Page 1 of BUSH DVD RECORDER\VCR COMBI HELP PLEASE

Hi everyone, I am here in the desperate hope that someone can help me please.

I have a Bush DVD Recorder\VCR Combi. Model DVRH S01
It failed to read any discs, so I checked inside (I am fairly good at repairing these things), and I notice that the drive unit is an IDE drive, it is a Pioneer DVR-106RZ RW drive.
I have tested the drive and it has definately failed, it wont work in a PC either.
Ok, so I then plugged a DVD Rom drive into the machine, and hey presto, I can play DVDs on the machine now, the next step was to plug a DVDRW drive in, and it will play discs no problems at all, the problem comes when trying to record, it fails, saying "Cannot Record", if I stick a DVD-r disc in the tray, turn the machine off then back on it goes through a formatting stage, which gets to about 95% then it fails, rendering the disc unusable forever, I have tried a RW disc but it just comes up and says "incorrect disc".

I really want to get this machine working as it belongs to an elderly disabled man who cannot afford to go and buy a new one, he is prepared to buy a replacement DVDRW drive, but I don`t want to buy the drive only to find that it still wont record.

The RW drive I have plugged in to it is a single layer dual format drive, I tried a dual layer drive but it wont even read pre-recorded discs with that one.


Please Please Please Please, oh, did I say Please ? someone help me with this as quick as possible, I would be eternally grateful if someone can help me get this thing working properly again, I think I am at the stage where I would be prepared to do ANYTHING to get it working.

Regards
Sally-Ann

Can only suggest that you clean the lens on tho original drive you took out the machine, the Pioneer would have a specific firmware instaled on it to enable it to work in the goodmans machine so the only option would be to find out the firmware version of the pioneer and buy a another 06RZ RW drive and install the firware on it,thats if you can get the version you need.
from the pioneer website.
You seem to have done all you can, personaly I would tell the the man to start saving or buy a S/H unit from ebay and try to get one working from that,you could try re- installing the original firmware on the the original drive you took out,it may kick it back to life.

This item was edited on Monday, 3rd April 2006, 14:52

Thanks for that, ah, I see, so the original drive would have firmware specific to the machine, I need to know then where I can try looking for the original firmware, at the moment the recorder has got a DVDRW in it that I borrowed from my computer, it plays discs fantastic, the problem is when I attempt to record.
I have E mailed the company who made the thing, but I wont hold my breath waiting for a response from them, we all know what these companies are like, they are fine the whole time they are making money from you, but when it comes to after-sales care, most of them don`t know what that means LOL.

I have tried cleaning the lens on the original drive, to no avail, it is currently fitted into a PC, so if I can find the original firmware I am hoping I can flash-upgrade it whilst in the PC.
It wont read any discs at all while fitted in the PC so a clear indication that the unit has failed, although the drive is only 2 years old, I am surprised it has failed so quick, and because it was made by Pioneer, their stuff is normally more hard-wearing that that, oh well, maybe I will have to get on to Pioneer and see if they can help me.

If anyone knows of a firmware upgrade I can try on the recorder please let me know, it can`t make the thing any worse than it already is.

Many thanks
Sally-Ann

Your computer should tell you the firmware version on your drive you took out the machine, just try and reflash with the same version, of course it as to be a Pioneer drive to except the ffirmware,I doubt if will work as the original drive may be a right off, make sure you unistall any other pioneer drives on your computer when trying to do this,just try it on original drive.

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/content/support/support/software.html

This item was edited on Monday, 3rd April 2006, 17:07

The original drive is fitted into the PC, the PC is "seeing" the drive, and is giving me the make and model number etc, I reckon it is the laser that has failed rather than anything on the main PCB of the drive, I carefully opened up the drive and using a cotton bud I gave the lens a clean over, but still it fails to read the disc, the laser is functioning as such, in that you can see the red glow from it as it tries to read the disc (I have kept my eyes away from it).

Before I discard the original drive I will have another go at cleaning it and checking the focus to see if that is the problem.
It is a shame that the replacement DVDRW drive wont work, it tries to record onto a disc but fails, rendering the disc as a coaster to sit my cup of coffee on LOL.

I will let you know how things progress.

Sally-Ann

Tell you what you could is put one of your coasters in the original drive and see if it is spinning,just mark it and see if its moved at all, two years is a short life span for a Pioneer drive. :)

WIth the drive lid removed so you can see the insides, the disc IS spinning, you can see the laser mechanism trying to scan for data on the disc, but it just isn`t reading it, you can see the red glow from the lens so the laser is actually powering up, I don`t have a way to check the strength of the laser nor the focus of it, so it is difficult to judge things.
I was wondering if there is anywhere in the UK that repairs the optical drives ? it might be a cheaper option that trying to get an OEM drive then get the firmware for it, I have E mailed Bush but no response from them at all.
The current status of the machine is that I have got a DVD Rom drive fitted in it and it reads every disc I throw at it, commercial DVD`s and ones I have recorded, which I would have thought means that the rest of the machine must be working okay, in that it is processing the data and doing what it should be doing, I just wish I could get the thing to record, but as you have pointed out, it needs the correct firmware to be installed on the drive.

Regards
Sally-Ann

Quote:
was wondering if there is anywhere in the UK that repairs the optical drives ?
The cost would be far to high, it would be cheaper to buy a new combi.
Quote:

I have E mailed Bush but no response from them at all.
All Bush do is buy from some far eastern manafacture who sticks their badge on it,Bush import them then sell , any that break down under warranty are just swopped with a replacment machine and the knackerd machines are sold off as "customer returns" at auctions, there not worth the cost of repairing.

Also when you put a replacement DVD-RW drive in the faulty bush machine have you tried altering any of the master/slave setting using the small plastic jumper connector on the back of the drive. :)

This item was edited on Tuesday, 4th April 2006, 16:51

That`s as I expected, I wasn`t going to hold my breath waiting for a response from Bush.
As for the jumper on the back of the rplacement drive, I have tried that, the original was on the master setting, I have tried master, slave, and cable select on the replacement, all settings have the same result, plays discs fine but no record, just an error code.

I have left a message for the owner telling him of the status of the unit and I am waiting for him to let me know what to do with it, personally I know what I WANT to do with it....................where I live there is a massive communial brick binshed, I reckon it should take new residence in there, mind you, if he does tell me to scrap it, I suppose it will be useful as a VCR recorder and DVD player, I already have a DVD recorder myself, which brings me to another question..............anyone got a region hack for the Toshiba D-R150 machine ?
Also, anyone know if the Toshiba can be made to take +r\+rw discs ?

I started just before Xmas with my first DVD recorder, it was.............dare I mention it on here ?.................the Cyberhome DVR1600 which went back to the shop a week after getting it, and was replaced with another one the same, which went back 2 weeks later, which was replaced with the Philips DVDR 3305, which went back 3 weeks later and was replaced with another 3305 which went back a month and a half later to be replaced with the Toshiba which went back the same day because it failed at startup, which was replaced with the Toshiba which (touch wood) seems to be working okay at the moment...............I have not had a lot of luck with DVD recorders, I think I will go back to Betamax VCR :D

Owner is now happy, I gave it back to him with a DVD read drive in, he can watch DVDs on it and record on the VCR side.
He insisted I took some money for doing what I have done on it, more than I was expecting, so I am not complaining, so end of the matter.

Thanks for all your help and advice,
Regards
Sally