Hello Chancey55,Sorry that you are having some issues with your dvd player. There a few reasons that cause a dvd player to not read a disc and they are listed as follows:
1. The most common problem is that the disc itself is scratched, has finger prints or smudges on it, or has a filmy residue from the oils from the skin combined with dust and dirt.
2. The second most common problem is that the optical lens inside the dvd player has a build up or dirt and dust on it that naturally collects over time.
3. The spindle motor that causes the disc to spin inside the player has malfunctioned and if the disc can not spin, the player can not read it.
4. The most expensive problem is that the optical assembly has malfunctioned. This uses a small laser that reads the data on the disc and if it is not working properly, the disc can not be read.Here are some things you can try listed in the order that corresponds to the problems listed above.
1. Check all discs for scratches, smudges, finger prints, dust and dirt, and residue. If you hold the disc shinny side up and slightly tilt it in a well lite room you will be able to see anything that may cause a problem for the laser to read. I recommend that you purchase a disc cleaner because that will give you the best results. You can purchase these from any store such as Walmart, Best Buy, Radio Shack, etc and they are not expensive.
Here is a picture of what to look for:You can clean the discs manually by using a soft (non abrasive) cloth or rag. Run the disc under a small amount of water to get it wet and then take a small drop of regular dish soap and lightly rub the soap all over the disc using your index finger, then rinse all the soap off the disc and dry it with the soft cloth until everything has been removed and there are not smudges left.
2. To clean the optical lens inside the dvd player, I recommend that you purchase a dvd cleaning disc. You can purchase these from any of the stores previously listed and are also inexpensive. Follow the directions on the package. You can clean the optical lens manually, but I do not like suggesting this because if not done correctly it can cause even more damage to the assemblies and it does require dis-assembly of your dvd player.
Here is a picture of what the optical lens looks like:The small glass bubble in the center is the optical lens.
Here is a picture of a dvd cleaning kit:3. The spindle motor is a small electric motor that spins the dvd discs in order for the player to read the data. When you first place the disc in the tray and close it, you can
hear the disc spin. If you find that this is the problem, I recommend you take it to a qualified technician to be replaced. The average cost of a spindle motor is between $25-$40 dollars, but the labor will on average cost between $ 50-$80 dollars because it is very time consuming and sometimes difficult to take apart and put back together. I suggest calling around your local area and get several quotes before choosing where to take it to be repaired.
4. Lastly, the most expensive part to replace is the optical assembly. They can sometimes cost much more than you payed for your dvd. So, if this is the problem you may want to consider purchasing a new player if it is going to cost you more to repair than you paid for the player.I hope that this will help get you back up and running and hopefully the problem is simple like the disc needs to be cleaned or that the optical lens is just dirty and can be fixed by a simple cleaning. I wish you the best of luck and if you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.If you find this solution helpful, I would appreciate it greatly if you could rate it. Thank you and again, good luck.