DMR-E85H Hangs on PLEASE WAIT

Just got back from vacation over the holidays to find my DVR display showing "PLEASE WAIT". I can't power off, reset, etc. Apparently, we had a power failure, but it is plugged into a surge protector. Panasonic support was not helpful. Anyone have an idea what may be the problem?

Unplug it for a minute or so, plug it back in. If that doesn't fix it, it's probably dead.

I have a DMR-E85H that is showing the same unrelenting PLEASE WAIT sign. It has got progressively worse over the last 4 months or so. Sometimes I unplugged it on purpose simply to move the unit (I like videoing events directly onto the hard drive), other times it got unplugged by accident. Each time it showed the PLEASE WAIT sign before I performed some voodoo to get it going again. Typically I would leave it unplugged for HOURS to get it to reboot. Now, it won't reboot after waiting for DAYS.

So I would encourage you to try again, but wait more than a minute. However, while it might not be totally dead, this could be the beginning of the end. I would like to know what is the definitive answer to this problem (I have multiple projects on the hard drive that I am still copying for clients), so any info you find, please post it here!

I fixed my DVD Recorder, it turned out to be a power supply issue. There are two capacitors that fail in the power supply (the power supply is located under the hard drive holding bracket). I easily observed the failed capacitors because they appeared slightly bloated, with a slight leakage of substance on the top. By replacing them with spares de-soldered from a functioning but useless electronic device, I was able to completely restore my unit. So, with a basic knowledge of DC Circuits and fair soldering skills, I have resurrected my recorder.

The "Please Wait" message is caused by the hard drive not spinning up. Most people would naturally assume this is a bad hard drive, but even bad hard drives spin up (they just make lots of bad noises if they are failing). The issue was that the power supply was not delivering the proper power to the hard drive. Don't replace your hard drive, you will lose your recordings. Test the power first.

If you are not comfortable or electronic circuit savoy, then you can get your unit fixed for a flat rate of $130 by Panasonic. There is a special number to call:

1-888-439-2676
Panasonic Service Center
1590 Touhly Ave
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007

Another post had this number, 1-847-468-5543, but when I called them, they gave me the above information.

Good luck. Considering the unavailability of any other units like this on the market, and the high price of buying one used, I think that $130 flat rate is fair (not great) deal.

I fixed mine thanks to jazzguy1233 and a poster named hiker_DC on Fixya.com. Found those bloated and leaking capacitors and bought two replacements at Radio Shack for under $5 total. The replacements are higher spec (per the post on Fixya) -- 1000 ufm. They're slightly larger but fit. I've never soldered anything before in my life so didn't have high hopes -- but just didn't want to lose what was on the hard drive or pay Panasonic the $130. It took some time to take it apart and put it back together -- but it works!! I'm slightly amazed but very grateful to jazzguy1233 and hiker_DC.

I have a Panasonic DVD Recorder Model DMR-EH75V. I'm having problems getting the TV Guide listings again. I recently got a new TV, and I noticed that a few days out there were no listings. Then my power went out during a winter storm. I've gone through the set-up (trying different things), and then have left it off for 24 hours. But I'm having no luck. I'm using a cable connecting (with no cable box). The Panasonic website was of no help. Any ideas? Thanks!

This could be caused by two of the capacitors under the hard drive leaking. Several posts on various forums led me to investigate that on my unit. I found the two indicated capacitors were bulging on top and showed signs of leakage. Two $1.59 replacements at Radio Shack and some time spent with a soldering iron took care of the problem. I'd never soldered anything before and didn't have much hope that I would be able to do it right -- but the thing powered right up and has been working for the last three weeks.

BUT -- I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination. Panasonic will fix it for $130. I just took a chance, figuring if I destroyed it, I'd buy a new machine.

Replaced the C1270 and C1271 capacitors with two of higher specs (1000 ufm).

See threads at:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t216825...e_wait_display
http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/2/356391.html

and jazzguy1233's post on this forum from 9/28/2007

Good luck!

Oops! -- looks like I answered the wrong post. Not sure about the TV Guide issue -- sometimes it takes a couple of days for my TV Guide to fully update.

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Last edited by esmith591; 02-01-2008 at 01:30. Reason: answering the wrong question

I have had the same problem. Thanks to jazzguy1233 and esmith591, I was able to diagnose the problem and was able to purchase the correct capacitors at Radio Shack along with a soldering iron appropriate for electronics. My husband and I were able to replace the bloated and leaking capacitors even though we had never done anything like this before. Despite a misstep in getting the polarity wrong on one of the capacitors (which when plugged in caused a pop, then some smoke out the back end, and the new capacitor to bulge), we got another capacitor and did it right the second time. Given our mistake, we didn't expect much when we plugged it in a second time. Much to our amazement, the recorder booted right up, and best of all, everything seems to be functioning correctly. Our fix cost us about $15 (soldering iron, solder, and 3 capacitors). Thanks for the great information on this forum.

