulator that brought it back to life.
I just read an article on how DVD burners work and it said there are two lasers, and that the reading laser is not as powerful as the writing laser because it does not have to heat up the disc. So it may be a laser issue. Can the lasers be replaced? Can they be found and how difficult is it?
@@rbauer1632 they do have 2 lasers. An IR laser for the CD disk and a red laser for DVD. I am not aware of a seperate writing laser, they just turn the power up. Blu-ray has 3 lasers. You can't just change the laser it came as the entire optical block and I haven't seen any for years. If you find one let me know as i have a bad one here and have been looking with no success.
Always appreciate a comprehensive diagnose process - you add great value to the community!
Good video. I purchased a DMR-EH52 similar to the EH50 in great condition. Still working even with two caps blown, which I went and replaced for good measure!
Sadness that you couldn't fix it after the heroic attempt. That machine was actually my original machine and the other two I have were bought to fix it. Meanwhile thanks to you I have two of three working so I guess I can't cry too loudly. At least I have a spare power supply board for when the next machine failure happens. The hard drive screws were removed when I noticed that one of the working machines was missing screws so I used them on that unit. It's too bad that these are discontinued products as they were the best I ever found. I also have an LG but I'm not as fond of the operating and editing system on that unit.
I agree. My EH50 is great. I have a Sony also with a hard drive and it also edits well. My Sony has use DVD-+R and RW and will burn a dual layer disk on the fly which is cool.
Got that JVC up and running but then you have probably seen the video by now.
@@12voltvids Just saw it now. It's probably the heaviest built VHS machine I ever owned except perhaps the RCA600. The JVC definitely has more functions.
@@chriscutress1702 yes built like a tank.
thank you for a comprehensive explanation from experience!!
I have a friend that bought a few of them after the first one died haha
Man. You are like any encyclopedia, there's so many makes and models and different types of av devices and you are bang on every time.
A rare digital processor board failure... those always give really confounding problems, really cool video
I hated how the VFD's always went, on these. The later design with the the curved front used to fair much better. Our current (albeit 2015 model) Panasonic Blu-Ray recorder doesn't even have a stand-by clock due to EU directives on power-saving!
Hard drives powering on or not is independent of data cable. In other words, if the correct voltages are applied to the power port, it is guaranteed to start spinning or otherwise it is defective. I test computer power supplies often by attaching a drive to them, of the variety you are using here. Perhaps a bad or defective cable or signal can cause it to fail to start. This I am not sure of. So, remove data cable and test in this manner for result.
The drive not starting is due to the logic board not csmmwnung it to start. I am fully aware that the drive will start if the data cable is unplugged.
That does nothing for the problem. I swapped the HDD to prove the HDD was not keeping the digital board stuck in self test mode. A bad HDD or for that matter bad dvd drive could also cause the same problem however if the DVD or hard drive is the cause the system will eventually boot with a message to check hard drive or check DVD drive. It never booted therefore the trouble is in the digital board which is the common link for both.
I was thinking the same thing, the second drive couldve been bad too he tried.
great video i also liked the 78 record player and the selection of music you had to play on it!!!!
That was just scratching the surface. Many more records in the box. There are a bunch of LP records too. I showed 1 stack. I spent the day going through them to get them listed for sale.
Sometimes Those Expensive DVD Recorders
With Hard drives In Them
After They Get So Old They Aren't Worth Fixing.
All Their Good for Is Parts. Ask
The Owner If You Can Have It For Parts
To Fix A Flat screen TV. Or A Stereo.
Thanks for that explanation. My Panasonic DVD Recorder had an IC with a hole blown through it. I ended up throwing it away before I realized they were no longer available. Now, I use a video grabber, but I wish I had a good DVD Recorder. But not one with such high maintanence. Are those 78 records with a lot of money? Seems like at least of some of them should be. Very cool though. I agree.
I Remember I Had A Couple Of Walkmans
That Had No Sound Coming Through
The Headphones. So What I Did I Got
Out The Soldering Iron & Resoldered The Headphone Jack. Then I Never Had Trouble
With It As Long As I Had It.
