# Problem with Panasonic DMP-BDT100



## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

I have a Panny BDT100 3D BD player that's worked for me since I bought it around 2011. The other day, I popped _Jupiter Ascending_ in it, and found that I couldn't get to the top menu. The previews play fine, but then it recycles just like the disc has been newly inserted, and begins playing at the beginning again. Hitting "TOP MENU" on the remote initiates the same process.

I been through three tiers of Panasonic techs and they say it's failing (wait - read below) and want it sent to McCallen, TX to be swapped out with a refurbished BDT220. No way since the BDT220 has Cinavia, so I'm probably going to hold out for a solution other than their "repair service" (which would probably cost $$$$ anyway - estimate yet to arrive).

Now for the good part - The ONLY discs which have this problem are Warner. _Gravity_ (2D and 3D) has the problem but I was able to play it (3D version) about 9 months ago on this machine when the BD first came out (same disc that won't play now). The bad discs will play on my older BD35 player (though no 3D). I have the last firmware update and Panasonic says there is _no way_ to reflash the firmware (since 1.36 won't reload over itself). Non-Warner discs play fine, top menu and all (at least all those I've tried - about 10). Jack the Giant Slayer 2D (a Warner disc) will play but the 3D disc has the problem. I've done a factory reset on the machine.

I thought there might be some Panny guru out there who may have a clue. I have good tech skills (EE broadcast engineer) so I can usually follow directions (except those on a map).

Any ideas????:help:


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Ugh! The old "no firmware will be out to fix this issue so time to upgrade" problem. It's always frustrating with electronics of this day and age when after about two years they stop supporting that model and want you to upgrade. I have the Panasonic 220 and so far only one disk had issues and after reloading it it worked.


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Did I forget to mention, the player plays CDs (including mp3 files), DVDs, and non-Warner BDs just fine (I have a CD in it now)???

The last Panasonic tech I spoke to, alluded to the fact that new protection features studios are building into their Blu-Ray discs are leading to such failures (although mine is just a machine "beginning to fail"). At no point would Panasonic consider issuing a new firmware update to address any such problem. Like you said Tony, they don't care what happens after a few years, even though a machine may be 90% operational otherwise, and it may be just a way to sell a new machine.

Class-Action Lawsuit anyone???:boxer:


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## Mike Edwards (Mar 10, 2011)

yeah, it's a problem with companies no longer supporting a product and the studios cramming more and more copy protection schemes into the discs that are easily circumvented by the consumer, but a pain for hardware. one of the reason's I bought a ps3 and ps4 as they're always up to date.... I have an S590 by Sony, and have never had a problem, but those old panny's go out of date too fast. one of the reason I buy mine from costoc... if it's a couple years old and stops playing discs, I just exchange it.


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

I have some positive resolution to report on this one (not from Panasonic, of course). I was down to waiting for Panasonic to call back with a "repair" estimate which would swap out my machine for a refurbished BDT220. In the meantime, I had ordered a used BDT100 online to get some parts to work with to troubleshoot the machine myself. In the meantime I remembered way back when that I had a problem (can't remember its nature) and it was fixed when I played a CD (which I was doing in one of my former posts). I kind of put that thought to the side and didn't return to it.

Yesterday, I got _Ex Machina_ from Netflix and I needed to play it last night so I could return the disc. It played flawlessly (of course, since it wasn't a Warner title). When I finished, I thought I'd test my player on _The Matrix_ to see how far back the Warner disc issue existed. Well, _The Matrix_ doesn't have a top menu so no-go there, but then I thought about the CD thing and popped in _Doctor Zhivago_ again. Lo and Behold, the problem was gone. Now for the real test - _Jupiter Ascending._ It too, worked without any problems, and the top menu came up just as it should.

Apparently, the machine had a code fragment that it was holding onto and that interacted with the Warner style main menu. Playing the CD (at least that's what I think did it) must have flushed that out of its system (something power downs, unplugging, factory resets didn't).

Panasonic repair called this morning with a $102 estimate to swap out my machine. They weren't happy when I told them the problem was resolved:crying: (but I was very happy:neener. In any case, I could get a _brand new_ BDT220 for less than the "repair" estimate.

I will keep an eye on my machine and try to determine what created the problem in the first place (if it ever happens again). Otherwise, I have some spare parts on the way just in case. Thanks to Tony and Mike for their input:sn:


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Does your player have an SD card? I wonder if the player temporarily stores anything on it? a wipe of the card may also fix problems.


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

tonyvdb said:


> Does your player have an SD card? I wonder if the player temporarily stores anything on it? a wipe of the card may also fix problems.


