20 Most Recent RCA DRC8030N Questions & Answers

Almost not worth fixing a VHS anymore. Get a used one at a thrift store for $15

This is due to one of the IDE devices inside (Hard Drive or DVD drive) not sending the requires "I am Ready" signal to the main board while the DVR does a power on self test. With the hundreds of units I have come across, 99% of the time it is due to a faulty DVD drive. These "Loader" brand DVD drives were on the cheap and when they give out, the unit does not go past the Hello. You can verify this by replacing the the DVD drive with any other DVD burner or DVD drive or even a CD drive that comes from a computer (IDE connector). The only fix for this is to replace the drive or simply connect an old CD drive inside and not use the DVD properties of the DVR, only the hard disk recording/playback.

File is too big for email but I uploaded it to my college web. Try this link https://mspace.utep.edu/goguerra/DRC8030%20Manual.pdf?uniq=-ka42va let me know if it works. Thanks.

No; just follow along when you get notice from this website.
I found a link to http://www.rcaaudiovideo.com/en-US/Support.html in the very extensive discussion at http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=767130&page=4 ...which led to what you should ask for help by: http://support.rcaaudiovideo.com/ (actually, make a trouble ticket at http://voxrightnow.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/voxrightnow.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=896 )
...which says http://support.rcaaudiovideo.com/manual.aspx?product=86 there is no manual.
In brief, you can go to AudioVox to post manuals already, or to Wal~Mart (who sold them) for help...but I'd ask at that forum up at the first link and at the AudioVox ticket system.

Yeah, it was hard to find. RCA's kind of a deprecated brand identity since JVC bought their remains...then sold some to AudioVox.

Maybe our Google-fu just needs some work, but that's all I see around.

For DVD that are stuck. Unplug the unit from the power source. Flip open the DVD dust door (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) now you can see the DVD disk tray. Look under it to see a white gear arm, you can push on this to unlock the tray and pull it out manually. Now you have your DVD back.

Yes you can replace the hard drive with a larger one. I have a 500 gig hard drive in mine. You can do the same thing with the DVD drive.

Any more problems, contact me at [email protected]

It will be far cheaper to replace the item with one year warranty than send it to RCA, factory rates start at $100.00 and up.

I am sure that the fault was relative of the bad capacitor and swapping the working board has proved. Hope that solves the issue as all what is needed is to check and replace all the suspected capacitor is the Primary /Secondary side as the SMPS is working BUT with a limited voltage. So the threshold is low and so can be a tank capacitor, change the mains capacitor and also the secondary +B side.

By Phone:You may call Alco Customer Support and leave a message at 1-800-252-6123 or 1-905-477-7878 Hours of OperationEastern Standard Time Monday-Thursday 9 AM -7 PM
Friday 9 AM - 5 PM Saturday 9 AM to 12 PM

the problem is either in front display board or on the main board, first replacing the front board can solve the problem. but if it does not pls replace the main board. these are inside the dvd player.

Try to check the video setting if in right format. There are 2 common format PAL and NTSC. Or try set it on auto. good day and best regards.

This is due to the mechanics inside the DVD-RW being out of place.  If you open the DVD-RW (take both the top and bottom cover off and take the CD tray out) you will see the white plastic guide that guides 2 arms as the laser mechanism lowers and raises.  One of these 2 arms is out of place and need to be pushed back in.  Also, check for a crack in the black plastic on the arms....this usually causes the arms to slip out of place.  If a crack is found, simply super glue it tigether.

the DVD Drive is bad. Replace it with the same (which I haven't been able to find anywhere on the internet) or one off the shelf (a little jerry-rigging is involved) and it will work. Everything else should be fine. This exact same thing happened to me.