Hi

I have a Pioneer CLD-515 laserdisc player. The belt which opens the tray has snapped and I have managed to get a replacement belt. However the problem I am having is that I cannot replace the belt because the laserdisc tray is in the closed position and I cannot figure out how to remove it. When I manually turn the pully that the belt was on it does open and close the little CD tray but not the big laserdisc tray. Could somebody please let me know how I can manually open and remove the large laserdisc tray so that I can replace the belt.

Thank you in advance.

You're headed in the right direction, but in order for the LaserDisc tray to operate, you need to move the laser pickup out of the way.

What happens if you press the LD eject button with the power on? Obviously you'll here the motor whir like crazy, but the pickup should move about 1/2 way down the track. With it in this position, spin the pulley and the tray should open.

You need to turn the pulley to get the mechanical unit in the up or play position. A little toward the back from the pulley you'll see the end of the white assembly that selects the tray to open. Press in on it toward the center and as you turn the pulley to let the assembly down you will fill it move inward. Once in the LD tray will open.

Thank you for your replies and advice, much appreciated

As I am new to this could you please post some pictures of the part I should be pressing and also the position of the laser when in the play position? Thanks

When I switch the player on I do hear a motor noise thats really loud and the CD and LD eject lights come on green but pressing them or any other button doesnt seem to do anything and eventually I get a U1 message on the display. I tried turning the pully again yesterday and this time it did the same kind of sound and gave a message of L1 but then when I switched the player off an on again it came back up with U1 again.

I really want to get this player up and running again as I do really like it and it has served me well over the years so any help would be much appreciated.


Thanks

Don't worry about the laser, I'll have to check my other computer to see if I have any older pictures. Under the tray about 2 or 3 inches back from the pulley you'll see the end of the white lever that does the LD/CD tray control. Just try pushing it as mentioned, won't hurt anything, just apply a small amount of pressure and as the mechanical assembly starts to come down if will move inward then let go and continue to turn the pulley to eject the LD tray

Go to about 15mins in this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIMBrbRPRro

Hi

Thank you all once again for your help. I've looked at the youtube video at the bit where it showed that if you manually turn the laser in the correct position then it should lower and then you can turn the pulley clockwise to open the tray. I took the lid off the laserdisc play and switched it on and the laser seems to move in the possition which it shows in the video and then the motor noise starts kicking in and nothing else happens because of the broken belt. It then displays the U1 code and then eventually an L1 code. After this I did the following:

1) I turned the pulley clockwise and then the CD tray opened instead. I turn it anti-clockwise and the CD tray closes and then I cannot turn the pulley anymore as there seems to be resistance

2) I tried to manually turn the laser using the white rail screw thing as shown in the video but it seems to just let me keep turning it and it goes further back than shown in the video. I stopped turning just in case it broke something. Should I keep turning this to make the laser go even further back?

3) I looked behind the pulley and noticed a which piece but it seems stuck and applying some force doesnt move anything. Am I supposed to push and turn the pulley clockwise at the same time?

Apologies if this all sounds confusing but I am new at this and there isn't anywhere around me that repairs laserdiscs or any vintage equipment anymore. I've taken some photos but I cannot seem to attach more than one file on a reply so I have posted them as seperate replies. Apologies if this the wrong way to do this.

Thank you once again for your help so far, much appreciated

Next image of laserdisc player

last image of laserdisc play which shows the pulley. Could you please indicate the tab I should be moving?

Yes, that last picture shown the tab to push inward under the tray.

Hi

Thanks for your reply. Is this the tab you are referring to? I have tried to push this inwards but it doesn't move. Do I have to push and turn the pulley at the same time? If it turn the pulley clockwise then the CD tray opens and if I turn the pulley anti-clockwise then it just reaches a point where the CD tray remains closed and the pulley won't turn any cogs anymore.

