1981 RCA VFT-650 has me stumped
Speaking of broken VCR's, I've had this VCR for almost a year now, and I still have not located the source of the goofy problem it's having. It's stuck in stop mode. Every time you turn it on, the tape transport motor goes crazy trying to bring the tape guide posts back to the ready position, and since it does that, the tape basket will not mechanically latch. It you take the bottom off and manually spin the tape transport wheel, the lid will latch, but as soon as you turn it on, it just goes back to stop mode. It's like it doesn't know when to stop trying to stop. I have gotten it into play mode, twice. I took the belt off the motor that drives the transport, pressed play, the motor started going to opposite way, and then shortly after that, it went back into stop mode. The VFT650 is in my opinion, one of the coolest top loading VHS machines made. And I didn't even know this, but my VFT650 has 4 video heads. I counted.
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Yep. It definitely is VCR season. I got my first old VCR around this time seven years ago, and last year on this very weekend, I made the trip to Atlanta and scored seven super old VCR's and a Sylvania TV.
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Equivalent to a Panasonic PV-1770 if that will help you find info about it.
Without having it here in front of me I don't recognize the symptom. |
Computer tells me I worked on three VFT650's in the early to mid 90's (and, one PV-1770) but all were not anything considered to be a 'dog', as this one sounds like it may be.
It does sound like the classic dirty mode switch, however. You might try some contact cleaner in the switch. |
Yep many times odd mechanism operation can be the mode switch. I don't recall if those have the load-unload complete leaf switches at the rear of the mechanism like some old top-loaders had.
Those were loaded with alignments for SP LP and SLP servos norm, ff & rev search, cylinder servos norm ff rev search still and slow tracking presets PG phase + and - , head peaking, all sorts of adjustments. I think the RCA version only had SP and SLP record, only play LP tapes? Anyway don't go turning things! Unless you have the service manual and oscilloscope. |
True. Could be individual switches, indeed. It only had to be "loaded", or "not". There wasn't all that "in between" crap that came along later.
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I was thinking that it was a switch somewhere. What exactly do I need to do to this thing?
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Locate the switch(es)and clean the contacts.
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Well I decided to scrap the VFT650 and use it for parts for my PV-1770. The latter had a cylinder drum that was so locked up, it was hard to turn by hand. I took the entire cylinder drum out of the VFT650 and put it in the PV-1770, and it spins perfectly. All the PV-1770 needs now is a couple belts and an idler tire.
"I AM THE VCR MASTER! MWA HA HA" |
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I have no idea if it makes a picture or not. It won't load all the way into play mode. I'm going to order belts for it from Studio Sound Electronics pretty soon and we'll find out.
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I have always been of the opinion that if you have the patience and skill to fix antique VCR's, they are a joy to behold. But if you don't know what you're doing, they are a major PITA. I have been fixing VCR's since I was in 5th grade. I know a thing or two, because I've seen a thing or two. (Taken from Farmers commercial.)
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