Sony DVP-CX985V 400 Disc Progressive DVD / SACD Player
Great Player... watch out for DVD Scratch problem....
I really like this player BUT it can, at least on some units, develop a problem that scratches your DVD's. Not saying you should not buy one... just beware and current owners, be vigilant. I like SONY and they have a boatload of my money and I am being honest in this review.<br /><br />SYMPTOM:<br />Some DVD's may sound a little out-of-balance (mechanical rotation sound).  Intermittent play of certain DVD's, remove DVD to clean/inspect it and you see one or more half-moon shaped scratches... deep with curled plastic and \\"DVD dust\\" that has been gouged out of your DVD.<br /><br />I entered a service call with Sony about this scratch issue and they asked me to unplug it for two minutes... oddly enough, this did not solve the problem :) So I opened the player and after viewing about 50 DVD changes... it all became clear.<br /><br />BACKGROUND:<br />To get so many DVD's in the unit and minimize the player depth dimension, Sony designed it to NOT totally move the playing DVD into the player section unlike their 300+1 disk changer that I also have.  They leave the edge of the spinning disk inside your storage tray.  To keep the two DVD's on either side from getting in the way, a forked-bracket comes out that is supposed to separate/move them away from the spinning disk.<br /><br />PROBLEM:<br />Sometimes the forked bracket that is supposed to move the side disks apart either doesn't or FORCES the DVD to the right of the spinning disk into your spinning DVD which, like a saw, grinds away during the entire time you are watching the playing DVD.  Heck, if you are watching Titanic it may actually saw the poor thing in half.  If I wasn't serious that may have been a joke.<br /><br />(Note: Original review written in December, as of February, NO MORE SCRACHES since my \\"screw\\" mod.. See \\"MY RESOLUTION\\" BELOW)<br /><br />MY RESOLUTION: (Try at your own risk)<br />SONY was of no help and did not admit that anyone had ever reported this (evidence in chat forums tells me this is less than honest) So... I made a slight mod to the back screw of the laser assembly (has a small blue rubber boot over the screw)  Added a thin washer so it points the leading edge of the spinning disk a little to the left and away from the exposed play side of the next DVD.  So far (viewed about 200 disk changes) so good.  BTW, my unit is level, the disk tray is in alignment so that is not it and the forked bracket is tight.  I think this is just a poor design with enough variables in the mechanism that it works \\"most of the time\\". Some players may never see the issue but mine, and others obviously have.<br /><br />You could send your player to SONY and perhaps they have a solution they are not making public, perhaps not.<br /><br />SONY, shame on you for this design (would rather have a few less  DVD's and no chance of damage) and also for not being honest with customers who have reported this.<br /><br />Note: As of 7/31/2013... not even ONE more scratched DVD after my screw/washer mod.<br /><br />Good luck fellow DVD lovers!