Just yesterday I decided to power up the JVD KD-VR320 tape deck that I "inherited", and found that something is wrong with the control system (it was working for the previous owner). The machine powers up fine and the capstans start spinning regularly and immediately upon switching on the unit. However, when I press Play, either the mechanism will engage, the tape will spin normally for anywhere from one half to a few seconds, and stop; or nothing at all will happen (no sound from the motor, no shifting of the mechanism, nothing).
I have looked inside the unit and did not see anything along the lines of burn marks or leaking capacitors on the main board. In fact, there's barely dust on the inside. I have taken enough apart to get at the control interface board directly. Repositioning the control cables (there is a series of ribbon cables connecting the control buttons to the main board) doesn't have any repeatable effect on whether the unit plays. Bypassing the switches- meaning simulating a button press by making appropriate shorts on the control board- does not fix the symptoms. This leads me to think that the control interface is not the problem.
But now I'm stuck. It's suspicious that the unit worked fine until it spent a hundred miles in the car- maybe a mechanical switch is out of place, a connection is loose, or a contact is dirty? Any suggestions on how to proceed are welcome, and I'm happy to provide more information or pictures as you wish.
Thanks for your input!
I have looked inside the unit and did not see anything along the lines of burn marks or leaking capacitors on the main board. In fact, there's barely dust on the inside. I have taken enough apart to get at the control interface board directly. Repositioning the control cables (there is a series of ribbon cables connecting the control buttons to the main board) doesn't have any repeatable effect on whether the unit plays. Bypassing the switches- meaning simulating a button press by making appropriate shorts on the control board- does not fix the symptoms. This leads me to think that the control interface is not the problem.
But now I'm stuck. It's suspicious that the unit worked fine until it spent a hundred miles in the car- maybe a mechanical switch is out of place, a connection is loose, or a contact is dirty? Any suggestions on how to proceed are welcome, and I'm happy to provide more information or pictures as you wish.
Thanks for your input!
If it had been sitting for a long time maybe the brakes are sticking.
My machines also do this if the tape path is dirty or if i use some very old tape.
As tape sits around for several years it soaks up moisture and it will get sticky and drag and even stick to the heads and guides.
My Otari's are especial sensitive to this and and will shut down immediately if it detects that the tape is not moving in the time it expects it to.
Try some Fresh tape after you have thoroughly cleaned the tape path with some alcohol.
ATR Magnetic's is the best tape that you are gonna find and it is what I have been using lately.
They will deliver what you want right to your door straight from the factory!! 😉
ATR Magnetics | ATR Master Tape
jer 🙂
P.S. Sorry but i didn't look to see that this is on a cassette deck, but look for the same issues as it applies to all tape machines.
My machines also do this if the tape path is dirty or if i use some very old tape.
As tape sits around for several years it soaks up moisture and it will get sticky and drag and even stick to the heads and guides.
My Otari's are especial sensitive to this and and will shut down immediately if it detects that the tape is not moving in the time it expects it to.
Try some Fresh tape after you have thoroughly cleaned the tape path with some alcohol.
ATR Magnetic's is the best tape that you are gonna find and it is what I have been using lately.
They will deliver what you want right to your door straight from the factory!! 😉
ATR Magnetics | ATR Master Tape
jer 🙂
P.S. Sorry but i didn't look to see that this is on a cassette deck, but look for the same issues as it applies to all tape machines.
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I pulled out the isopropyl and gave a good scrubbing to the heads, capstans, and pinch rollers. Unfortunately, I still get the erratic Play (and Pause) behavior.
One detail I forgot to mention in my first post is that the direction control button (it's a two-way auto-reverse deck), which is on the same interface board as Play and Pause etc., works perfectly, i.e.: the play/erase head will always rotate on command and the direction indicator on the interface will swap accordingly.
One detail I forgot to mention in my first post is that the direction control button (it's a two-way auto-reverse deck), which is on the same interface board as Play and Pause etc., works perfectly, i.e.: the play/erase head will always rotate on command and the direction indicator on the interface will swap accordingly.
Most problems with cassette decks are mechanical. There are the "rubbers and friction surfaces", in other words belts and clutches. Other common issues are "sticky" reel motors that either fail to turn or start up or that have dead spots on the commutator. That would show as the deck appearing to start but the take up reel not spinning. Some decks also use a dedicated motor to drive the mechanics between different states such as rewind and fast forward, play, pause etc, others use a take off from the capstan (belt/s slipping). Also troublesome can be take up and supply reel sensors that detect rotation of the spools. If they are not working correctly then the deck enters stop mode. Typically these are optoelectronic consisting of an LED and photosensor with a vane attached to the spool being monitored that moves through them as the reel turns. Sometimes they are magnetic with a reed switch.
Finally mode switches, and not all decks use these. These are multi way switches with several contacts that "inform" the system control when a specific mechanical state has been achieved such as play or rewind etc.
Your problem is almost certainly mechanical.
Finally mode switches, and not all decks use these. These are multi way switches with several contacts that "inform" the system control when a specific mechanical state has been achieved such as play or rewind etc.
Your problem is almost certainly mechanical.
A few of decks that I have had, had a problem with the Door switch and would cause it not to fire up at all.
Some unit's have just one belt that runs the whole transport and sometimes you have to disassemble the whole thing just to replace that one belt and what a Pain that can be at times depending on how it was made.
When the Clutches go bad and don't produce enough friction you cannot do anything about it, except replace them.
Never try to clean a clutch it will just make it worse, I have tried.
Knurled wheels and such yes you can clean those, those are typically what causes a VCR transport to fail, I have seen many Cassette transports use the same type of system as well.
I did a lot of warranty work for sharp and Phillips back in the day and worked on a a lot of those things and VCR's
jer 🙂
Some unit's have just one belt that runs the whole transport and sometimes you have to disassemble the whole thing just to replace that one belt and what a Pain that can be at times depending on how it was made.
When the Clutches go bad and don't produce enough friction you cannot do anything about it, except replace them.
Never try to clean a clutch it will just make it worse, I have tried.
Knurled wheels and such yes you can clean those, those are typically what causes a VCR transport to fail, I have seen many Cassette transports use the same type of system as well.
I did a lot of warranty work for sharp and Phillips back in the day and worked on a a lot of those things and VCR's
jer 🙂
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