Bel Canto with Flakey Philips VAM-1250 (?)

breitling · 5th February 2012, 08:06 PM

Not sure what is the exact problem here, but some discs just refuse to get read by my Bel Canto CD Player. Its about 60/40.. with 60 percent of the discs working great, and 40 just not being read and it coming out with a "No Disc" error. Since I know some basic electronics, I decided to open it up to see what was happening. I've never done anything with CD players but read up a bit to see what was going on.. basically with the discs that don't get read, the player acts just as though there is no disc in there.. with the laser moving up and down to focus a few times. I found that if I tap the pick up gently while it is trying to focus on one of the discs that does not work, the disc TOC will get read and it will play.

I am wondering if something got "shaken" loose or there is an adjustment problem here? I have not taken the player apart to see yet but It looks like a VAM-1250 or VAM-1202 in there. Am I barking up the wrong tree here or does it sound like I have a bad pickup?

SoNic_real_one · 5th February 2012, 09:21 PM

Did you try to gently clean the lens? Isopropyl Alcohol and a Q-Tip.

breitling · 5th February 2012, 09:25 PM

Thanks for the reply - I did try Isopropyl alcohol and a q-tip to clean the lens, and it didn't seem to make a difference. This is also with two brand new discs.. one which works and one that does not so its not scratches on the discs either.

stephensank · 5th February 2012, 10:00 PM

NEVER USE ALCOHOL ON A LENS! It leaves a film & can harm any coating that might exist. Just fog the lens with breath & gently wipe with q-tip. No cleaning fluids of any sort- JUST BREATH.
But it sounds like your laser is going south, specifically the focus actuator suspension weakening. You'll have to find & install a complete VAM1250 unit.

breitling · 5th February 2012, 10:06 PM

Thanks for the info - next time I will use breath. How do I know if the unit is using a VAM-1250 or VAM-1202? They look very similar...

stephensank · 5th February 2012, 10:21 PM

Label will be on edge of the mech unit. Usually back edge.

breitling · 29th February 2012, 07:34 AM

Unit it used was a VAM-1202/12. I installed it without any problems and the player works great now! Thanks for your help guys. Hopefully it doesn't die after a month like I have heard can happen with this hit and miss laser assemblies.

tiefbassuebertr · 12:36 PM

check out this threads:
VAM1204 VAM1205 VAM1206 VAM1250 VAM1252 VAM1254 CDM12pro VAU1254=CDM12.4 compatib
Philips VAM-1250 laser Bernhard?
Vam 1205 /vam1250 / Cdm12.5

5th February 2012, 08:06 PM	#1
breitling diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Vancouver	Bel Canto with Flakey Philips VAM-1250 (?) Not sure what is the exact problem here, but some discs just refuse to get read by my Bel Canto CD Player. Its about 60/40.. with 60 percent of the discs working great, and 40 just not being read and it coming out with a "No Disc" error. Since I know some basic electronics, I decided to open it up to see what was happening. I've never done anything with CD players but read up a bit to see what was going on.. basically with the discs that don't get read, the player acts just as though there is no disc in there.. with the laser moving up and down to focus a few times. I found that if I tap the pick up gently while it is trying to focus on one of the discs that does not work, the disc TOC will get read and it will play. I am wondering if something got "shaken" loose or there is an adjustment problem here? I have not taken the player apart to see yet but It looks like a VAM-1250 or VAM-1202 in there. Am I barking up the wrong tree here or does it sound like I have a bad pickup?

29th February 2012, 12:34 PM	#8
tiefbassuebertr diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: D-55629 Schwarzerden	check out this threads: VAM1204 VAM1205 VAM1206 VAM1250 VAM1252 VAM1254 CDM12pro VAU1254=CDM12.4 compatib Philips VAM-1250 laser Bernhard? Vam 1205 /vam1250 / Cdm12.5 Last edited by tiefbassuebertr; 29th February 2012 at 12:36 PM.

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5th February 2012, 09:21 PM	#2
SoNic_real_one diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Virginia	Did you try to gently clean the lens? Isopropyl Alcohol and a Q-Tip.

5th February 2012, 09:25 PM	#3
breitling diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Vancouver	Thanks for the reply - I did try Isopropyl alcohol and a q-tip to clean the lens, and it didn't seem to make a difference. This is also with two brand new discs.. one which works and one that does not so its not scratches on the discs either.

5th February 2012, 10:00 PM	#4
stephensank diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	NEVER USE ALCOHOL ON A LENS! It leaves a film & can harm any coating that might exist. Just fog the lens with breath & gently wipe with q-tip. No cleaning fluids of any sort- JUST BREATH. But it sounds like your laser is going south, specifically the focus actuator suspension weakening. You'll have to find & install a complete VAM1250 unit.

5th February 2012, 10:06 PM	#5
breitling diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Vancouver	Thanks for the info - next time I will use breath. How do I know if the unit is using a VAM-1250 or VAM-1202? They look very similar...

5th February 2012, 10:21 PM	#6
stephensank diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2006	Label will be on edge of the mech unit. Usually back edge.

29th February 2012, 07:34 AM	#7
breitling diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Vancouver	Unit it used was a VAM-1202/12. I installed it without any problems and the player works great now! Thanks for your help guys. Hopefully it doesn't die after a month like I have heard can happen with this hit and miss laser assemblies.

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