My Panasonic Dmr-Hs2 hdd recorder is locked in a "RECOVER" "U11" "Bye" cycle which I CANNOT get it out of. This thanks to a bad MEMOREX cartridge DVD-RAM disc which I cannot eject. (That brand should be officially OUTLAWED.) I've searched this forum as well as WholeWideWeb & AVS, and I cannot find a solution that works, short of opening the unit which I am loathe to do for fear of damaging it. I've tried the suggested button combos, tried unplugging & leaving for a while, resetting it, nothing works. As soon as it powers up it goes right into "Recover" mode, followed by "U11", "Bye", and immediate shutoff. RAM disc simply will NOT eject. All forums seem to suggest that those button combos EVENTUALLY work for stuck DVD-R's, but nothing definitive has turned up for RAM discs locking up this unit. I'm normally pretty good at opening up machines but info I've read on these forums suggests that this model can be easily damaged if opened up by a non-professional. Want to avoid opening it if possible and unit is WAY out of warranty. Can ANYbody help??? Is there some other solution I can try???
Unfortunately, removing the disc is the next logical step. If you are uncomfortable opening the unit, you could take it to a shop. I know your warranty is up, but it is socially acceptable to pay for a repair. It's always an option.
Any DVD player can be easily damaged on the inside, but just removing the lid won't hurt it. Look at the DVD-RAM drive, and see if you can formulate a safe method of removal. It's okay if you can't, cartridge loaders are a real pain to work on.
There is no other magical procedure. Either you remove the disc, or a pro does. Keep in mind, that it may not be the disc that caused this error. I find it hard to believe that merely inserting a Memorex blank would cause what is happening. If you can get the cart out yourself, at least you'll know for free. However, there may be more that needs fixing.
Post back and let us know.
Thanks, Matt. I guess I have no choice but to open it up myself. I don't have $150 or whatever it'll cost to have a pro do it, so I'll just have to pray I don't mess up.
btw, I am 100% POSITIVE it is the Memorex ram disc causing the problem. I have NEVER had a problem with my HS2 prior to this episode. But I HAVE had NUMEROUS problems with MEMOREX; I have THREE other Panny recorder models and all have reacted badly to that brand. My best evidence: the SAME recovery loop occurred with my E-80H a few months ago, with a different Memorex RAM disc. Luckily, THAT model has a failsafe mechanism apparently not built into its predecessor: pressing a certain two keys on the front panel with the unit powered off WILL force the disc tray open. The manual says so, and a Panny customer support rep walked me thru it over the phone as well.
Also, some details: in both instances, merely placing the ram discs into the units did not cause the recovery loop. They initially read okay in both machines. It was when I tried to ERASE material on the discs that the problem occured both times.
Finally, here's my history with Memorex in the PANNY units: RAM discs often do not read, tend to lock up the units, will not erase even though not protected. Troublesome rams sometimes read/play on the machine on which they were originally recorded, sometimes not. DVD-R's DO NOT HOLD UP. They play back fine immediately after finalization, then months later exhibit glitches, freeze up, sometimes do not read at all.
For the record, I've used numerous DVD-R/RAM brands since I bought my PAN E20 three years ago. I've OCCASIONALLY had problems with one or two CompUSA or Maxell rams. I have encountered bad batches of Staples brand or generic DVD-R's I bought online. I have NEVER had a problem with TDK, Optodisc, Fuji, nor, of course, Panasonic brand discs. Only Memorex has repeatedly given me trouble.
I reiterate, MEMOREX OUGHT TO BE BANNED FROM THE SHELVES. I mean if such problems occur with a generic order-online-only brand, hey, them's the breaks. You're taking a risk when you buy those. But Memorex has been a shelf name for DECADES and thus one would expect better performance from them. But there's an obvious reason why of all the store brands Memorex CONSISTENTLY COSTS THE LEAST no matter where you go: IT'S CRAP, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
This episode with my HS2 further proves it as far as I'm concerned. NEVER AGAIN will I EVER buy ANYTHING Memorex. And I advise anyone else out there to steer clear, especially if you own Panasonic recorders. I'm telling you--!
Very interesting... You've convinced me. In my head I still find it difficult to believe, but you have a track record of Memorex discs that have locked up your machine. So it makes me wonder why the discs lock up the machine, and what could be done to fix it (firmware update perhaps?). DVD-RAM is obviously not the defacto standard in DVD recording, so I would expect some difficulties. However, the flip side to the argument is that Panasonic is virtually the only brand supporting DVD-RAM for consumer electronics... you'd think that Memeorex would make sure their DVD-RAM discs are compatible.
I will defend Maxell to some degree. I, and many others that I know, have had good experiences with their CD-R/RW discs for years. I won't vouch for their DVD discs since I have no experience with them. I've normaly stuck with TDK and Fuji for those. Like any brand, they have their strengths and weaknesses. So just because their DVD discs are not exactly up to snuff, I would still buy their CD-Rs. Of coourse, their DVD-RAM discs may work very well in PC drives, so it really depends on what you're using. That's a fact of life when it comes to blank discs.
Either way, I appreciate and respect your opinion on this matter, and I thank you for sharing it with the TechLore community. I encourage you to write an article on this topic, and even one about your experience in removing the disc in your recorder. I believe many would find it of great interest and help.
If you would like help creating an article for TechLore, editorial assistance is available. Read this article for more.
I agree with you about Maxell. Back in the days of the audiocassette it and TDK were the only two brands I'd touch for years. And I would definitely still buy their CD-R/RW's.
Yes, their DVD-R's are good. I know because I bought some a while back and they have held up fine. However, these days I always look for the best bargains (among brands I trust!) and I never see Maxell priced in my range when I'm looking to buy.
I only have a about a dozen or so Maxell DVD-RAM's and two of them gave me read/erase problems. The rest still work okay, but once a brand messes up on me I put it far down on my list, especially when other brands continue to work trouble-free. Besides, I've moved away from buying new ram discs since I now have so many and, as you point out, the format is the least widely supported (which I really can't fathom since it truly is the most versatile from what I understand).
You can be sure of one thing though: if they were my only two choices in a pinch, I would take Maxell over Memorex discs in a nanosecond, price be hanged!
Also, just to be clear, my aversion to Memorex comes not just from my experience with their DVD-RAMs, but their DVD-R's as well. I now have several HUNDRED finalized dvd-r's of various brands and the Memorex are the only ones that now require pc re-authoring using DVD DECRYPTER to preserve the often rare recordings that were on them. Even spooled DVD-R's I bought online (Ritek, etc.) have held up better. (That is to say, once I had a usable batch of such generic brands, they worked fine and continue to play fine--unlike the friggin' Memor-WRECKS.)
As for writing an article on my experiences, I just might do that sometime; if someone else could benefit it would certainly be worth it.
To be contd...