Does my DVD player need a cleaning?

[Alessio]

Ok, I am more a music than a video enthusiast so please excuse my ignorance (which I am about to display).

While I am watching a DVD movie, I will suddenly experience a jittery picture, like the tracking needs to be adjusted but this is DVD not VHS. This has happened on a few DVDs. Are the DVDs dirty? If so, how do you clean them?

Thanks for your advice!

 

[mtrycrafts]

Ok, I am more a music than a video enthusiast so please excuse my ignorance (which I am about to display).

While I am watching a DVD movie, I will suddenly experience a jittery picture, like the tracking needs to be adjusted but this is DVD not VHS. This has happened on a few DVDs. Are the DVDs dirty? If so, how do you clean them?

Thanks for your advice!

Well, it may be caused by a dirty DVD. Clean it with mild dish soap solution, rinse, and dry with a soft cloth from the hole out, not around in circle.

 

[j_garcia]

It could be a dirty lens, or it could be failing optics. It probably wouldn't hurt to try to clean the lens. If it's out of warranty, just pop the top off and inspect. If it looks dusty, wipe it off with a DRY, clean cloth. If that doesn't fix it, it could be something in the laser assy dying.

Fingerprints and scratches can cause this too, but it will happen in the same spot every time if that's the case. I've had it happen with perfectly good discs as well. My old player is around 6 yrs old and it started to do this randomly too, so I replaced it. The old player still works, just doesn't get used as often.

 

[Alessio]

Hey, thanks for the suggestions!

This DVD player is one of those region free/code free units I got off the Internet for about $100 a few years back. The quality suits our needs and it has been pretty reliable, up til now. The jitters do not happen on the same disc in the same spot, so I am guessing that the player is on its way out.

I will take a look at the lens and make sure that it is clean. Maybe it will hold out for a little while longer

Thanks much for your help!!

 

[Spiffyfast]

Yeah, I'd check the lens. I have a dual tray Toshiba that started doing that, took it off, the lense was dusty so I cleaned it off and now it works fine.