problem with dvd drive is it dead?

[warthog9]

I have an older dvd player its a hitachi dvd-rom gd 7500. My problem is it
just stopped being able to read dvd's at all it doesn't recognize one
anymore. It does still play cd's & cdr's or even a super cd burned using
nero. Not dvd's has it just broken down & I need another dvd player or is it
maybe a driver or filmware problem? I tried looking online for a driver
update for it but didn't come up with anything. I'm using windows me right
now. Which is the most my computer can stand. Could somebody give me some
advice what to do? As in should I just buy a new dvd player or should I go
thru with maybe trying to find something out there to help it read dvds
again? Thanks for any help.

 

[stargazer257]

What firmware is it currently flashed to?

A quick google yielded:

http://forum.rpc1.org/dl_firmware.php?download_id=82

there are two different firmware types listed there, and I'll quote
from the site (e.g., use the right one based on what you have):

A012 is an update for drive with A0xx firmware
[b:1648f44ecf]0012[/b:1648f44ecf] is an update for drive with 00xx

firmware 0012[/b:1648f44ecf] is an update for drive with 00xx
firmware [/quote:1648f44ecf]

The bolded versions are the latest.

If that doesn't work, the cost of these drives are DIRT cheap.

CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drives go for ~$20

CD-R/DVD-ROM (i.e., combo drive) go for ~$30

and even DVD burners go for ~$40

Note: all prices include shipping (I checked using newegg.com)

 

[Robert Heiling]

I have an older dvd player its a hitachi dvd-rom gd 7500. My problem is it
just stopped being able to read dvd's at all it doesn't recognize one
anymore. It does still play cd's & cdr's or even a super cd burned using
nero. Not dvd's has it just broken down & I need another dvd player or is it
maybe a driver or filmware problem? I tried looking online for a driver
update for it but didn't come up with anything. I'm using windows me right
now. Which is the most my computer can stand. Could somebody give me some
advice what to do? As in should I just buy a new dvd player or should I go
thru with maybe trying to find something out there to help it read dvds
again? Thanks for any help.

I recently had an identical problem with a DVD player (non-computer) for
the TV set. It would no longer play movie DVD's, but would still play
CD's. The possibility suggested to me was quite simple. Since there are
2 separate lasers in the set, one for CD, and one for DVD, the DVD's
laser had burned out. Made sense to me, so I replaced the unit and my
wife is happy again.

Bob