Amstrad DVD Player cheap recap

[goodpsusearch]

Got this for free. Opened metal case and found one bad 2200uF 16V cap.

Replaced it with Capxon KM 3300uF 16V that was removed from a Jou Jye psu.

Instead of being very tall, it fitted without touching the cover.

DVD player works without any issues, the question is for how long, before the Capxon bulges. Do you think the low temperature and low stress of this application will save a cap with so bad reputation?

[sam_sam_sam]

Maybe but I would not count on it if it was not used for a switching power supply you might have a better chance of getting away with it if I was doing this repair I would go ahead and replace the low value capacitors except the main filtering capacitor as long as it does not show signs of leaking or bulging on the top or bottom of the capacitor

[goodpsusearch]

Well I already placed an ad to give it away for free, so I didn't want to spend more time/money on it. I have several DVD players like it and no one is interested any more on that kind of technology.

Especially the ones without working remote and/or the ones without USB port / mpeg4 support no one wants them

[momaka]

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

Replaced it with Capxon KM 3300uF 16V that was removed from a Jou Jye psu.
...
Do you think the low temperature and low stress of this application will save a cap with so bad reputation?

Maybe, maybe not.
PSU appears to use discontinuous (flyback) topology and is always On, so long as it's plugged in. Thus, it will just depend on how much ripple current that flyback SMPS puts out for the filter caps. If not much, I suspect the CapXon KM you put should last. Also, CapXon KM tend to be hit-or-miss in my experience - sometimes they last a very very long time and don't seem to go bad, while other times they go bad quite quickly. In any case, this is much better than their KF or GF series, which tend to go bad with or without use (unstable electrolyte.) KM has fairly stable electrolyte and won't go bad in low-stress applications usually (like in audio gear that doesn't run hot/warm.)
So I'm crossing my fingers for you/it that it lasts.

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

Well I already placed an ad to give it away for free, so I didn't want to spend more time/money on it. I have several DVD players like it and no one is interested any more on that kind of technology.

Especially the ones without working remote and/or the ones without USB port / mpeg4 support no one wants them

That's really nice that you're fixing these electronics and giving them up for free!
Here, they are also pretty much worth nothing and no one seems to want them, even with the remote sometimes.
What I don't understand is why thrift stores here still want at least $10 for them. Literally almost every thrift store I go to in my area has piles and piles of this stuff and they're not dropping their price lower to get them moving out the door.
On a side note, the thrift stores in my area are absolutely terrible - often have over-priced crap (sometimes more than prices you find online that include shipping to your house) and not always working either. It's very rare that I'll find something worthwhile. The only thing I do like them for is that I can still find regular old incandescent bulbs >40 Watts there for 50 cents, typically.

[kaboom]

Originally Posted by momaka

On a side note, the thrift stores in my area are absolutely terrible - often have over-priced crap (sometimes more than prices you find online that include shipping to your house) and not always working either. It's very rare that I'll find something worthwhile. The only thing I do like them for is that I can still find regular old incandescent bulbs >40 Watts there for 50 cents, typically.

Maybe OT, but it's because most "thrift" stores aren't, per se..

LOL at still finding bulbs!

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

Well I already placed an ad to give it away for free, so I didn't want to spend more time/money on it. I have several DVD players like it and no one is interested any more on that kind of technology.

Especially the ones without working remote and/or the ones without USB port / mpeg4 support no one wants them

Eventually, you may find demand picks up.
After enough "organized shortages," maybe people will pay you/make it worth your effort/time?
Give it til summer, anyway.

But try not to destroy anything out of disgust/lack of interest.
Been there myself- so you don't have to.

Edit: Those "clone" DVD players typically have a main +5V supply, and both +/- 12V.
Yours also looks like this.
The big diode for +5; and two small diodes for +/-12.
The one with the cathode towards the transformer is for -12...

[goodpsusearch]

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

Well I already placed an ad to give it away for free, so I didn't want to spend more time/money on it. I

Originally Posted by momaka

That's really nice that you're fixing these electronics and giving them up for free!
Here, they are also pretty much worth nothing and no one seems to want them, even with the remote sometimes.

