LG RH-1988HS

Yes I know (and agree) ... this is NOT HIFI (in any manner or form)! Best qualified hifi usage is only as a "poor man's" transport.

The only reason I am posting the item here to save all the (other) poor soul's from being tormented  by the long or many  "PLEASE WAIT"  display issue (seems to be quite common when I performed a search on the net). I would like to contact the webmaster of a LG DVD-HDD website for consideration to add the following to his list but there was no contact listed there.

Our RH-1988HS has been working fine till recently when the "PLEASE WAIT" message was being displayed more and more often!!! Shortly thereafter, the LG stopped recording properly and would shutdown within seconds after start-up e.g as if it got hit by a PC virus??? Or it would only recording material in intervals of seconds!!!

LG RH-1988HS on top of another HDD-DVD recorder

After much Google-ing, found the solution after searching the net on good old YouTUBE!

Suggested steps to fix the issue are:-

1. Note your programmed recording schedule
2. Power off the unit
3. Remove the top casing
4. Check the capacitors on the PSU board (located behind the HDD)
5. Put your finger on the top of each of the larger capacitors to "feel" for bulging e.g the 2200uF(s)
6. Remove the PSU board from the chassis and perform the replacement, once you have the necessary capacitors. I used Rubycon(s) of the same spec(s)
7. Return the PSU board with all the necessary connections
8. Power-up
9. Set the clock and re-enter the recording schedule(s)

Took the opportunity to replace all three 2200uF capacitors on the PSU board even though only two were deformed.

After removing casing (PSU board on top LHS corner, board behind HDD)

After the 2200uF capacitors were replaced

Original capacitors which were replaced

In case anyone had venture into the recorders maintainence mode and made changes without recording the original values, these are the OPCODE settings for my recorder. Please note I purchased my unit in Singapore. OPCODE(s) are different for other regions and countries. Please search the net if your unit is not for distribution in Singapore.

OPCODE(s) for my recorder

And for those interested to make your unit region free, please refer to http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks//8176 . Basically you need to repeat pressing the '0' 7x twice.