Removing coins from car slot-loading DVD player
September 22, 2008 3:21 PM Subscribe
How to remove foreign objects (coins?) from car dvd player?
My son evidently put one or more coins into our (after market) slot-loading DVD player in our car. When we try to play a DVD, we hear a grinding sound and there is a scratch ring on the DVD.
Is there anyway to get the coin (or whatever) out without taking out the DVD player?
My son evidently put one or more coins into our (after market) slot-loading DVD player in our car. When we try to play a DVD, we hear a grinding sound and there is a scratch ring on the DVD.
Is there anyway to get the coin (or whatever) out without taking out the DVD player?
Best answer: I'd check the shop manual for the car to see how hard it is to remove the DVD player. With it out, I'd either open it up or shake it like a piggy bank.
If you're resigned that the player is otherwise toast, I'd try the following.
1) flashlight and tweezers
2) double-sided tape
WARNING, MAY SERIOUSLY RUIN YOUR PLAYER. TRY AS A LAST RESORT.
Put some double-sided tape on the bottom of a metal ruler or other thin, strong object. Stick in slot, gently, and go fishing for coins. Do not do this with the player on. And know that if you get any of this on the DVD's read head, it's going to be unhappy. I'd try putting the ruler in less than 1/2 the diameter of the DVD, on the assumption that the coins aren't far in and that the read head may be on the "far side" of the player, but there's no guarantee of this.
posted by zippy at 3:39 PM on September 22, 2008
If you're resigned that the player is otherwise toast, I'd try the following.
1) flashlight and tweezers
2) double-sided tape
WARNING, MAY SERIOUSLY RUIN YOUR PLAYER. TRY AS A LAST RESORT.
Put some double-sided tape on the bottom of a metal ruler or other thin, strong object. Stick in slot, gently, and go fishing for coins. Do not do this with the player on. And know that if you get any of this on the DVD's read head, it's going to be unhappy. I'd try putting the ruler in less than 1/2 the diameter of the DVD, on the assumption that the coins aren't far in and that the read head may be on the "far side" of the player, but there's no guarantee of this.
posted by zippy at 3:39 PM on September 22, 2008
I had a small boy put coins in a cassette player in the car. If the car hit a bump or took sharp turn, the coins would shift position and short out the radio and clock until the next bump or turn would shift them back again.
I took a wooden chopstick and wound a wrapping of duct tape first one way so the tape would stick to the chopstick and then the other so I was left with a stick with a sticky end which I could then poke to the back of the cassette player and stab the coins which would stick to the tape and I could pull them out.
My wife shined the Maglight in the slot so I could see what I was doing and could still have both hands free.
You are dealing with a much thinner slot in the DVD player so maybe you could do likewise with some rigid plastic and the DVD mechanism is probably less forgiving to too much stickiness so you probably want to think of something a little more elegant than duct tape.
posted by monkeydluffy at 3:48 PM on September 22, 2008
I took a wooden chopstick and wound a wrapping of duct tape first one way so the tape would stick to the chopstick and then the other so I was left with a stick with a sticky end which I could then poke to the back of the cassette player and stab the coins which would stick to the tape and I could pull them out.
My wife shined the Maglight in the slot so I could see what I was doing and could still have both hands free.
You are dealing with a much thinner slot in the DVD player so maybe you could do likewise with some rigid plastic and the DVD mechanism is probably less forgiving to too much stickiness so you probably want to think of something a little more elegant than duct tape.
posted by monkeydluffy at 3:48 PM on September 22, 2008
Fashion a hook from a wire coathanger.
posted by fire&wings at 3:53 PM on September 22, 2008
posted by fire&wings at 3:53 PM on September 22, 2008
Take it out, disassemble, and remove coins. It's probably not that hard. Teh internets should get you close to the instructions for free.
posted by noahv at 3:57 PM on September 22, 2008
posted by noahv at 3:57 PM on September 22, 2008
Response by poster: Yeah, I'll probably try to take it out. It was installed in a Sienna by Fry's, so i don't have the instructions on the universal install kit. But looking at the DVD manufacturer's site (JVC), it looks like I'm suppose to have disposable 'handles' to use to take it out.
I may also take it to Fry's to see if the installers will just take it out for me. I assume it's a 2 minute job for someone with the tools and know-how.
posted by nightwood at 5:24 PM on September 22, 2008
I may also take it to Fry's to see if the installers will just take it out for me. I assume it's a 2 minute job for someone with the tools and know-how.
posted by nightwood at 5:24 PM on September 22, 2008
I just took my CD player out this weekend and removed coins that my son had put in there. I used bent pices of coathanger to replace the radio removal tool that shops use. It was a bit of a job but it came out eventually. I then removed two screws from the side of the unit to get the face off. Then some long-nose pliers helped me remove the coins.
Next job is to remove spoons and pens from my subwoofer.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:58 AM on September 23, 2008
Next job is to remove spoons and pens from my subwoofer.
posted by Frasermoo at 4:58 AM on September 23, 2008
Have you checked to see if Fry's will help? I know Circuit City provides "lifetime removal" of a device if they install it.
And you've all reinforced my decision to NEVER have kids. Spoons in a subwoofer? Oh boy...
posted by arniec at 7:47 AM on September 23, 2008
And you've all reinforced my decision to NEVER have kids. Spoons in a subwoofer? Oh boy...
posted by arniec at 7:47 AM on September 23, 2008
Spoons in a subwoofer? Oh boy..
that's the good stuff mate.
posted by Frasermoo at 7:23 PM on September 23, 2008
that's the good stuff mate.
posted by Frasermoo at 7:23 PM on September 23, 2008
Response by poster: Took it back to Fry's - they took the unit out for free and showed me how to put it back. The tech was not very hopeful that the unit wasn't ruined.
I shook the coins out, put it back in and now it works perfectly again.
posted by nightwood at 8:44 PM on September 28, 2008
I shook the coins out, put it back in and now it works perfectly again.
posted by nightwood at 8:44 PM on September 28, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rhizome at 3:33 PM on September 22, 2008