Thanks to about four dozen of you who've sent in suggestions about how to solve the Tech Problem in the preceding message. I apologize that I didn't say "I've scoured the Internet and tried everything I could find online" because a lot of you did similar scouring and sent me links to things I'd already tried. You folks out there are a tremendous resource…even the ones who wrote that the machine is a piece of garbage and I should just throw it the hell away.
I got thirteen years of service out of it and it only cost me $230 in the first place so I'd say I got more than I paid for. I'm disappointed that the video business has moved away from physical media to the extent that there is no replacement — no new DVD player I can buy that holds 400 of 'em. It was such a great way to store 'em and such a great way to watch 'em…especially to "binge-watch" a whole run of a show that came to me on multiple discs.
I'm going to let the machine sit unplugged for a few weeks and then give it another load of attention. Maybe the Magical Hardware Fairy will swing by in the dead of night and do one of her miracle repair jobs. If not, I'll decide what to do about it then. I appreciate all the suggestions…even the ones about throwing it the hell away.