DVD Tray Sticks

[Ash]

I've got a problem with my DVD recorder.

The problem is that when I push the eject button, the tray wants to come out but doesn't.
It moves several millimeters but doesn't come out all the way.
It sems to be catching on something.

I have to insert a flat object (like a flathead screwdriver) into the top slot of the DVD tray and move it upwards in a prying motion to get the tray to slide out all the way.

If I don't insert it, it'll try to eject the disc but won't.  Then it'll automatically go back in and try to re-read the disc.

Any ideas as to how to fix my sticky DVD tray?  

[frank]

I once had a similar problem with a cd-player. As it was a quite old one anyway, i felt safe to open it and start messing around (as I´m not really technically skilled, but always curious). The problem turned out to be a little rubber band gone "weary" that was connecting the "engine" to some toothed wheel, that eventually drove the guide rail for the cd-tray. However, the lens for the laser-cd-reading-thingy was also missing, so I just fiddled about a bit longer untill I got bored and dumped the whole thing.

I don´t know if a dvd-player works the same way, but a rubber band would probably not cost a fortune, if you found one of the correct size.

Have fun and good luck!

[Khaz]

This one kinda depends on the quality of your DVD player. Some, Like Frank said, use a rubber round belt on the tray eject. Others, notibly more expensive or computer DVD players, use a direct motor gear system. So my question is, when you are prying your door open, does it slide slowly out with no noise except a squeak or does it sound like you are forcing a motor to turn (winding noise) I kow of a couple soloutions for both.
Heh, I knew my computer and electronic repair degree would come in handy eventually

[raj]

I've kinda got the reverse problem.  My dvd player will open & immediately close.  I've got to quickly nab the dvd, then reopen it to put another one in.  It is almost as if my player is possessed.

[Khaz]

Raj, yours is the pressure switch. Remember in the good ol days before your player became a vessal for the demonic spirit that currently resides there? When you would set a disc in the tray and give it a tap and it would magicly close itself without you having to push the eject button again? Well that little sensor that detects the pressure and closes the tray is shot. Unfortunately i have never found a way to fix that

[RCMerchant]

I find that getting frustrated and drop-kicking anything that dosen't work is a proven method!   

[dean]

A tried and tested method at our work when it's our dvd players is to physically turn off the unit from power [at the wall that is] and turn it back on.  The first thing you should do is press the eject button [making that action the first thing it thinks of] and see if that works.

Otherwise it's probably a mechanical thing [which it does sound like but still, it can't hurt to try]

Doing a 'reboot' [turning off and on at the power point] is pretty much the first step whenever something goes wrong with electronics.  God knows how much I spend of my day trouble shooting someone, only to find that doing a reboot solves almost everything.  Since all units have a computer chip in them, they're all susceptible to power drop outs/spikes which can, and often do, mess with the software inside it.  Chances are its a software thing more than a mechanical thing [I'm looking in your direction Raj]

Otherwise you got a disc in there catching on the 'lip'?

[Ash]

I'm pretty sure my DVD recorder tray uses a motor system.

[CheezeFlixz]

If all else fails, use a hammer I find that a hammer will solve most every problem. The bigger the problem the bigger the hammer.

Easy 4 step program ...

1. Tray sticking.
2. Hit repeatedly with hammer.
3. Buy new DVD recorder.
4. Problem solved.