Some people showed up and took some DVD players, no one wanted this one unfortunately.

[goodpsusearch]

Originally Posted by kaboom

But try not to destroy anything out of disgust/lack of interest.
Been there myself- so you don't have to.

I hate destroying things or trashing perfectly working units.

I will keep those DVD players until someone wants them.

On the other hand, if I post them for free at Facebook Marketplace, they will all be gone in less than 24 hours. People there behave like this for some reason, when they see something is for free, first they say they want it, then they read the text and see the pics


I am 100% sure they will take them not to use them but hoping they will resell them and make a profit, then some days or hours ago I will see them for sale for ridiculous prices, like 50 or 80 euros, they will be on sale for months or years but they wont reduce the price or consider giving them for free. That's how market for used items works here in Greece unfortunately.

[momaka]

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

I will keep those DVD players until someone wants them.

Yeah, just give it time, like kaboom said. It need to find the right "customer"... and like with the small LCD display, since this isn't a "hot" item, it may take a while to get taken. But eventually it will.

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

On the other hand, if I post them for free at Facebook Marketplace, they will all be gone in less than 24 hours. People there behave like this for some reason, when they see something is for free, first they say they want it, then they read the text and see the pics

That's how my local Craigslist is. So if/when I do give out stuff, I just put it outside (on a good, non-rainy day) or to the side of the house and make it a "first come, first serve, will remove add when taken" listing. Otherwise there are too many people that promise to will show up but never do. Granted I've done something similar myself once or twice... but for probably 99% of the items I said I'd come for, I've always showed up. The few times I couldn't I wrote back as soon as I saw I couldn't make it that day/time. And I've also left $5-10 for a few of the items, despite them being free.

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

I am 100% sure they will take them not to use them but hoping they will resell them and make a profit, then some days or hours ago I will see them for sale for ridiculous prices, like 50 or 80 euros, they will be on sale for months or years but they wont reduce the price or consider giving them for free. That's how market for used items works here in Greece unfortunately.

We have these people here too. It used to bother me a lot... but when I thought about it, not so much anymore. After all, if these people have the storage space to keep such things, then why not. At some point, even these "now worthless" DVD players may become a little more valuable... like maybe 10-15 years down the road when there are much fewer of them. That's how it was here with the CRT monitors. 10-15 years ago, I've had people who said they couldn't thank me enough for actually coming to pickup their CRT monitor(s) - even the guy that gave me the two GDM-FW900 beasts . Whereas now, the moment I see a listing for one on my Cragislist - and that's very very rarely (like once a year or so) - it gets taken within a day usually, especially if it was listed for free or "cheap" (relative to what eBay prices are now, anyways.)

Of course, if these people keep the prices absurdly high for no reason, then no one will buy the thing and they may eventually end up scrapping it... which would be a shame, since you did put some of your time and effort into fixing it. To me, this is more or less the same as being (indirectly) disrespectful to the creator/maker/tech who fixed the item. IDK, maybe I'm weird like that, but I never liked destroying perfectly good things.

[goodpsusearch]

Originally Posted by momaka

And I've also left $5-10 for a few of the items, despite them being free.

Usually, I ask them if they need anything related to PCs/electronics in generall that I could give them for free if I have it on stock.

Originally Posted by momaka

We have these people here too. It used to bother me a lot... but when I thought about it, not so much anymore. After all, if these people have the storage space to keep such things, then why not. At some point, even these "now worthless" DVD players may become a little more valuable... like maybe 10-15 years down the road when there are much fewer of them. That's how it was here with the CRT monitors. 10-15 years ago, I've had people who said they couldn't thank me enough for actually coming to pickup their CRT monitor(s) - even the guy that gave me the two GDM-FW900 beasts . Whereas now, the moment I see a listing for one on my Cragislist - and that's very very rarely (like once a year or so) - it gets taken within a day usually, especially if it was listed for free or "cheap" (relative to what eBay prices are now, anyways.)

This is my point of view on this: Since, I don't have the patience/guts/time/space to start putting ads everywhere and try to make a profit reselling things, it is fine by me for other people to get things from me and try to make a profit selling them.

