These units are as fussy as heck regarding the DVD standard.
Had several users of this model where some pre-recorded discs.
Yes, it's a problem with the length of the recording on the disc.
I spoke to Panasonic Technical about this issue a while back, regarding discs which wouldn't play on their DVD players but would on other cheaper models.
They asked me to send them a unit with this problem (with disc's that wouldn't play). They returned it after inspection in the same condition, stating.. "it meets the standards laid down for the DVD format" and that the problem was that "the disc's did not meet the DVD standard" for maximum recording length.
Panasonic are one of the small group of elite manufacturers which originally laid down the specification for the DVD format.
Not sure but i think the group were.. Sony, Matsushita (ie.Panasonic), Hitachi, Pioneer, Samsung, Sharp, LG and Thomson.
They stick to the 'standard' they laid down exactly. This is also the reason you don't see Panasonic DVD which are multi region or can be easily recoded for multi region, where otherwise the cheap makes nearly always have the ability to be set to multi region.
Whether replacing the complete traverse unit, rather than just the laser pick-up may provide a change of tolerance, may be more luck than anything. Expensive way to find out, unfortunately.
Cobweb, November 2004
