VAM1202 Replacement

If after cleaning the lens the same error message appears, then the laser is very likely to be faulty. This mechanism had a high failure rate and was used on many CD players. There are many sellers on eBay selling a compatible replacement VAM1202/12 Philips CD Mechanism, which is the complete traverse unit CDM12.1.

The traverse unit is the inner platform within the mechanism, which suspends on rubber pillars for shock absorption. It consists of the d.c.motor, the lens focusing assembly, laser, and sled motor.

The cheapest price I found was around £12.00, which is way out of my budget. Looks like I will have to save up or visit the bank manager for some money.

I was very tempted to buy one from a Chinese seller on eBay; however, there are no guarantees how long this mechanism will last. If it has the same cheap motor and laser, then I could end up buying again next year!

Removing the CD Tray

I pressed the button to bring the tray out first, and then removed the plug from the mains socket. I was able to carry out the entire replacement without mains power.

Most CD players have a front door part of the tray that is removable. This is the bit that you can see from the outside and matches the case. This one has two plastic clips at the bottom. I used a thin plastic card inserted near the plastic clips to remove this part.

I then removed all the visible screws that were holding down the Philips CD mechanism. There is a hidden screw under the tray -- shown above -- that also requires removing.

The CD tray will not slide out of its tracks completely. A plastic stopper clip prevents it from doing this. There is a small window provided to insert a screwdriver to unlock the plastic clip.

Using a screwdriver, I pushed the plastic clip sideways just a fraction, as shown in the photograph above. Simultaneously, whilst the screwdriver is holding the clip, one needs to pull on the tray.

After removing the tray, this is what the mechanism looks like. Click the image above for a larger detailed image.

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