The only exception is when someone gives away something on a forum for example and a number of people say they are interested in getting it and some of them even need it and in the end it goes into the hands of someone that puts it for sale right after. This bothers me, but there is no easy way to tell who is honest and who is not.

Btw I have quite a collection of CRT computer monitors and CRT TVs, maybe I should consider donating some of them.

Originally Posted by momaka

Of course, if these people keep the prices absurdly high for no reason, then no one will buy the thing and they may eventually end up scrapping it... which would be a shame, since you did put some of your time and effort into fixing it. To me, this is more or less the same as being (indirectly) disrespectful to the creator/maker/tech who fixed the item. IDK, maybe I'm weird like that, but I never liked destroying perfectly good things.

That's what happens unfortunately in the end.

And what is considered valuable or junk changes from time to time. People here were so desperate to get rid of CRT Tvs they almost paid people to take them. Now everyone wants these for retro computing/gaming.

Same with VHS, you could find VCRs for free or dirt cheap everywhere, I found a perfectly working Orion unit near the trash some years ago. But now this started to change. There are a couple of active ads on marketplace from people asking to buy VHS recorders and VHS cassettes. VHS units sell in less than 48 hours now. And don't get me started about audio cassette comeback

[momaka]

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

The only exception is when someone gives away something on a forum for example and a number of people say they are interested in getting it and some of them even need it and in the end it goes into the hands of someone that puts it for sale right after. This bothers me, but there is no easy way to tell who is honest and who is not.

Yeah, unfortunately that's how some people are. :\

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

Btw I have quite a collection of CRT computer monitors and CRT TVs, maybe I should consider donating some of them.

Well, you know my stance on CRT monitors. But if you don't have any use of them, then I can see why you want to get rid of them. However, I do suggest you still keep one or two, just in case you do change your mind in the future.
I still use mine for gaming and watching videos (the CRT monitors, at least.) I just can't get over the blurry images of an LCD, especially light<-->dark scenes or fast motion.

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

And what is considered valuable or junk changes from time to time. People here were so desperate to get rid of CRT Tvs they almost paid people to take them. Now everyone wants these for retro computing/gaming.

Wow, that "wave" caught on where you live too? Interesting.
Here, there's also been interest back in CRT TVs and monitors... though there's still an over-abundance of CRT TVs (at least where I live), so I can still find a large CRT TV for free very easily (and almost weekly on local classifieds.) CRT monitors are absolutely gone, though. Seems like everyone was in a hurry to get rid of them when LCD came out. I did legit actually have a few people thank me and ask if they should pay me for picking up their CRTs. LOL! Now I wonder if they are regretting it?
On that front, as much as I've been hoarding "stuff" / electronics, I can say at least every CRT monitor that I've picked up has been used on my desk for a few years at some point... and I still rotate them around. Some even developed a few small issues now and are awaiting on my "to fix" list. So they weren't just collected to sit somewhere in a corner/storage forever. I'm still clocking daily use on my SyncMaster 955df that I picked up 12 years ago. The Sony E540 is currently "resting"... even though I normally use it in the winter as my "daily driver". But this year has been an exception, I suppose. And another Dell 19" I picked up about 8 years ago is also my weekly gaming monitor. Actually, the GDM-FW900 hasn't seen much use - but that's only because I didn't have a powerful enough GPU to game on it until 2-3 years ago. I also dislike its over-brightness issues at startup. Too involved to fix, so I haven't bothered yet. Thus it has mostly sat around... which is OK - I keep seeing asking prices go up for these online.

Originally Posted by goodpsusearch

VHS units sell in less than 48 hours now. And don't get me started about audio cassette comeback

Interesting again.
We haven't hit that "wave" here (yet?) - not with VHS, at least. People are still trying to give them away for free most of the time or just very cheap.
Audio cassettes have been so-so. The high-end stuff has been selling overall OK online. But broken stuff or stuff that needs work does seem to sit for a while. I still have most of my cassette collection from the 90's and occasionally do play a tape or two in the garage with that Sony boombox I fixed. Beats local radio here any day!