FAQ:CDRs and Electrical Suggestions for CD Players



There have had some people post the question: Occasionally my CDJ-1000 or CMX-3000 suddenly will stop playing? Why is this? The good news is your CD player is fine. However here is the official reason why this happens and how to avoid it:



The primary cause of this situation is low quality CD-R media. This isn't restricted to CD-R/RW media but also commercially produced CDs; especially from small or underground production houses.



Technically speaking, if a CD is within the specs and standard tolerance's for the medium, our players will not experience any problems. If the disc is out of spec, our units may stop playing. In some cases, the CD player will stop responding, although the disc may continue to spin. In these cases the player is still trying to read and supplement digital data even though it can't read the data perfectly due to bad quality media.



Here are some of the reasons your disc could be defective:

- Cheap non-branded CD-R/RW discs; we recommend name-brand blanks.

- A combination of high speed writing, low quality CD writer and/or low performance computer could create a poorly written CD-R/RW disc.

- An error occurred during the CD writing process which may cause a defective sector on the disc.

- The disc is scratched, dirty, smudged, or has a fingerprint which may prevent the player from reading the disc.

- The spindle hole is off-center.

- The data area of the disc is off-center.

- The disc surface is not perfectly flat.

- The disc has experienced some other problem during production or replication.



It is important to keep in mind that the CDJ-1000 spins at 6-15X speed CAV (constant angular velocity) and CMX-3000 spins at 2X speed CLV (constant linear velocity) in order to achieve real time scratching and cue functions.



The data readability of X speed for a CD drive is generally as follows:

- a 1X speed drive has more "room for error" to read the CD data, even if the CD disc is out of spec.

- a high X speed CD drive is more sensitive to errors while reading, especially if the disc has any of the traits listed above.



The best analogy I can give regarding the CDRs usage is that the Pioneer CD players are like a Ferrari Formula 1 . They are top of the line in our industry and our meant for PRO industrial applications. Having a Ferrari and using it for racing, you would not put in the cheapest regular gas if you want to have your unit perform at optimum levels....you would use the best high performance fuel available.



Because the newer model CD players from Pioneer contain more advanced electronics, it's important to also think about the electrical source:



- Have a good, clean power source, just as you would for a computer.

- Ensure that you are using the correct power supply and that it is the proper voltage.

- Watch for line noise, spike noise or continuous noise, especially when you use power from a generator or converted AC power from DC power.

- Don't use a low quality or long extension cable.

- Avoid plugging the CD player's power into the same electrical circuit as heavy-load equipment such as lighting, or any other devices which will cycle on/off.



In some cases the use of an AC power conditioner to maintain the proper voltage level and filter electrical noise.



There are other environmental conditions which could result in a stoppage of play. Also remember to leave space around the heat sink on the back the of CDJ-1000. This allows for better heat dissipation.



If your CD player is used in a hot, humid or dusty environment over a long period of time, the ability of the player to read CDs will be reduced, and the lifespan of the unit will be shortened. It is important to care for your CD players as described in the owner's manual.



Unfortunately there is no one on the this Pioneer Chat Forum trained to give you proper answers regarding problems with the above. IF you do experience chronic issues with stoppage,etc we request that you please contact the OFFICIAL tech support department on the website contact page. We do not recommend you take suggestions given here by fellow forum members. In the past good intentions by members have given the inquirer BAD advice that has damaged their units even further. Tech support can be reached:



http://www.pioneerprodj.com/bookmark.asp?BMsection=techsupport&BMname=techsupport&BMid=&BMplace=customersupport.swf



Or you can always call Tech Support at: 1-800-872-4159