ASTAR PD-3010 portable DVD player will play audio CD's but will not play a DVD. Get "bad disk" error when you try to load a DVD.
My guess is that the disk you are trying to play is a disc you burned yourself, or was burned by a friend or what-have-you. Not all DVD players can play all types of DVDs, and while most DVD players can play most comercially pre-recorded DVDs, you run into more problems when you try to use a newer format, such as DVD-R or DVD+R. If you burned the disc yourself and you have the option to burn another disc of another type, you could try that. For instance, if you originally burned a DVD-R and had trouble, try again with a DVD+R. Failing this, however, there's not much you can do if your player won't recognize your disc. Keep in mind that DVDs are *extremely* sensitive to smudges and scratches, unlike CDs. If you've gotten some fingerprints on your DVD, you can wipe them away with a clean, lint-free cloth. Be sure to wipe radially (that is, from the center to the edge, and not in a circular pattern). If your DVD is scratched, it most likely can be repaired pretty easily unless the scratch is very deep. You can purchase a device that repairs scratched DVDs for less than $30. And if you're on good terms with your local DVD rental place, you may be able to get them to repair the disc for you for free.
Experience: Nearly 20 years of software development experience
The disks that won't work are purchased movies. They used to play on this portable player. I have ever tried new DVD's but the player has stopped reading them. When you close the player with a disk inside, "LOADING"is displayed and you hear a clicking sound like the laser head is searching for the start of the disk but it never starts the movie. Eventually, it will diplay "bad disk" and the DVD stops spinning.
Hmmm. As you might imagine, that's not a particularly good sign. If the player has gone bad, there's not a lot you can do that won't cost you close to the original purchase price. Is the player still under warranty? If so, perhaps you can get them to repair or replace it. The only user-servicable repair trick that I would recommend would be to purchase a DVD lens cleaner. These are little DVD-like devices that have tiny brushes on them, and when you put the disk in the player, the disk rotates and the brushes clean the player's lens. This *might* resolve your issue if you've somehow managed to smudge the lens. Failing that, and assuming that the discs you're playing are smudge- and scratch-free, your only recourse is really to contact the manufacturer for service.