Hi. I have a CLD-99 and it occasionally has some issues. 2 months ago it made loud clicking and screeching noises, and was displaying error codes. It magically never did it again. Last night towards the end of a clv disc it made crackling noises while spinning the disc. I took the disc out, put it back in, went to the same spot and it did it again. It was very odd crackling sound from inside the player. At first I thought it was from a speaker. Anyway, I put a different copy in of the same movie, scanned to the same spot, and it sounded fine. Any ideas? I am wondering if its okay to play a disc while the top is off. I think I want to pop the top off and just look around. Maybe there is a small piece of a label in there. Idk.

Good day graz138,

Just a thought.......Is the disc slightly warped?

Regards to you

That's what I thought, but when I looked at the disc it seemed fine. My eyes starting playing tricks on me because I was trying hard to see if it was warped. I don't think it is though. Another thing, recently when a clv disc starts up, there is a low vibrating sound for about the first 5-10 minutes, then it goes away. I understand that with clv discs, it spins fast then over the length of the disc it spins slower. I don't know what going on with my player. Does anyone else have a CLD-99 that has this same vibrating issue too?

The first issue sounds like the unit started having issue keeping the laser on track. This recent issue sounds like the signal from the laser is starting to get weak if this is an Audio only cracking or breakup. Probably due for a new pickup soon.

The crackling was from inside the player, not from any speakers. I'm going to pop the top off. Is it safe to let it play a laserdisc without the top cover on? I want to replicate the problem and search around and see if its a little piece of paper or something. Like a foreign object.

I'm going to guess you need a new rubber sticker thing on the spindle. The screeching problem, if its really scary loud, is almost certainly that problem. When I had a worn out spindle sticker thing I also had weird noises at the end of a side once in a while. The noise was coming from the laser mech for sure. Picture was perfect, the noise was just the laser having to move around a lot to stay on track. It actually sounded like a wood fire in my CLD-99!

So anyway, get a new one of those stickers. Pioneer still sells them.

Awesome! Are they easy to put in? Do you know the part number? I really have no clue what the sticker thing is. Thanks!!!!!

I don't know the number. I should since I've installed a couple. Someone will know.

They aren't hard to put in, but you have to be very careful and methodical. The old sticker has to be completely removed with a razor blade, but you can accidentally cut into into the spindle if you aren't careful. The new one has to be put on very carefully as well since its very stretchy. The backing is in four segments so just peal one piece off, align that part, then take the other parts off.

Changing this also fixed an issue I had with DTS not working and with the player only wanting to play the first side of a disc. It turns out that consistent rotational speed of an LD is super important.

When you open the player look in from the power supply side and watch the laser lens. I'm guess the sound is the lens popping up and taping LD surface. You dould try to carefully clean the laser lens, that might help.

So you think the lens could be scraping my laserdiscs? How could it move in so close to touch the disc's surface. I'm playing a disc now and now I'm worried I could be scratching it.

That probably isn't happening. If playback is good then its definitely not happening since the laser can't focus that close.

Like I said, mine sounded just like a crackling fire. It wasn't hitting the disc, it was just spazzing out. Playback was perfect other than the DTS and side change issue.

Put a new sticker on and let us know how it works out.