Troubleshooting an Insignia DVD Player

By James Clark

Updated September 28, 2017

Don't disconnect your Insignia DVD player and haul it off to a repair shop at the first sign of trouble. Instead, follow these strategies to identify the problem and perhaps solve it yourself in a few quick steps.

Checking Power and Connections

As embarrassing as it may seem, you might be able to fix the problem with your Insignia DVD player merely by making sure the power cord is plugged in.

The next step is to check the audio-video cable connections. The red and white audio cords should be plugged in firmly both to the corresponding jacks on the Insignia and to the audio input jacks on either your receiver or television depending on your setup. The yellow video cord must also be firmly attached at both ends.

Once you're sure the signals are getting through, check the setting on your home theater receiver or television to make sure it is set for the DVD player. If connected to a receiver, set the component selection to DVD. If connected to a TV, check to see which video input jack the Insignia is connected to, then set the remote control on the TV to that input. For example, if the Insignia is plugged into Video Input 1, the TV remote must be set to Video Input 1 or you will get a blank screen with no sound.

Clean Your Machine

A major cause of operating problems with an Insignia DVD player is a dirty laser lens. You can buy a lens cleaner such as one made by Memorex at almost any electronics store. The cleaner is the same shape and size as a DVD and comes in similar packaging. You just pop the disc in your machine and follow the onscreen prompts to clean the laser lens, which typically takes less than five minutes.

In some cases, adding a drop of rubbing alcohol to the tiny brush bristles on the back of the lens cleaner disc will help remove accumulated dust, lint and dirt from the lens surface. These contaminants account for most of the problems associated with "no disc" error messages. Allow the rubbing alcohol to evaporate completely before testing the Insignia player.

You should also try a different DVD to make sure the dirt problem isn't with the disc itself. Clean DVDs by rubbing gently with a clean, lint-free cloth.

Take a Look Inside

If the Insignia DVD player is no longer in warranty, you have nothing to lose by removing the cover with a Phillips head screwdriver and extracting the screws from the underside of the cabinet. Unplug the power cord first.

Look toward the back of the component for a glass fuse shaped like a cylinder with stainless steel caps on both ends. The fuse is installed horizontally between two metal clips. Remove the fuse, check to see if it is blown and replace if necessary. Make sure you match up the amp rating on the replacement fuse.

Next, look for any obviously disconnected or broken wires that you can reattach if you have reasonable skill with a soldering iron.

The final step is to plug in the power without touching anything inside the unit, then pressing the open button to eject the DVD tray. Looking underneath the housing for the tray, you should be able to see the DVD laser lens. By dipping the end of a Q-tip in rubbing alcohol and gently swabbing the surface of the lens, you can do a more thorough cleaning than with disc-type cleaners. Try a disc-type cleaner first if the Insignia is still in warranty because opening the cabinet may void your warranty coverage.

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