Panasonic 563A DVD-A firmware

[prdaly]

I bought a 563A unit about 6 months ago but only recently started collecting hi res music to play on it. Sure enough, I finally bought a DVD-A that won't play (Mark Knopfler's "Shangri-La"). Alas -- the dreaded 563A firmware problem! My unit shipped with ROM Version: 1.706_SglStp. Reportedly, the playback fix is in Version 1.906. (You can determine your unit's firmware via instructions here.)

Has anyone here experienced this playback problem? Anyone gotten a firmware upgrade that fixed the problem? If so, did you have to send your unit out to Panasonic? Or is there (fingers crossed) a firmware installation CD fix available?

I'm pretty happy with this unit, but getting this fixed is a pain...

I don't know who I'm madder at: Panasonic for not recalling and then fixing these units (instead they just "discontinued" the model, and evidently replaced it with a cheaper unit [578], at least in terms of audio s/w and h/w, or so I've read), or Circuit City for continuing to sell them long after this problem was well-understood and they were no doubt already seeing heavy product returns...., or myself for taking the ostrich approach (head in sand) when I gambled and bought this thing...

Btw, the Shangri-La package I have is two disks (CD and DVD-A) and the CD disk plays just fine. The DVD-A disk works for the Menu and for the included videos (both audio and video), but doesn't work at all for the individual music tracks. Great music... A must-have if you're a Knopfler fan (imho)...

 

[JVC]

First off............. it's not a Panasonic player! It's a Pioneer!
If you have a factory authorized service center near you, you can take it there. Otherwise, you'll have to send it to Pioneer. They will do it free. Better call them first though.......They won't send out a disc with the update on it, for us to do it ourselves. I told them to nevermind........... I'll use it like it is. When it's time for another player, it won't be a Pioneer! I usually watch at least one movie per day. Sometimes two. I'm not gonna be without my player for that long.