QuestionQUESTION: Hi, I hope you can help me with this.
I have the component system above and asked where I live if I can replace the optical base unit to another that can read mp3 CD's; when I was told it's impossible since it's an old machine& the agent stopped doing this modify, I asked if I can modify the board itself for the same reason, but answers were either no, no one can do it or I don't know.
I searched in the internet for the same questions for weeks & found 1 Blog explaining how modifying the board of his CD player can be real with the help of the service manuals of his Player&the equipment to be modified to and this guy did it himself & explained how supporting his Blog with jpg files, but of course&unfortunately that Blog wasn't for my DX5 HiFi.
Since I found you yesterday & Jm replied me that i would forward my question to you as you are the expert in this I will appreciate if you can answer my questions regarding my mini HiFi. Whether the optical unit can be replaced to an upgraded version that reads mp3 Cd's and where I can buy it. and whether it is possible to modify the board of the optical unit itself and which recommendation or headlines I should be aware of when choosing the model to be modified to.
I kept searching on the internet yesterday and came up with something, but not sure if it can help me still:
the optical base unit fixed in the HCD-DX5 part in the hifi
its model is KSM-213DHAP and another i replaced long time ago through the agent its model is KSS-213D. I found lots of online shops selling those parts and similar models, but i have no idea if theose could be good for my system & read the formats i want at the same time. CD, VCD, DVD laser lens units are names confusing me since i'm not so well educating myself with which can do what.
Can you tell me if buying another model will be a good and easy option for me or not. and if so which?
Knowing that when i put a CD has mp3 songs in my Hi Fi it reads the CD and funcionally work but with no voice, but it reads my CD as a single 70 minutes track.
Hope i didn't make it long with this message question & hope you can help me.
Thanks,
Manal
ANSWER: This is a really old set with very primitive technology compared to that of today. I can't understand why you would want to spend an inordinate amount of money to convert it over. It is a low tech and low cost system that just isn't worth all the engineering that you are proposing at least in terms of value for value.
Here is a simple solution for you: Just add a cd player to the system and plug it into the audio inputs on the back of your set and use that to play mp3 discs. You can purchase single disc players for $15USD and up that will work just fine. That is much easier to implement, is it not?
Cheers.
BTW: Here is your owners manual for this unit if that will help you.
http://pdf.crse.com/manuals/4226483121.pdf
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QUESTION: Thanks for your reply Cleggsan.
I understand your point regarding the hi Fi being so old and primitive, but it was what I could afford at that time when I bought. Unfortunately for financial reasons I can't buy a new great and hi-tec one as I wish at the moment.
At the same time I'm looking forward to it's fate when one day I'll buy a new one - It's would be a pity not to use it's 3Dchanger and use only the radio and tape. So I need it till the day comes and then give it to my parents to use it.
Concerning the portable media suggestion, it was actually what i first thought as a solution, but my problem is with the remote control I'm depending on while working most of the time as pausing or forwarding tracks means I have to stick next to it and interrupt what I'm doing constantly.
Such suggestion would suit me very much in a car stereo more where my hands can reach it easily without big interruption while driving.
Selling it won't give me back enough money to buy another..
That's about my reasons that I either have to adapt my self to no good music at all or listen to the same tracks of audio music CD's I have or just pay about $80 to pay for a new lens unit - if it's possible - or pay few dollars on materials and do the board technology myself for free.
Is it technically impossible to replace the lens unit base i have with another model that reads mp3 format Cds?
sony agent told me they used to do it before 3 years but they don't now cos the Hi Fi is too old and they don't busy themselves with such old Hi Fi upgrades, but I don't know if they changed the lens unit only or they did some other electrical jobs inside to make it fit - and I don't know which models they could use to upgrade.
If i know enough info to do it myself I would say I won my Hi Fi back again.
Can you help with some info with that?
Thanks and thanks so much for the owners manual.Any idea where I can have a copy of the - service/repair manual?
Manal
AnswerConverting the optical mechanism over and adding the electronics system for decoding mp3 discs would cost more than buying a new unit. I do not recommend it. And, you will need a technician who can determine the right place to install the decoder that is needed for the mp3 audio stream - which is totally different than the data coming from a cd disc.
So, why don't you buy a cd player that has remote operation and use it as I suggested before? That would be a simple and cheaper solution.
As to cost, I think you are not privy to today's prices on this class of product; they are much less and technically superior than they were when you purchased this old unit. You can easily equal the performance and capability - including remote operation - for less than the conversion cost would be. You need to shop around and see for yourself. Try google shopping, for example.
I found a sony 5 disc changer with remote functionality for around $60. Shelf units and boomboxes are a little more costly.
Keep up the good work.