Headphone jack high stress point.
@@12voltvids yah It's Nice To Have Spare Parts
For Stuff Like That. Cause You Never Know
If You'r Gonna Need Those Spare Parts.
Cool...
Great work . Can you do videos on Vintage amp repair eg. Sansui , Luxman or similar ?
When i get them. Remember I'm not in the business, I only work on units that people ask me to work on and it's pretty much word of mouth. I don't advertise and I don't run a shop. I could in fact the guy that runs the local vintage stereo shop has offered me a job more than once. I retired from that work 18 years ago. If I had to do it, it wouldn't be fun.
@@12voltvids I would like to encourage you, but if and strict only/if it is right for you and yours.
Extremely rare soul. Correct.
@@MrChrisRP I can only work on what walks in the door.
You can buy them possibly as I bought one for £30 once though it was an LG one
What about adding a MLCC cap in parallel, dealing with the high frequency?
I have an DMR-EH69 that works fine for everything but will not take a DVD, it just keeps opens and closes the tray than gives me an error and does a self check.
After doing this a few times it will take it then I can record on it until I put in another DVD. it does the same thing with a movie DVD. I checked the caps on the power board they seem to be good. I would just buy another one but they ether don't make them any more or not sold in the U.S.A. Any suggestions would be appreciated Thanks.
A very informative video. I wonder if you have ever done a video regarding the Fading / Dimming Displays on these units.. its super common. But everyone seem to wave their hand and declare it a bad design without much troubleshooting. Is it? Or is it something like a bad Capacitor or Resistor in the display board itself? High voltage implies a resistor might get bridged.
The display panels were all defective. Not sealed correctly. Vacuum gradually leaks.
I wonder if the EH50 has the same legendary tape stabilisation properties as the disc only ES10. If so it's worth saving for that alone.
Yep. But only If the EH50 has passthrough function as the ES10/15
@@reminder_cor It does, but those boards are no longer available and from what I remember they are hardware locked to the DVD drive so you had to change that too.
Check the jumper settings on the harddrive...
I did and this unit went back to the owner like 2 months ago.
Now that's a shame, always annoying when there are extra problems :-(
The parts machine is a pile of shit, hopefully you recovered your capacitors.
I liked your explanation of the psu :-D, i tend to keep only the basic flyback type in mind.
I've taken loads of those free hard drives out of dead boxes, every one is handy :-D
Backup data is my use.
What happens if the battery dies? Is the machine a brick after that?
Don't know. Mine is kept plugged in.
I have an e85h unit that stopped burning DVD's. It attempts to burn for about 30 seconds then stops, goes thru please wait, and self check. Returns to normal. No error codes. but won't burn a dvd. Do you think the problem is the digital interface board?
Have no idea. Have you tried different discs? Rw ram ect.
Yes. I have burned hundreds of DVD's same brand and format DVD-R. The reason I ask is because the unit still plays and reads DVD's fine. So I'm thinking the laser is fine. My knowledge is limited about how the burning and writing is done, and what is entailed concerning the circuit. But I have had success replacing capacitors and a voltage regulator that brought it back to life.
I just read an article on how DVD burners work and it said there are two lasers, and that the reading laser is not as powerful as the writing laser because it does not have to heat up the disc. So it may be a laser issue. Can the lasers be replaced? Can they be found and how difficult is it?
@@rbauer1632 they do have 2 lasers. An IR laser for the CD disk and a red laser for DVD. I am not aware of a seperate writing laser, they just turn the power up. Blu-ray has 3 lasers. You can't just change the laser it came as the entire optical block and I haven't seen any for years. If you find one let me know as i have a bad one here and have been looking with no success.
Thanks! Love your channel. You have been a big help to me saving me lots of $.
Will the unit POST without the hardrive?
Nope
I have a Pioneer Dvd/Hdd recorder and it still works.
lots of distortion on the intro.
Wonderful
👍👍👍🇵🇱🇵🇱👍😏😏
Got a similar unit, these are pure junk