Panasonic DVD-LS850 Error H03 (any idea how to fix)?

[naveed208.nh]

No idea I also has this problem

[Tony Hwang]

Sled motor stuck. Maybe motor is bad. Open it up and see if it moves. DVD players a cheap, just throw it out and get new one.

[kimberlyerinwells]

I bought a Panasonic DVD-LS850 and it came up with the Panasonic Error 02 within the Costco 90-day warrantee period. Now the new Panasonic DVDLS850 portable DVD player comes up with Panasonic Error H03. When I put a movie DVD into the Panasonic DVD LS-850, it says "Reading" and then "Error H03"..

And this kept happening over and over and over Do you know how to fix it?

[Don Y]

Chances are, the "sled" that moves the optical pickup is stuck. Gummy grease on the screw, etc.

As moving the optical pickup from above (i.e., from the outside of the case) is typically impractical (and will probably break or strip the screw drive), you're only recourse will be to disassemble the unit and *rotate* the screw drive to "break it free" from whatever has bound it in place.

If the unit sees only infrequent use, this is a common problem.

[It's also possible that the drive motor for the sled is dead -- or, the drive electronics. But, Occam's Razor suggests the mechanism is just gunked up. This was a common problem with floppy disk drives as well...]

[Kenny]

Most likely the spindle motor is sticking, Panasonic DVD players were known for this, a drop of light machine oil or WD 40 often works. This is for a different model but mechanism will be much the same.

Kenny

I bought a Panasonic DVD-LS850 and it came up with the Panasonic Error 02 within the Costco 90-day warrantee period. Now the new Panasonic DVDLS850 portable DVD player comes up with Panasonic Error H03.

When I put a movie DVD into the Panasonic DVD LS-850, it says "Reading" and then "Error H03"..

And this kept happening over and over and over Do you know how to fix it?

[Don Y]

Spindle motor is easy to check: insert media and note which "direction" it is facing (i.e., label at top, left, right, etc.). Then, see which direction it is facing *later*. Repeat a few times. If it always "seems" to be in the same orientation, then motor isn't spinning.

I'd, instead, assume the optical pickup isn't responding to motion commands (its harder to "catch it red handed" to see if it HAS moved as it wants to return to a fixed position). You can try to defeat the cover interlock and watch -- spindle *and* sled -- if you are careful about where you put your eyes...

[I long ago stopped fixing portable DVD players *and* home DVD players. A laptop serves as a great portable DVD player. And, a 5" DVD drive in a small tower or SFF PC is far easier to maintain than a consumer DVD player!]