20 Most Recent RCA DRC8030N - Page 3 Questions & Answers

1. Go to the main manu.
2. Open the Tray.
3. Press OK on setup.
4. Hightlight disk options
5. Press 8 2 1 3 x where x is the region you wish to use. Use 9 for all regions.
If you typed 8 2 1 3 9 it will quickly say region 9 on the display.

RCA OBVIOUSLY IS USING CHEAP DVD drives that either lock up or just decomission themeselves. You need to replace the drive with a spare. Any computer DVD drive will work, you just may need to modify the screw holes.

my drc8030n only say "hello"

To format the HD in the DRC8030N, do the following. Power off the unit (so you only get the clock on the LCD) and then press and hold the PLAY and OPEN/CLOSE buttons for about 5-6 seconds or until you get the FORMATING word in the LCD. It will do this for about 5 seconds and voila, you are back in business. Keep in mind that by doing the following you will loose all your saved info like saved titles and such. So if you have a saved TV show that you really do not want to erase, then record it to a DVD Disk first. I hope this helps

You might check your burner to see if it is working correctly. If you are using the same media and it worked before, perhaps the burner or the burning software is not working correctly.

Hi. The most common culprit for this HELLO message issue is a faulty DVD-RW drive. To make sure that this is the case, you will need to replace the DVD-RW drive with another DVD, DVD-RW, or another spare hard drive in it's place to make sure the unit powers on and gets past the Hello message. Just make sure the replacement is configured correctly via the master/slave jumper on the back. If this does nothing to help, then the fault could reside in the motherboard or hard drive. You can look at this post where I helped out a user with spare parts http://www.fixya.com/support/t1195654-drc8030n_motherboard

Connect the unit as you normally would using the composite cables. Once you turn the unit on and the RCA logo flashes and then the video *poof*, dissappears, press the Video Out button on the remote control so that the PS OFF (progressive output for S-Video) is shown on the LCD, this should get the video back to normal.

Haven't gotten it fixed yet, but I have placed it in the capable(?) hands of some techs. If they can't work it out I will ow.

Thanks

Photodiver

Thank you so much for sending me those parts, and an extra thanks for the extras. Which happens to be what I needed to fix my problem. You won't believe it... I got your well-packaged parts today. I soon replaced the Motherboard, no change, still the same HELLO... I was so deceived... Then, I decided to replace the Power Supply, just in case... IT WORKED!... (thanks for sending me a free power supply)... Looking at my power supply, I can see that on the printed circuit under those 3 diodes, near the transformer, is an area that seems to have overheated. I will test it and give you the results eventually, as well as the results and solution if I can fix the DVD burner. I'll use the extra fan you so generously gave me to cool the power supply, seems like it won't hurt. Though I have to place it right, or it'll make the problem worse... Seems like anything wrong with this DVR and all it'll do is display HELLO... I've heard of a bad DVD Burner, a bad Motherboard and now a bad Power Supply that causes the HELLO... Thank you so very much GSAN, you did it... I recommend you to everyone out there for your fairness, kindness and devotion. We should call you Mr. FixYa!...

I have the users manual in PDF format. I sell this unit online and I could not get the manual online by googling it, so I had to scan it page by page. Give me your email address and I will email you the manual :)

Put the original or a more comparable unit back in so it doesn't give you errors out the wazoo, and decide whether it's time to put a new DVD reader in your PC (which -does- read those media) or what's wrong otherwise with the output of the RCA.

That sounds about right if you have cable instead of an antenna cable. If it can't tune anything but 5 channels in, that's all it claims; set it to CABLE IN instead and try that so the tuner can get along with your cable box. If you really do have an antenna hooked up, get it away from whatever's reflecting signal and screwing up reception.

Try looking! Here, for example:
http://remotefinder.rca.com/default.aspx?site=rca
or http://www.thompsontv.com/rcarc.html

Are all the cords connected? Is there any disk in? Make sure theese are all done

Here is a trick i use to see if remotes are working. most people these days have camera phones or some kind of digital camera that have a live picture feed mode before they snap an image. Grab your camera of choice and point the remote at the camera while your viewing this live feed. press any button on the remote in question and you should be able to "see" the infra red led light blinking. if you dont see any blinking then the remote is the problem. try different buttons if you dont see anything at first.

Yes. This unit only relays the TV signal...the coaxial output can't be used to watch DVDs or play the DVR, all operations are done via the component, composite, or S-Vid outputs. The coaxial simply passes the TV signal out as in from cable TV to DVR and from DVR to TV. If you still do not get an RF signal to pass through th unit, check the cable to make sure the wire is not bent or brocken on either ends.

You can try to reset the unit by pressing and holding the play and open buttons for like 10 seconds ( do this while there is no DVD inside and while in the main Menu screen....also, you will loose ALL data when this is done). If this does not change the problem, then it is most likely due to a power issue. I have corrected this problem by swapping out the power assembly in the unit. If interested in a unit (it is a unit that is stuck on the HELLO issue..so non-working) that can be used for parts, then contact me at www.suncitybargains.ecrater.com

9 out of 10 the Hello problem lies in the DVD-RW board (I replace this board to correct the problem) and that 1 out of 10 time the problem lies in the main board that the IDEs connect to. I have replaced this board as well to correct such problem. I understand that these spare parts are impossible to come by. If you can make sure that the DVD-RW is fine by hooking it up to your PC and reading from it, then I can send you an RCA DRC8030N with the Hello issue that originates in the DVD-RW (so you can swap out the main board that connects the IDEs) and still have extra parts for later possible problems. If interested, you can contact me via triple w.suncitybargains.ecrater.com Thanks.

This is due to the DVD-RW drive that is in the unit. This is the first to fail and RCA seems to have gone with the lowest bidder on this model. The DVD-RW drive will need to be replaced. If you used the DVR to watch and burn DVDs then you will need to replace it with any computer DVD-RW but you may need to re-drill some holes to have the replacement drive fit exactly aligned with the DVD door. If you only want to use this DVR for the internal hard drive recording and TV viewing, then any CD or DVD computer drive will do, just simply connect the replacement drive and leave it in the case (you wont have access to the DVD or CD drive under this option). If you do replace the drive, make sure you match up the jumper on the back so that it will be in the same position as in the original DVD drive ( the Master setting). I hope I did not scare you with all this information, but unfortunately, the dreaded HELLO issue with the DRC8030N has no easy fix.

It is true that the manual says it can record 100 or more hours...but that is at the lowest resolution. You can go to the menu screen and from there go to the recording properties and play around with different recording resolutions that best fit your recording needs. Also, the DVR uses a Hard Drive just as any computer does and within' time it becomes fragmented... that may cause it to record less hours even if you delete recordings. You can format the internal hard drive by going to the main menu screen and press and hold (for about 10 seconds) the OPEN and PLAY buttons on the unit (not the remote). At this time you should see the words FORMAT on the LCD screen and the unit will shut off. Keep in mind that formatting will erase everything on the hard drive so make sure you back up to DVD whatever you want to keep. Hope this helps.