Sony RDR-Gx330 stuck on Welcome

Post by **vickyg2003** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 3:45 pm

While the unit was shutting down the kids pressed the open button. The unit won't open, wont shut down. It is stuck on the welcome screen. Unplugging it for days doesn't help. I've also tried unplugging it and pressing open and play while plugging it in. At this point I think it is truly dead. Now the problem is the unit has a DVD in it that I WANT BACK!! How can I get it out without shocking myself

Post by **The Robman** » Sun Oct 01, 2017 7:55 pm

Several suggestions here...
https://howtomendit.com/answers.php?id=173747

Here's the user manual...
https://docs.sony.com/release//RDRGX330.pdf

Post by **vickyg2003** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:48 pm

4 days later and I tried plugging it in again, still displaying WELCOME. So I fished it out of the cabinet, and just as I expected there is this CAUTION DO NOT OPEN RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK warning on the back.

Also repeated accounts that this holds a charge for a really long time. So I thought I'd give the reset combo OPEN/CLOSE + PLAY while plugging it in a few more tries before letting it sit for 6 months. The 10th time was the charm, the unit went from WELCOME to LOADING. A number 5 appeared on the display pannel, I thought that was channel 5, but it was not.

So I powered it down, and unplugged it like numerous posts said to me. (silly me I should have ejected while I had the chance). When I plugged it back in it was back to WELCOME. I tried powering it off with the 15 second hold of the power button, and I repeated and repeated the sequence until the unit went back to Loading, and this time I EJECTED my disc. Powered it off, time was displayed. But when unplugged and plugged back in, it went back to welcome.

I'm just glad to have my disc out of there!

But my original question really is how Do you get a disc out of a DVD player when the back has that frightening warning.

There isn't a spring clip like there is on a PC button.

I'm really pretty afraid of electricty.

How long do you have to wait.

Post by **The Robman** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 12:53 pm

Those warnings are to keep the technically challenged out of there (only you know if that applies to you or not

), and probably to cover themselves legally. Having said that, some capacitors do hold charge for a while after the power has been cut. Not being an electronics expert, and not knowing what's inside your box, I'll leave it to others to say who long is safe to let them discharge on their own. Maybe Steve/Zaphod knows?

mdavej · Post by **mdavej** » Wed Oct 04, 2017 5:58 pm

The caps in a DVD player are probably not large and wouldn't really hurt you even if you did touch the wrong thing. Whenever I open up something with large caps, I just short them out with a screwdriver (with an insulated handle of course). You'll get a little spark, but that will safely discharge them immediately. You likely won't even see the bottom of the circuit board since your main concern is the drive unit itself.

Opening up an old tube tv is definitely dangerous, but not opening up a DVD player.

zaphod7501 · Post by **zaphod7501** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 6:54 am

As long as it's unplugged, there is minimal danger, especially after being unplugged, more so since the display lights up. (something is drawing current which will dissipate voltage)

Many Sony DVDs have a disk release method, usually a left/right slider through a slot in the bottom. The recorders might have a circuit board that blocks the release, however. Or have an enclosed drive like a PC add in drive. You'd have to remove the drive to access the release in that case. (which could be the usual PC pin release)

zaphod7501 · Post by **zaphod7501** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:03 am

For what it's worth, the drive might be removable and be used in a PC as a generic burner drive. You couldn't go the other direction because the main circuit board is firmware locked to the drive unit for copy protection reasons. You would need to use the software open/close feature because there is usually no physical button present.

HamburgerHelper1 · Post by **HamburgerHelper1** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:29 am

I still think the machine is salvageable and would not give up yet.
As long as you have your disc out now, you can play around with it to see if you can hit the right sequence of buttons.
I am thinking that the drawer either needs to be open or closed when shutdown to
end the welcome lock sequence. I had an Emerson recorder that did a similar sequence
when updating the firmware. So I am thinking that it is in a mode to look for a firmware disc and there should be a way to get it out of this mode.
Just an idea that might be worth looking into

HamburgerHelper1 · Post by **HamburgerHelper1** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:38 pm

More Reading from
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/246 ... -wont-open
Suggests that you have to run setup 1st for the tray to open

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 8:14 pm

I found the service manual with tray opening instructions.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/12911 ... e=5#manual

Since I have another one of these units that is making a grinding noise i will keep this unit for parts. But I doubt I could do a repair anyway. They were really nice units in their day. Now they are the units that I let the rugrats use. I got the Sonys for next to nothing because they were missing remotes...... This JP1 hobby has helped me get lots of high end equipment on the cheap.

Post by **vickyg2003** » Mon Oct 09, 2017 1:12 pm

In numerous threads I 've read about pressing "A" (Open/Close) and "G" (Play) while connecting to power to get the unit to the reset. I've been reading the service manual. I copied a passage from the service manual here for discussion and found that the "A" is just the Open close symbol and the "G" is a play symbol.

In Section 6

The diagnostics can be executed using the remote commander and a monitor.
To enter the service mode, connect the VIDEO OUT connector of the main unit to the monitor. While pressing the “A” (Open/Close) button
and the “G” (PLAY) button at the same time, connect the AC power cord to the power outlet. (Keep pressing the above buttons until a
message, “WELCOME” appears on the display panel of the main unit.)
While the diagnostics is in progress, either “OK” or “NG” appears on the monitor screen to enable the judgment whether the respective
devices or the peripheral are normal or have any abnormality.
When an abnormality is detected, the diagnostics is stopped at that

I can't even get this to work. I connected it to a tv with the yellow AV cable, held the Open/Close and Play buttons on the front of the unit and plugged it in. The system just sits there on Welcome on the front panel. I even thought maybe they meant the Open/Close Play on the remote. I dug out an original remote, but pressing both buttons on the remote, just sends the Open or Play command, not something unusual. I assume that the remote commander they are talking about is the regular remote. The next steps have you pressing numbers to run tests.

HamburgerHelper1 · Post by **HamburgerHelper1** » Mon Oct 09, 2017 3:04 pm

I would try the (FORCED EJECTION) method from the manual
Then put a Blank dvd in and see what happens, then if it does or does not do anything with the disc try your pressing "A" and "G" while plugging it in.
If that does nothing I would try any old dvd that has something on it
A dvd that I would not mind sacrificing for the cause.
Like make one on your computer and hope for the best