More specifically, I have an old Technics tape deck that needs some fixin’, and I’d like to repair it myself (I know, I must be a glutton for punishment). Does anyone know net resources for troubleshooting or repair info?
Thanks.
actually, kinda, yes, I kinda do. My SO does this sort of thing (on electronic music gear - keyboards, amps, stuff professionals use), he posts on a board at Peavey. I imagine if you check around the site of the manufacturer, you may indeed find a message board. (I’m sure Peavey isnt’ the only company that runs a message board for repairs - there’s is linked I believe to their main site).
yeah, I tried fishing around on Panasonic’s site, but, well, home audio stuff is such a small part of their business, and the Technics brand an even smaller part, and out-of-date tape decks a smaller part still. I didn’t find much.
On the other hand, Polaroid has the best customer support system ever.
then try with another brand of the same kind of equipment - as long as you found a message board for repairs, you’d probably find some one who could walk you around the basics.
Try this as a starting point: http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/audiofaq.htm for general troubleshooting on audio equipment.
For specifics, check http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/rball.htm where there are specific cases mentioned. Though there was not a Panasonic or Technics like you mentioned, there is some good information there, and some eye-opening trobleshooting.
C’mon then, give us all a shot,
Whats wrong with it ?
The take up reel turns intermittently or not at all so the tape feeds into the mechanism when you press play. As my customers used to say to me, the machine “eats tapes”. It needs a new idler. If you tell me the model number I can probably give you the part number.
Sometimes you can "fix " a idler wheel that slips. The trouble is the rubber has glazed over and become hard so it does not grab. I’ve made them work by using alcohol on a Q tip to remove the glaze.It is always temporary,I learned that the hard way,so your best bet is to replace it.
BTW This is the largest problem with the old style turntables too.A lot of people only use one at christmas.
first of all u will need the circuit diagram of the deck
without this you will not be able to do a thing
secondly u will need to have atleast some knowledge of electronics
u will need soldering equipment
and finally a lot of patience
back in my country if something goes wrong with electronic equipment it is repaired most of the time only if it is a useless case is the set replaced
Thanks, everyone!
The problem is that the right channel won’t play. It’s not in the connections; the peak level meter never goes above -infinity. Also, the right channel won’t play on phones or out the receiver. The deck is a Technics RS-B28R single. It’s auto-reverse, so it has a rotating head.
And, before anyone asks, I’ve tried cleaning ands de-magnetizing it.
If you look at the wires that connect the tape head to the printed circuit board you will find that they end in a small plug and socket.
The amplifier that recieves the signal from the tape head is very sensitive and has very high gain.
One trick to prove wether the heads have failed or not is to damp one finger a little, and while the tape is running put that finger onto the soldered connections on the socket, from the track side of the board.
What happens is that you should get a growly type buzz through both channels.This is due to the head amplifier boosting the general electrical noise that your body picks up from the surroundings.
If you do get that noise through both channels then the chances are that one of the wires leading to the head, probably onto the head itself has come away.There is a chance that the head has gone open circuit internally, resolder the connections on the head, if no joy then you could take a meter and measure the resistances across both sides of the head, they should be similar, if one is much greater than the other then you will need to replace it.
Setting up new heads to record and playback correctly is a job all of itself, I can go into it for you but lets see if that is the probem, then get back to me.
If you don’t get that noise then it is possible that the head amp is faulty or something further down the line.The head amp usually loks like a thin, maybe 1/4 inch wide and perhaps 1.1/2 long ,edge standing black thing with a single row of pins joining it to the board.You might try prodding aruond with your damp finger on the reverse side of the board here.
If you can get your hands on an oscilloscope and if you know how to use it we get get a lot further.
You will also need the circuit diagram.
You can use that damp finger test on other parts of the circuit but I’d have to be there to show you.
If you can identify Electroloytic capacitors from the other components it is worth examining minutely the solder side of the printed circuit board(PCB) to see if there are any dry joints or where a solder connection has pushed through - electrolytics are favourites for this since their relative size to most components means that they get pushed and shoved.
I would condense Dave’s advice down to three words: buy another one. Unless this machine holds some special sentimental value for you or you are doing this just as a hobby, the time & effort spent is not worth it, IMHO.
Having spent over ten years repairing consumer electronics, and even with the tools, service literature & oscilloscope sitting several feet away from me, I often find it much more cost effective to scrap older devices than to repair them.
Even if it’s something as simple as a loose wire under the head or even the head itself, you have to wonder what’s going to go bad next. Right off the top of my head I don’t know how old the RS-B28R is but the RS-B line goes back to the late 80’s or early 90’s IIRC. Today it’s a bad head. Tomorrow it might be the idlers. Next week the capstan motors. How much time, effort & money are you willing to shell out before you decide that it’s easier just to plunk down $79.95 (maybe less) for a shiny new cassette deck?