Problems with DVD for sat nav

John Roberts

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The Satnav in the car sometimes gets slower and slower to to take an address and even slower to find the route, and eventually it displays the message "Unable to read DVD" or something like that. It seems to be worse on warm days (remember those?) or when the temperature in the car is hot. The label on it reads Audi 2015 RNSE map DVD Western Europe. This is the third one I've had, the original one went the same way after about five years and the others lasted rather less.

Before it finally gives up the ghost I'd like to make a copy of the DVD, is that possible? I'm hoping that it's a matter of copying it into the hard drive and then making a fresh copy, but somehow I don't think it's going to be that simple.

Looking back I really should have thought of making a copy before this one started its merry tricks of course. I have looked for another one but no luck so far.

So: making a copy: doable or not? :)
 
I suppose you could try to burn a new copy - and if it is just scratches on the DVD - the DVD drive in the PC might read it better than the car-unit?

If you go for the one on eBay - try and burn a copy before you use it?
 
I'd use something like ImgBurn to read the disk to an image file and then also use Imgburn to write that image file back to a blank DVD.

Be aware though that there may be some sort of copy protection present on the disk to prevent you from doing this, for obvious reasons
 
Doesn’t look like he is too desperate for a solution..................
 
I just had a PM from Blackal asking for a response to the replies and suggestions to my problem. Belatedly, here it is.

I apologise for my apparent ingratitude, please accept that I am indeed most grateful for everyone's input, as a result of which I am considering the item suggested by him, ie
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GENUINE-...d4e6f9c1690ab4471609ba4ffcd30aa&ul_noapp=true
but am uncertain what the term "Update" means, does it really mean a complete disc that I can simply pop in and use 'straight from the box' as it were or simply something that contains updates from earlier DVDs. As a result of Blackal's nudge I have just now emailed the seller asking if this "Update" DVD is indeed what I need.

The other problem is in actually making a copy of the slowly deteriorating DVD that I have at the moment. It may well be obvious that I don't have much of a clue regarding digital stuff but what I have read so far on the matter of making a copy is rather discouraging and as a result I'm waiting for my son to visit and give it a go.

Anyway, I apologise for not replying sooner and please accept that I am indeed grateful for everyone's input.

And thank you, Blackal.
 
I reckon update is a new disc, as the satnav runs from the disc in real-time. If it was just some new files - the system wouldnt run.

If you want to make a new disc - you may need to get a dvd-copying app, or find someone with a decent app for that.
 
Id suggest the GPS will invariably ask for a registration code if a new disk is installed in the drive as it will read the serial number of the disk, so might I suggest getting a DVD disk cleaner like Skip Doctor to remove any scratched from the one you already have and a DVD lens cleaner may help too?
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Blackal, I'll ask around locally for a copying service, the computer repair man might know.

Andi, this the third disc I've had, neither of the two replacement ones needed a registration code, are you sure a new one will need one? The one I have seems clean and without any scratches and I've already used a cleaning disc, the one with the little brushes mounted on it that you show. By the way, if the disc looks clean, is that necessarily good enough or should I use the gadget you show in your post or something like it?
 
Update: Just had a word with the computer man, he doesn't think it should be a problem and has ordered some "layered" discs- a certain kind of disc that the SatNav RNSE uses. He doesn't think the registration code will be an issue, as I said above it didn't seem to have been a problem in the past. He asked if I'd like him to make a back-up copy of the one I have as well, he said that the copy couldn't be used in the SatNav directly but the information could be transferred on to a layered disc which should then work in the SatNav. I suppose it would be silly not to have one I suppose.

Another thing, the disc is always very warm when I take it out of the unit as I mentioned in my first post, I'm wondering now if the cooling fan in the SatNav unit is working, I saw some videos on YouTube on replacing the fan so that's something I should look into perhaps. After all, this will be the the fourth DVD I've had, surely they should last better than that???

I'll try to keep you posted as to progress, or lack of progress... we'll see. :)
 
"layered" discs........... hmm not sure what they mean but all good if it works out :thumb
 
Bugger. Picked the new copy up this afternoon ... 'Unable to read disc'.

The only glimmer of hope is that he pointed out that the original disc did have some scratches on, they didn't look at all bad to me, and suggested I took it to be polished at the video games shop in town, worth a punt for two quid surely.

I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Final glimmer of hope now extinguished. Disc polished, but the SatNav is still "Unable to read disc". Thank you all anyway. :)

PS Bugger. :(
 
It may be the drive belt is worn and slipping inside the unit thus the head is not reading properly. Maybe worth your while removing the unit to have a look inside.
 
Treat it as a cd player -


Whether its CD or DVD the principles are the same

A laser pickup shines a laser light of (Tekky alert ;)) a fixed wavelength at the pits and troughs in the disk

CD's use one wave length, DVD use another And Blueray uses a different laser and wavelength altogether ;)

CD/ DVD / Blue ray burners have 2 way (CD DVD) pickup head & a blue ray laser head in the transport mechanism of the unit


Dual layer discs have 2 layers of writeable media this cant be read or burnt in one of two ways

Altering the focus of the beam so it focuses on the upper or lower layer as required, or moving the laser head closer too the disc -

thus altering the focus position.


Right now the boring stuff is out of the way ...


Either your disk is fubarred or your unit - at this stage we dont know which

Going with the cheaper fix - Drive to your local dealer nad ask if he can pop in a new disc -

If it reads chances are its the disk

If it dosent, then its the unit .. get a quote and leave


Option 2 tekky time

If you can get the unit out of the car, and open it up LEAVE THE POWER OFF

As i said, for all intents and puposes its just a glorified CD rom drive - open the unit up and remove the top cover from the CD housing

Inside you will see the CD pickup in a slot, it may be straight , or have a slighty curved apature , but essentially its two rails with a pick up assy

the moves along it ..

by hand, move the pickup assy along the rails

A) To see if it hasnt jammed ( the grease dries out and they can stick)

B) To force it to return to its home postion

WARNING WARNING WARNING


Power the unit up - see if the pickup does a round trip back and forth - if it does the transport side would appear to be working (good)

WARNING DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE LENS OF THE LASER PICKUP - LASER LIGHT CAN BLIND

Repeat the operation, but this time look at the lens in the top of the pick up unit it should jump up and down a couple of times

This is the focus self check if the lens jumps its helpfull

You may see a faint red light or flash as the lens cycles (this is the actual laser) if you dont see a light normally thats not a good sign


Get some isopropanol - and dampen a cotton bud, wipe the lens with the cotten bud to remove any grime that may have accumulated, and also

it may remove any shit that could be clogging the focus array

If the unit dosent do any thingwhen you power it up, it may be beacuse it dosent see a disk inserted - get an old cd or dvd and insert it to see

where the trip switch is to fool the unit there's a cd / dvd in the unit

if all the above works, put the lid back on and try your nav dvd's if non of them work, then the laser pickup is prolly borked -

Then go hunting for a pickup ass on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-OPTI...499557?hash=item54627b48a5:g:wX0AAOSwLVZVimBC

gives you an idea of what your looking for :) nb thiats just a generi pickup - its not your one
 


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