Pioneer CDJ 1000MK3 lens replacement...totally stumped

[Cypher]

Hi everyone, i'm having a lot of trouble with replacing a lens for a professional cd player (for DJ's - the Pioneer CDJ 1000 MK3) and after scouring the internet for information, i think my last chance is finding some help from a bunch of electronics gurus. Seriously, you guys are kinda my last hope.

This is a somewhat older model (they stopped manufacturing them a few years back) and a few months ago it started having errors after 20-30 minutes of playback (E-8302 - Error during playback). After googling this i found out that it's most likely due to the lens being worn out. I ordered a new lens head, the Amazon store said it was for the CDJ 1000 MK3, but when I received it i noticed minor differences (the pictures on the site were too blurry to tell). By minor differences i mean it has a few extra electronic parts on the circuit board, as you can see in the pictures below (left is original, right is new one).
After installing the new lens head, the CD Player doesn't even start spinning the disc - it just takes it in, waits for a few seconds and then ejects it. My next option is to find out if either the lens itself can be taken out of its housing and moved to the old lens head, or if the circuit board can be in some way modified to match the original (for example by removing some of the components).
Please keep in mind i'm a total noob when it comes to electronics (i can solder a cable but that's about it), but the repair will be done by a friend of mine who was practically born holding a multimeter, so he knows his stuff.

I've uploaded the service manual here - http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=05787587552537619489 .

Pics of the unit here

Pics of the lens head mounted on the transport assembly here - http://www.soundservice.gr/e-shop/en/product.php?products_id=785

Pics of the two lens heads (old one on left, new one on right) with differences highlighted:

This is what the lens itself looks like (no difference between the two heads here):

Well, that's about it, i'd just like to say a major thank you to everyone who bothers to read this thread. If any of you fine gents can help me solve this, i will send tons of karma and kudos your way

 

[(*steve*)]

My guess is that the old one has some unnecessary parts non populated. The replacement has them populated because it is a generic replacement for various heads which may or may not need these parts.

On that basis I would have given it a go just as you did.

I will note that there are some fixed resistors on the old unit and trimpots on the new one. These are probably set to the right value and I wouldn't remove them.

The resistors on the rear side (marked "0") may be configuration jumpers. The problem *might* be the extra jumper on the new unit. You need someone who has some experience with surface mount components (ideally) to remove this. Remember that you might want to replace it again, so don't lose it and make sure you have it well marked so you know where it came from.

Can you make out the markings on the 6 pin device and the resistor next to it (the capacitor will be unmarked)?

If you put the old one back in, does it still behave the same way (i.e. nothing is worse)?

The lens itself doesn't wear out (but it can become dusty). The focus mechanism can fail, but it would normally be a hard failure. If there looks like there's any dust in there I'd gently blow or brush it out -- GENTLY!

I wouldn't attempt to swap the hardware between these modules.

I can't find any details about the head assembly in the service manual. Maybe I missed it. Can anyone else see anything with more detail than the block diagram?

 

[Cypher]

Hi Steve, i'll try to answer as well as i can.

"My guess is that the old one has some unnecessary parts non populated. The replacement has them populated because it is a generic replacement for various heads which may or may not need these parts."
- It's possible, not only does the CDJ 1000 have 3 versions (mk1,2,3), but Pioneer also makes many other CDJ models (100,200, and 800mk1/2 are contemporary with this one) and a DVDJ.

"The resistors on the rear side (marked "0") may be configuration jumpers. The problem *might* be the extra jumper on the new unit. You need someone who has some experience with surface mount components (ideally) to remove this. Remember that you might want to replace it again, so don't lose it and make sure you have it well marked so you know where it came from."
- Actually there are three extra parts on the rear side, not two as i highlighted on the picture (i missed one). Below is another pic with all three highlighted and the marking on one noted. I'll forward this to my friend and ask him about it.

"Can you make out the markings on the 6 pin device and the resistor next to it (the capacitor will be unmarked)?"
- can't tell which one is the resistor and which one is the capacitor, but here's a pic with the markings highlighted.

"If you put the old one back in, does it still behave the same way (i.e. nothing is worse)?"
Yes, exactly the same behavior. Haven't tested to see if it still has errors after 20-30 minutes, but CDs play fine for at least a few minutes, so at least i managed not to wreck anything.

"The lens itself doesn't wear out (but it can become dusty). The focus mechanism can fail, but it would normally be a hard failure. If there looks like there's any dust in there I'd gently blow or brush it out -- GENTLY!"
- I didn't mean that the lens physically wears out, more that the head wears out in some way - sorry for this, English isn't my first language . This is what the repair people here in Bucharest told me. I've cleaned the exposed part of the lens with an earbud with isopropyl alcohol, but if the underside is dusty, i've got no idea how to clean it...maybe a compressed air spray?

"I wouldn't attempt to swap the hardware between these modules."
Ok, got it, the lens stays in the head no matter what.

"I can't find any details about the head assembly in the service manual. Maybe I missed it. Can anyone else see anything with more detail than the block diagram?"
Check page 16, that's the exploded view of the transport assembly (no. 3 on the schematic). From what I've seen in the manual, the lens head is treated as a single part. Also no info online about how to repair it. I've come to expect this from Pioneer, this is a company that charges $12 for a single pot cap on their mixers. Also, both Pioneer US and the repair people here in Bucharest told me i need to buy an entirely new transport assembly (220+ EUR) just because of these errors...scam artists.

 

[(*steve*)]

It's hard to know what is best to suggest at this point.

One option is to remove all the extra components (don't remove the 2 trimpots though) and see if it makes a difference. I can't imagine that it will behave in such a way that it will work with them present, but not with them absent, but you never know. Make sure you keep a good track of them so you can put them back if you need to. The 6 pin device is the only one that needs to go back with the same orientation, but if your noted indication of the numbers on it are correct, that will determine the orientation.

If that doesn't work, I would measure the resistance across the 2 resistors in the original unit and compare the resistance to that between the same pads of the new unit. Note all of these down. Then adjust the new unit to read the same resistance. (by recording the old resistance you can go back to it if you need to)

Be prepared for it not to work though. This is a bit of a Hail Mary.