X-Box repair question : Won't eject

[spystyle]

Howdy,

Is there an X-Box doctor in the house?

My young neighbor's X-Box won't eject, the light just blinks.

The inserted disk which they claim previously played won't play (it's a DVD movie on DVD-r disk)

Upon pushing the button the light only blinks and the tray won't eject.

I put my ear to it and don't hear any "motor strain" : I don't think it's jammed, or I assume I'd hear a motor "trying" to push the tray.

It's not under warranty (they bought it from a friend) so surgery won't void anything.

The only problem is I've never worked on an X-Box before, and no nothing about them.

Anyone ever had a similar problem or care to advise me?

Thank you,
Craig

[SOAPboy]

Crack it open, and mod that ---smurfette---..

Can prolly buy a cheap replacement drive off ebay (which my guess is the motor in the eject is toast), for oh i dunno 30-40 bucks maybe? just depends..

[ChadTower]

Do Xboxes even play DVDRs without being modded?

Is there a traditional manual eject pinhole on the Xbox, like on most CDrom drives?

[SOAPboy]

Do Xboxes even play DVDRs without being modded?

Is there a traditional manual eject pinhole on the Xbox, like on most CDrom drives?

Yeah theres a pinhole, under the xbox thingy on it..

And ive NEVER seen a xbox that did, but i "hear" that some people have gotten lucky..

[spystyle]

Here's a load of useful info:

http://www.copying-xbox-games.com/tutorials.php?categoryid=0003

And I found the replacement drives on ebay for $30 (shipped)

One of the ads claim the stock "Thompson" drive plays atleast 2 brands of DVD-r

quote:

    THIS DRIVE HAVE BEEN TEST TO WORK WITH THE FOLLOWING MEDIA.

        * CD-RW
        * DVD-R (MEMOREX 4X & MITSUI 2X) TESTED
        * XBOX ORIGINAL DVD
        * DVD MOVIES

[SOAPboy]

Here's a load of useful info:

http://www.copying-xbox-games.com/tutorials.php?categoryid=0003

And I found the replacement drives on ebay for $30 (shipped)

One of the ads claim the stock "Thompson" drive plays atleast 2 brands of DVD-r

quote:

[ChadTower]

That's what I was saying, the drive isn't the issue, it's the software on the Xbox.  It wouldn't have been playing any DVDRs unless they had modded it, so those people are giving you bad info in one way or another.

[versapak]

All Xboxes can play DVD-R (No modding would be necessary).

Movies, not games.


The Samsung drives do have issues with DVD+RW though.

[pointdablame]

Stock xboxes can play movies on DVD-R, just not games.

I'd try the pinhole first to retrieve the disc, and perhaps fix it if its' just jammed.. though it's unlikely.

Your best bet is probably what you already looked into, and just get a replacement drive.  They are super simple to replace.

If prices you find are similar, get a Samsung drive or the newer Philips, since they are regarded as the best... or at least better than the Thompson.  Any drive should be fine though.. you'll just have to make sure the media is compatible.

[spystyle]

Thanks all 

[SOAPboy]

All Xboxes can play DVD-R (No modding would be necessary).

Movies, not games.


The Samsung drives do have issues with DVD+RW though.

NO thats totally false..


My thompson, plays -R +R -RW +RW
Guess what, before it was modded, it WOULD NOT play burned movies..

Now? it plays them fine..

Stock xboxes can play movies on DVD-R, just not games.

I'd try the pinhole first to retrieve the disc, and perhaps fix it if its' just jammed.. though it's unlikely.

Your best bet is probably what you already looked into, and just get a replacement drive.  They are super simple to replace.

If prices you find are similar, get a Samsung drive or the newer Philips, since they are regarded as the best... or at least better than the Thompson.  Any drive should be fine though.. you'll just have to make sure the media is compatible.

Again.. NOT ALL SYSTEMS CAN PLAY MOVIES ON BURNT MEDIA WITHOUT MODDING

As for which drives are better.. Thompsons have a higher fail rate.. but to be totally honest, i have a thompson, ive thrashed it, and well it still loads and runs like the day i bought it.. and plays EVERY dvd media type..

[versapak]

Dunno what to tell you, other than...