I've got the same problem. I took the cover off my player but I can't seem to figure out what you guys are talking about. Is there anyone out there that can send me a picture so I can see which ones you say you replaced? this will make it easier for me to tell my brother so he can help me. He lives an hour from me and I am having trouble having him help me figure this out via email and pictures....so if you could point out what needs replaced, that will help me out tremendously. i can send you my private email address if you are willing to help me out in this way.

thanks a million!

Jessinan,

Be sure to identify your model number. There might be minor variations, including the number Panasonic assigns to the capacitors, between your model and other similar models.

For instance, the largest electrolytic capacitor in the power supply section of DMR-ES15 and DMR-ES35V models is the one I found to be leaking in six of my eight functional Panasonic 2006 models. In the DMR-ES15 that capacitor is designated C1143; in the DMR-ES35V that capacitor is designated C11108. While these capacitors look the same they have different specifications (found on the side of the capacitor itself). The ES15 capacitors are 100uf 350v; the ES35 capacitors are 220uf 250v; and both capacitors are of the 105 degree heat range and 30mm tall.

So far I have replaced these capacitors in three of my ES15 models. I have yet to replace these capacitors in three of my ES35 models. These models require extensive disassembly to replace power supply capacitors, including removal of the chassis motherboard in the ES15 and removal of the right chassis motherboard in the ES35. In those machines the procedure takes an hour or more per machine.

If the capacitors on your model do not show the specifications on the capacitor itself the Panasonic Support website has parts lists for each model. With the capacitor number found on the circuit board near the capacitor one may look up the capacitor's actual part number and, sometimes, the capacitor specification may be shown as well. The Panasonic Parts Department may also give you the specification based upon the capacitor part number.

Capacitors are generic so they need not be purchased from Panasonic. Capacitors I special ordered from a local electronic parts supply store were less than $4 each. These same capacitors are priced by Panasonic in the $12-$15 (each) range. Online sellers priced the same capacitors around $2 each but there is always the possibility of receiving the wrong capacitors so I placed my special order locally to be sure to get the right specification capacitors. The special order desk searched for the right specification--several that fit that specification were found--but the difficulty was the 30mm height. The ES35 capacitors we settled upon are 35mm tall and the ES15 capacitors we settled upon are 25mm tall. Capacitors taller than 35mm may be too tight a fit in an ES35. The ES15 case is lower profile than a ES35.

Good luck with your project.

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Last edited by DigaDo; 21-07-2008 at 20:41.

Jessinan:

On the Panasonic DMR-E85H, the circuit board you are looking for with the damaged capacitors is on the right hand side under the hard drive. You will need to remove the hard drive first in order to see the circuit board. You should then be able to identify the bulged, leaky capacitors that should be at the labeled sites of C0270 and C0271. In order to more easily do the soldering required (to get the old capacitors out and then put the new ones in), it is best to actually remove the circuit board rather than try to work with it in the recorder (we learned this the hard way when we had to redo the whole procedure after the polarity problem I mentioned in my first posting). Losen up the outside frame and remove the actual power supply in order to get the circuit board out. Also disconnect the zig-zag connector on the left hand side of the circuit board. We just kept unscrewing things and gently pulling on connections until we were able to get the circuit board out. The first time we did it, we worked with the circuit board in the machine and it contributed to our mistake in polarity. Just be sure to keep track of what connects to what so you can get it back together correctly.

I would suggest taking one of the damaged capacitors to Radio Shack when you go to buy replacements. It will help ensure that you get the correct replacement. Also, don't clip off the "excess" wire on the bottom of the new capacitors until you have threaded them through the circuit board and soldered them in place. The first time, we clipped them off and then had a difficult time getting the short stubs through the little holes in the circuit board.

Good luck.

Thank you both for the in depth information. I will post again once I have my brother look at it for me. It'll be a few weeks. the reply i got from Panasonic was to send it to their service center in IL. they said I needed my original receipt. Ok, I have moved 3x since I bough this player, so I dont' know where my receipt is - off the top of my head. I'll try this repair route first and see if that works. Well, that's even if my brother can find out which one are leaking, if at all. I couldn't see anything - but then again, I'm not into 'fixing' electronics, just using them, so I don't know what I'm looking for. My father was the tv repairman. Guess I should of learned some of the inner workings of the tv's back in the day before he retired.

Thanks again to you both!

Oh wait! I have the DMR-EH50S. I guess I didnt change the title when I copied it from someone else! Does that change anything in what you both told me? *sigh*

Well my brother tried to change out several capicators but it did not fix the problem. He saw 2 more he wanted to try but the 2 local Radio Shacks in our small town didn't have them. I'm hoping he can find them at another store or online and give it one more try. If not, then I guess I'll ship it to IL and see if they can fix it.

If I end up replacing it, do the other dvd recorders give you the "edit" options to where you can cut out commericals and such before burning to a dvd? That is what I liked about the HDD. You could edit everything before burning to the dvd. I don't want to have to watch the whole thing later when maybe all I wanted was 10 minutes of a program or the 45 minutes of an hour program. Commercials can be annoying when you just want to see the show. I'm guessing there is no editing capablity on other burners. I might just go buy a cheap one in the meantime so I can at least clear my Directv harddrive to make room for new stuff. But then I will be using many more dvd's since I can't edit.

thanks!

