Hi,
I have a Sony DVP-NS315 DVD Player that was playing just fine until a few days ago when it started giving me an error message saying it "Cannot play this disc." I've tried multiple commerical DVDs, and I get the same message every time. There was a post about a similar issue with a Sony player in this forum, and the advice was to clean the laser lens, so I opened up my player and cleaned the lens. I tried a disc after that, and it would not spin at all in the player. I tried another one, and it did the same thing. When I went back to the original disc, though, it suddenly started spinning and playing. I then ejected that disc and tried it once more, and it didn't work. Since then, the player has played a disc one other random time, but I can discern no pattern or reason that it would work one time and not another.

Before the player gives the error message, the disc will not spin at all, and I can hear the laser moving around (like an etching sound). When it does play a disc, though, the player spins the disc immediately upon insertion. I've read that some people have got this error message from Sony players and had to replace their players, but because mine works every so often, I wonder if it's salvageable. Could there be some problem with the spinning mechanism that would cause it to work only sporadically?

Also, I'm not sure because I was asleep at the time, but there's a chance that the error message could have appeared after a brief power outage at my house. (I had to reset the clock on my microwave when I woke up, and my computer had mysteriously restarted.) Could a power outage have affected the DVD player if it was on and had a DVD inside?

Thanks for your help!

More likely the problem is age I had 2 Sony DVP-NS325 DVD Players (early 2003) that started acting up in late 2006 I would get "Cannot play this disc.", "Disc is dirty" messages or the disc would play then skip or stutter (slight pause then continue) I thought I was the discs I recorded but found it was also with original discs. I took both apart for lens cleaning (and oiled the rails) but they still stutter on playback. Since both players did the same thing I retired both, and replaced them with Panasonic DVD S25 Players. Your Sony DVP-NS315 (2002) Player is even older than my 2 players. I paid about $100 each for the Sonys in 2003 you should be able to find a good replacement for yours in the $50-$100 price range.

Thanks for your response. It looks like I'll have to bite the bullet and go shopping for a new player. Incidentally, in researching this issue, I found that some Sony customers are seeking retribution for these faulty issues with older DVD players. A lawsuit has just been filed that could result in some kind of compensation, even in the form of a player. More information is here if anybody's interested: http://esupport.sony.com/dvdsettlement.

One reason I had wanted to resuscitate this player has to do with recorded discs (about which I know next to nothing). My friend gave me a few that I watch from time to time, but they are probably not great quality discs because the only player I found that played them was the Sony. (I tried a Toshiba and a few computer DVD players to no avail.) This makes me think I should get another Sony, but, then again, if Sony players have relatively short shelf lives, I might want to reconsider. Do you have any recommendations for a good player (Sony and/or others) in the $50-$100 range?

Nearly all the 2006-2007 Players will play DVD+R/RWs DVD-R/RWs recorded discs. Along with the 2 Sony players I retired I also retired players that would not play the discs I recorded, older Toshiba and Apex players.

I would pass on the Sony players (even Walmat does not stock them now).

The following should play most anything and are in the price range:
Philips DVD-5140, Philips DVD-642 (I have both)
Panasonic DVD-S52 (I have 2)
Pioneer DV-393 (don't have but good reviews)
all less than $70

Great! Thanks for all of your help!

Your welcome, and good luck.

Have you tried "resetting" it? Different players have different procedures. Try unplugging then plugging it in. Or hold the power button while plugging it back in.
Worth a try.