I have started to notice more and more people across different forums mention that their DVP642 has suddenly stopped reading any kind of DVD disc but will read CD's VCD's etc. This seems to happen around the 6 month mark, plus or minus a month or two. Sure enough my DVP642/17 is just over six month old and BAM! Suddenly tonight, in the middle of my brand new "Return of the King extended" 2nd disc - it happened to me. Player turned off and when I restarted it, no DVD would play. Not pressed, DVD-R DVD+R, nothing. But audio CD's will play and divx CD's will play. I can even flash it down to 0531 rom and back to to 1109 if using a CD, but it never comes back from the "no disc" of death. Tried unplugging it for an hour. No change. Tried using a "lens cleaner" disc on it. No change. The most intelligent thing I have read so far is that most DVD players use two different lasers, one for CD and one for DVD and it probably drops dead in the DVP642 after so many hours or too much overheating after extended use. :-( I'd like to hear from others who have experienced this and what happened after that - if they got Philips to do anything or if they found a work around. Basically I think I am screwed? DVP642 seems like a great deal at $60-$70 but not if it only works for half a year! If I have to replace this I think I am going to go for one which will do QPEL and GMC as long as it is under $100 - enough of this nonsense! Sigh. Thanks for any help/ideas and feedback...
Finally reached their RMA department today and they want $30 (plus it will cost me to ship there about $10) to replace the unit - possibly with a refurbished unit. What a total rip off, over half the cost of the unit in the first place. So folks, it's not a $60 divx player, its a $100 divx player after six months for many of us. I'm looking at JVC and other models that will do QPEL and GMC - and more importantly have a one year warranty to stand behind their quality (or lack of it). Sigh, lesson learned - hope this forewarns others.