Ahhh Tony, that it does. I tried it without the SD card, with the SD card erased (using a computer to wipe it), and, at Panasonic's suggestion, with a larger SD card (16GB versus the 1GB I had in it). All those combinations had no effect on the problem. It now has the original 1GB card back in and seems to be working fine on all the Warner discs I've tried. In the past I've noted that if I stop a disc mid-way and remove it, even if the player has been disconnected, it may prompt for "do you want to resume play at the same location" when that disc is put back in (with some discs). That makes me think there is some non-volatile memory that could have retained bad code despite all the things I threw at it in the process of troubleshooting. It may be that in playing a CD, that memory is cleared, hence the "cure" (and I am knocking on wood here when I say "cure").


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

Just to file away for future reference, a solution that worked for a different player is detailed here in Post #11. Probably a long shot, but just an FYI.


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Lumen said:


> Just to file away for future reference, a solution that worked for a different player is detailed here in Post #11. Probably a long shot, but just an FYI.


Thanks Lumen - no "clear disc history" in my Panny. I went through all the setup menus looking for possible culprits and changed a few settings one-at-a-time hoping for results, but nothing helped. I used the menu to "return the machine to factory settings", only to find that that isn't a hard reset (tried a hard reset too - yellow/red/ok buttons on remote -four times nonetheless - no go). The machine isn't connected to the internet so I thought it might be a BD live problem with no way to connect, but checking the "forbid connection" check box didn't help either (it's unchecked now though still not connected to any network and the machine is working ok).

Your referenced post is probably on the right track though, since it most likely was some left over code that held my machine hostage to no Warner discs until it got cleared. I don't really want the problem again, but if it happens, it will give me a chance to test my "play a CD" theory. For now, I'm real happy that my player is back to working with Warner discs. I will have to get some "snake oil" just to have it on hand though!:whistling:


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

RBTO said:


> The machine isn't connected to the internet so I thought it might be a live BD problem with no way to connect, but checking the "forbid connection" box didn't help either.... For now, I'm real happy that my player is back to working with Warner discs. I will have to get some "snake oil" just to have it on hand though!:whistling:


Thanks! Now I have something to file away for future reference. I can see where signal strength and interference might rise and fall to disrupt BD Live. Glad you can play Warner brands again!

Sent from my iPad using HTShack


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

Lumen said:


> Just to file away for future reference, a solution that worked for a different player is detailed here in Post #11. Probably a long shot, but just an FYI.


I have to take the statement I made in post #9 back Lumen. I had an order in for the BDT100 service manual, and in reading through it today, the BDT does have a "clear BD history" function, but it's accessed through a private service mode using a coded key press of the remote. For this unit (and you have to use its remote - no subs), you press 6, 7, and yellow (with the power turned ON) to get the front panel display of 50 RET. Then the right arrow is used to step to 51 NOP and pressing OK, "sets the BD ROM clear of history". Also two presses of the arrow key will bring up 52 NOP where a press of the OK button will "delete the playback history of the BD-Video". The routines automatically exit. Something is lost in the translation so I'm not real sure of the differences between those two, but I'll add them to my list of things to try if this problem ever happens again. Panasonic didn't get into any of these hidden service routines other than the hard reset, but these two sound promising and might have fixed the problem, and they specifically say "BD" on each which is the disc type where the problem occurred.


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

I love it when a (backup) plan comes together! Do the hidden "wipe memory" commands let you pick which discs you'd like to erase? At the time my problem happened, I didn't care much whether other discs were affected, but I presently have several in rotation which are in various states of play. It would be annoying to have to find scenes to find where I left off. Hope that didn't happen to you!

Sent from my iPad using HTShack


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## RBTO (Jan 27, 2010)

I think the way service menus work, it's most likely all or none (the manual doesn't elaborate). You're doing all this using the character limited florescent display on the front of the unit, so they don't get fancy about it. It's not a problem in my case since I rarely, if ever, use the "return to play" feature, and usually always watch a disc from start to finish in one sitting (with intermissions courtesy of the pause button).

In any case, I don't expect my issue to surface any time soon again since I've been using my machine for about 4 years without this happening (unless it was triggered by a particular disc which I might play again). I think when that happens, my first resort will be to play a CD (just to see if _that_ fixes the issue, if nothing else), and then resort to service menus if that doesn't work.

Who knows, maybe I had four years worth of restart locations in the machine memory and they just bubbled over.:R


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

RBTO said:


> ....It's not a problem in my case since I rarely, if ever, use the "return to play" feature, and usually always watch a disc from start to finish in one sitting (with intermissions courtesy of the pause button).


Ahh, the ubiquitous pause button: an appliance no home should be without! :bigsmile:
Yeah, as seldom as it happens (only once in my case), I don't think it's a big deal either. I mean, just look at the HTS membership flocking to this thread! If and when it does happen again, I'll probably be finished with the mini-series BD anyway (like Band of Brothers).



RBTO said:


> Who knows, maybe I had four years worth of restart locations in the machine memory and they just bubbled over.:R


With just a slight resemblance to a popcorn machine, no doubt. :gulp:


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