Double-zero sept just isn't the same.

June 9, 2011 8:20 PM

My DVD player automatically plays all DVDs in French. I like French and all, but James Bond is so much more fun in English!

I have a Panasonid DVD-F87 (manual here) and it automatically starts playing all disks in French. Annoying, but I could change it with the remote. Until the remote was corroded with battery acid... The remote is now completely useless.

Whatever, I could usually use the number keys to change the language. But this time, that didn't work. And I'm trying to watch Dr. No! I'd really like to change the default language back to English. Can anyone more technically savvy figure out how to do this?

Merci beaucoup!

posted by chatongriffes to Technology (4 answers total)

Left field here, seeing how you don't have a functional remote (do you have a PDA with IR out? There are apps for emulating remotes. My old Sony Trinitron's remote was able to emulate/learn other remotes), perhaps upgrading the firmware will reset the default (back) to English.
posted by porpoise at 9:28 PM on June 9, 2011

Clean your remote, let it dry, insert fresh batteries and you can access the audio menu to switch the language track on the DVDs.

Voila!
posted by plokent at 6:48 AM on June 10, 2011

I've gotten the corrosion off battery contacts by sanding them with an emory board, so you might try that if the Q-tip scrub or baking soda don't work. Bonne chance.
posted by aught at 8:59 AM on June 10, 2011

There's no such thing as "battery acid" with modern alkaline batteries. If you're at all handy, take the remote apart, give the circuit board a good scrub with a toothbrush and isopropyl alcohol, and let it dry.

I imagine your French problem is because the DVD player is set to French by default. You can usually change this in the player's setup menu, but you're going to need a working remote for that.
posted by neckro23 at 12:33 PM on June 10, 2011