In the Youtube link it talked about moving the laser to the LD play position and turn the pulley so that the mechanism drops lower and then the tray will open. however it mentioned that this works when its in the disclamp position but I'm not sure what that is.

My player is one of those that can play both sides of the disc so not sure if that could be something thats stopping the tray from opening.


Thanks

"Disc Clamp Position" is when the mechanism lifts up to engage with the upper clamp. Spinning clockwise will open the drawer, spinning anti-clockwise will close the drawer and if you keep going it should lift the mechanism up and engage the upper clamp. If yours won't do that, the entire mechanism may be jammed, which is a whole other challenge.

I've seen the mechanism hang up on the pickup before when bouncing around in shipment. There is a worm gear on the laser pickup motor. With the CD tray open, try to spin the worm gear so the pickup moves toward the back of the player. See if that clears up the rest of the assembly.

Hi

Thank you for your reply. Is the worm gear that white screw thing in one of my pictures that moves the lasrer mechinism? If so then I will turn this until the mechinism goes right to the back and see if this works. I will post an update once I've had a chance to do this.

I hope its not a jammed mechinism or something serious. The CD tray opens and closes fine its just when the CD tray closes and I keep turning the pulley anti-clockwise it just gets to a point where non of the gears move any further. Does this indicate a jammed mechanism?

On another note, I just noticed there is button to say thanks to everyone who has replied so far so I will do this now for all the help that everyone has given me so far. I will update you further in due course.


Thanks

As I mentioned initially, have the mechanism in the up/play position and then apply pressure as you lower the mechanism by turning the pulley. You will feel it move in as you are turning the pulley.

Hi

I have had the player opened up again today so thought I would update:

1) I have I have turned the worm screw on the laser assembly to make sure its in the laserdisc position and tried to turn the pulley clockwise. Only the CD tray opens

2) I have tried to push the white tab whilst turning the pulley clockwise and the tab doesnt move and still on the CD tray opens

3) I have tried to push the white tab whilst turning the pulley anti-clockwise and still the tab wont move.

However I've noticed that turning the pulley anti-clockwise isn't as easy as turning clockwise because the gears seem to not want to turn this way. I then tried to turn one of the gears themselves anti clockwise and I noticed that the laser tried to go up but then I couldn't turn it enough so it just came back down again. It seems to me the laser assembly is in the down positon and looking at the replies from krbahr it seem I need to have the laser assembly in the up position first and then push the white tab as its coming down.

My questions are:

1) How do I get the laser assembly in the up position?
2) If there is no way for me to do this then what are my next steps? Do I need to fully dissasemble the player just to get tray out?


Again thanks for all the help so far, much appreciated

While the laser assembly was coming up did you try taking your other hand and lifting up on the laser assembly so that turning the pulley would be easier?

Once the laser assembly is all the way up, lower it back down and the full tray should open. This operation resets the "white tab" back to the "Laserdisc" position.

Hi

Thanks for your replies. To be honest I didn’t even think about using my other hand to help lift the mechanism. I didn’t want to break anything so was being delicate. I will give it a try when I next have the player open.


Thanks again.

Hi

Apologies for the delay in replying with an update. I have only just managed to open up the player today and have taken the advice about using my other hand to help lift the mechanisim whilst turning the pulley anti-clockwise and it worked! I then turned the worm screw on the laser assembly to get it into the lasrerdisc position and then pushed the white table then mechanism came doown into the laserdisc position. I then turned the pulley clockwise and this time the whole laserdisc tray opened like it should. Then opened it fully, released the tabs either side of the tray and removed the whole tray out. I then replaced the belt, inserted the tray, switched the player on and I now have a fully working laserdisc player and its all thanks to you guys who replied on this thread. I can't thank you enough

For anyone else who is having the same problem, please follow this thread for the solution. Is there any way I can mark this thread as solved so that other can find it easily?


Thank you once again!!!

Excellent news; great to hear you're now back in business and enjoying the great format again!