Your wrong!


It is that simple really. There is NOTHING that is obtained by modding an Xbox, other than tweaking the pot on the laser, that has any effect what-so-ever on the type of media an Xbox will read.

As far as the Xbox is concerned. It can't tell the difference between a movie you burned to DVD-R yourself, and a movie that you bought on DVD retail. As long as it is on a media that the drive itself is capable of reading.

[SOAPboy]

Dunno what to tell you, other than...


Your wrong!


It is that simple really. There is NOTHING that is obtained by modding an Xbox, other than tweaking the pot on the laser, that has any effect what-so-ever on the type of media an Xbox will read.

As far as the Xbox is concerned. It can't tell the difference between a movie you burned to DVD-R yourself, and a movie that you bought on DVD retail. As long as it is on a media that the drive itself is capable of reading.

BZZZ

WRONG again..

Come to my house, ill slap a stock xbox drive into my machine, and you can test it with 40 types of media..

Ive not once had a DVD that was burnt work in a machine that ive worked on regardless of media type..


Dont know why, dont care why, i just know that its not a 100% that itll work if you slap a movie in there...


Only difference (beyond SOME being able to read burnt media) between modded and not modded when it comes to DVDs is not having to use that stupid remote..

[pointdablame]

I've never seen a stock xbox (that had the dvd remote of course) that COULDN'T play a burned DVD movie, and I've had at least 6 experiences with it from my modding days and my friend's xboxes.


There should be no reason a copied movie won't play in a stock xbox.  You are making an exact copy of the movie (with the region codes and all still there if you'd like), so it plays fine.. at least in my experience.

[SOAPboy]

I've never seen a stock xbox (that had the dvd remote of course) that COULDN'T play a burned DVD movie, and I've had at least 6 experiences with it from my modding days and my friend's xboxes.


There should be no reason a copied movie won't play in a stock xbox.

[pointdablame]

weird.  I don't know what the norm is, but I've never seeen it happen.  I would think it SHOULD work simply because a copied movie is a lot different than a copied game... there is no unsigned code problems or the like, so it should just work assuming the drive can read the disc.

I wish I had a stock box here now... I'd like to see if I can get it to NOT read like yours... I know my PS2 can play them no problems too like you mention.

[versapak]

Dunno the deal here.. must be a fluke then.. because every dvd+ or -R ive used that WORKS in my PC, Both dvd players, and PS2, DONT work in xboxs that arnt modded..

Are you using Roxio to record your DVD's?

Discs burned with Roxio did not play on my Xbox, but would play on everything else. Discs I burned with Nero played on everything.

There are retail discs that actually have problems reading in an Xbox, PS2, or various dedicated DVD players, so there is differences in mastering. I imagine that the discs you were using were just mastered in a way that the Xbox disagreed with.

Either way...

Any Xbox can read DVD-R's, without being modded.

Like I said...

There is nothing done with a modchip, that has ANY effect on what the DVD drive in the Xbox can read, and no...

I'm not wrong.

[SOAPboy]

Dunno the deal here.. must be a fluke then.. because every dvd+ or -R ive used that WORKS in my PC, Both dvd players, and PS2, DONT work in xboxs that arnt modded..

Are you using Roxio to record your DVD's?

Discs burned with Roxio did not play on my Xbox, but would play on everything else. Discs I burned with Nero played on everything.

There are retail discs that actually have problems reading in an Xbox, PS2, or various dedicated DVD players, so there is differences in mastering. I imagine that the discs you were using were just mastered in a way that the Xbox disagreed with.

Either way...

Any Xbox can read DVD-R's, without being modded.

Like I said...

There is nothing done with a modchip, that has ANY effect on what the DVD drive in the Xbox can read, and no...

I'm not wrong.

Nero, for DVD movies.. Burned from raw files..

[shmokes]

I know I was able to play burned DVDs in my Xbox before I modded it.  I've got a Samsung drive. 

[bishmasterb]

My unmodded XBOX plays burned movies.

[AmericanDemon]

I just tested this theory out on my stock Xbox.  It didnt play burnt media.....then I tried a standard DVD.... wouldnt play it either....

Then I thought about it and hooked up the DVD dongle.    It plays both now.  haha.