I am trying force my temperamental CD player back in line. It
has always had a somewhat troubled personality. It often refused
to play the last few tracks of a few of my CDs. It has come up
with a new trick lately. It refuses to even acknowledge the
existence of certain CDs (they work fine in all other players
I try) and in some cases it ignores certain tracks.

I started by cleaning the mechanics and then the optics hoping
dirt was all that had happened. This didn't help at all.

Next I thought, maybe the laser is loosing power. I read some-
where that it wasn't hard to replace the laser and it didn't
look hard (I am a microwave engineer). A quick Internet search
told me a replacement laser wasn't costly, some 15 euro at
amazon.co.uk including shipping.

The laser is a Sony KSS-213C. What I actually ordered and
received within five working days was a subassembly including
two motors and a steel plate. It is called KSM213CCM. It is
what I find inside my CD player and replacing it is easy
enough.

But the unit I received was dead on arrival. It had taken a
knock or two on the way and the skimpy packaging had not
protected it. Apart from loose plastic parts it also contained
a dead laser. I use an old digital camera as an IR detector.
The old laser is easily detected and shows up on the display.
The new laser emitted no useful light. I sent it back and the
vendor sent a new unit that got lost on the way.

Now I have received a third unit and it is not dented but
still it does not work. It does not spin its disc motor when
I insert a CD. I have replaced the new laser so I have the new
sub assembly with the old laser and now it works. Nothing wrong
with motors in other words.

I also notice the new laser (if it indeed is a laser) emits
light visible to my unaided eyes. It actually flashes three
times after I close the CD tray. And then nothing happens.
The old laser emits steady IR.

Shouldn't CD lasers emit IR light?
How do I check if the new laser is a genuine Sony KSS-213C?
(Yes, I have tried a form on Sony's web.)

TIA,

/Martin (in the marked for a new CD player, I guess)