On non-HDD models, you can edit commercials if you record directly to DVD-RAM discs.

SAA
If looking for a new DVDR w/hdd you might want to try the Philips 3576. Wealth of info on in at AVS. I personally had one but didn't really care for the 2+ hr PQ. IMO Pannys really shine in the 2+ up to about 4hr speed. The Philips like most all other DVDRs drop resolution at speeds above 2hrs.
The Philips is really a handy unit though. Basically the only US unit with a HDD and at $248 at Sams clubs($299 at W/M) it's very well priced. It can't record to RAM or DL discs but records to everything else and has proven to be quite reliable. It has a 160 GB HDD.
It upconverts to 1080p and has a digital tuner for QAM and ATSC.

Hi, how do you "disconnect the zig-zag connector on the left hand side of the circuit board" ? do you disconnect from the PSU side or the other side ?

--- Boon

If the "zig-zag connector" is the conductive bridge between two circuit boards the upper portion of the connector may be removed by putting the index finger on one end and the thumb at the other end and lifting up.

First, let me say:
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I googled this before I started to repair; it was exactly what you guys said it was. Works perfectly now.

I like this machine a lot, and was more than a bit P.O.'ed when it died. You saved me $130.

Couple things:
1) For those not versed in discrete component electronics: Capacitors have a white stripe on them,(negative). The power supply board here has a white line printed by the capacitor locations. Line them up (Duh), and you're good.
2) These capacitors are in parallel-- they both connect to the same points. If you find it easier to make it fit, (I did), you can use ONLY ONE capacitor at twice (or more) capacity, observing polarity, at whichever of the original holes you like. I used 2200uf at 16v, which I got for free from an old Dish receiver. Position where you want before soldering; if you bend the leads afterward you may damage the lands and have to repair them, as I did.
Stuff unplugs and plugs easily--don't try to not unplug the HDD or the board, you'll just end up pulling stuff loose anyway.......

First, let me say:
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I googled this before I started to repair; it was exactly what you guys said it was. Works perfectly now.

I like this machine a lot, and was more than a bit P.O.'ed when it died. You saved me $130.

Couple things:
1) For those not versed in discrete component electronics: Capacitors have a white stripe on them,(negative). The power supply board here has a white line printed by the capacitor locations. Line them up (Duh), and you're good.
2) These capacitors are in parallel-- they both connect to the same points. If you find it easier to make it fit, (I did), you can use ONLY ONE capacitor at twice (or more) capacity, observing polarity, at whichever of the original holes you like. I used 2200uf at 16v, which I got for free from an old Dish receiver. Position where you want before soldering; if you bend the leads afterward you may damage the lands and have to repair them, as I did.
Stuff unplugs and plugs easily--don't try to not unplug the HDD or the board, you'll just end up pulling stuff loose anyway.......

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Last edited by rkblackhorse; 26-09-2009 at 00:56. Reason: Somehow I posted in duplicate. Someone who knows how, feel welcome to fix....

Help help help -

We had the "please wait" display, followed instructions to install new capacitors. Unfortunately, my husband was told incorrect polarity info at Radio Shack so both capacitors were soldered in backward. When we turned it on, it started to work but then the transformer started smoking, it's definately bad, no other obvious casualties. Can the transformer be replaced, and if so, does anyone know where to get a new one? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

The transformer on a switching supply like this is usually a honkin' durable item; the power to burn it out would be more than the other components could deliver. (This is not a 110vac transformer. It runs on an inverted DC source).
The capacitors will eject smoke/chemical fog when connected backward. Any chance that's what you see on the transformer? I'd check the ratings of what Radio Shack supplies, and try replacing them/it again. For the price savings, it's worth trying. I'm pretty sure the transformer is going to be a proprietary item, hard to find, and not cheap. If indeed it is bad, other components may be as well--you will probably find it easier, as cheap, and more reliable to buy the power supply board from Panasonic. Given the failure rate of these boards, I would not recommend buying a used one.

ANY HELP APPRECIATED!

Here's an unexpected twist--

After the repair, about a third of my DVD's I had made previously on this machine "Cannot Read--Please Check Disc", even tho' they worked fine before, and still do on another DVD player. Age doesn't matter, finalized doesn't matter. 2 very recent ones: one plays, the other won't. 2 unfinalized "work in progress": one plays, not the other. Same with some years old. Ran "Self Check", no change. Anyone else? Any ideas?
Thanks.

Did you clean the spindle when you had your machine apart? If not that could be your problem. If you hear any loud grinding when you insert a DVD a dirty spindle is most likely the cause. Read SaintBaz's thread (a few done from yours) for info on cleaning Pansonic Spindles. It should really be cleaned yearly.

This post, found late in the Saint Baz thread that Jeff mentioned, has photos of the type of DVD Drive found in 2005 and older Panasonics:

http://club.cdfreaks.com/f106/fixing...ml#post2181779