Hi Steve . I couldn't find back the errorcodes you mentioned in the service manuals. Can you clarify a bit more what they exactly means? Also I can reproduce the error code (FT02) on my DVD-S49 player with a service code. According to Tom (who posted the IR code) this just mean Factory Test Mode 01/02... With another service code you can reinitialise the player and it will be working again.

Reset function for Panasonic Divx DVD-Players
On player hold: PAUSE + QUICK OSD + OPEN/CLOSE for 3 seconds

Reset function for most other Panasonic DVD-Players
On player hold: PAUSE + PLAY + OPEN for 3 seconds

You say you need another chipped remote to restore the unit again. But just as the IR code I posted above, for the restore chipped remote there is an IR code as well and I even think it is the

restore to factory region code:
Enter, 6, >=10, <<, 00F2, Audio, 8, 9, Subtitle, 1

It is not hard to calculate the IR code for this code, wich is:
0082 0015 0089 0004 00F2 0033 0018 0010 0091 0010

I found it a bit strange that you say that the SA/SC-HTxxx home theater sets will suffer from the same problem. Especially the HT-335, HT-535, HT-845 and HT-855 are very similair to the S49/S295 series (they use the same firmware).

Your posts almost sounds like scare tactics, but I don't think it's neccesary as there always are people who prefer a chipped remote. You knew from the time that the firmware was decoded that the ir codes would be out there soon.

The Panasonic codes where one of the last ones not yet known, so I just want to spread and share this info with others. However if people report that there players causes an error using this codes and they cannot revert it using the info I just posted, I will delete this info.

Martin.
Panasonic S42 / S52 / S49 / S295 Info Site