Fixing A CD Player That Doesn't Read Discs - Laser Power Adjustment Tweak - Repair Guide

In this video I repair a faulty CD player that doesn't read discs anymore, instead it just makes ticking sounds. This is caused by the laser being unable to read the discs over time. You can normally do this little adjustment trick to fix the problem for a while at no cost. All you require to try this repair is a few screwdrivers and a little bit of your time for some trial and error.

You will sometimes find the player will intermittently read CDs, only read certain types of disc, or even skip and jump while playing. Almost all of these type issues are usually caused by the laser alignment which you can easily adjust internally in most cases.

This may well not last forever and the ideal option is always to replace the laser diode/module itself, but this guide is a quick way to get more time out of your CD player at no cost. While the player is open then you should also take note of any model/part numbers on the laser assembly so you can source a replacement for future. That being said I have done this many times and had players go on to last multiple years without further issue.

Most CD player mechanisms are almost identical so this guide should cover most common units.
In this video I show you the repair on a KAM KCD 960 Twin Professional Rack-Mounted Unit.

It should also be a very similar process for a DVD player that is misbehaving and not reading discs properly.
You may also have a different message like No CD Error or Disc Read Error depending on your unit.

This repair will usually last a good while the first time - providing the laser is not defective and well worn-out/dying. In this case you would need to look for a replacement laser assembly and replace that part of the mechanism, which is also fairly straight-forward but out of the scope of this video.
I will cover this replacement process in a future video.

I have also made a quick video guide on fixing CD or DVD players with sticky trays that won't open or intermittently stick. You can watch that video here:    • Fixing A CD Player With Sticky Draws ...  


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Recorded using an iPhone 6S in 4K Ultra-HD.