Panasonic top-loader VCR Issues

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Any ideas as to what might be causing the take-up reel to not spin in these VCRs when pushing play or to not fast-forward and rewind?

In the PV-1650, there's a separate play idler tire at the right reel where the thin counter-belt is mounted. Clean the tire.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by waltchan

In the PV-1650, there's a separate play idler tire at the right reel where the thin counter-belt is mounted. Clean the tire.

OK, thanks, I will give that a shot.

What about the PV-1750?

[vortalexfan]

OK so its definitely the idler tires that are bad (they are cracked and have no grip left to them even after a cleaning)

I need to figure out what size of Idler Tires i need for these VCRs because all of the sites I've looked at (SMC Electronics, Russel Industries, etc.) list the parts by diameter (I. D. and O. D.) and Thickness but not by model number that they could be used on.

And Unfortunately I don't have access to the Service Manuals for these VCRs.

Any ideas as to what I need?

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

OK so its definitely the idler tires that are bad (they are cracked and have no grip left to them even after a cleaning)

I need to figure out what size of Idler Tires i need for these VCRs because all of the sites I've looked at (SMC Electronics, Russel Industries, etc.) list the parts by diameter (I. D. and O. D.) and Thickness but not by model number that they could be used on.

And Unfortunately I don't have access to the Service Manuals for these VCRs.

Any ideas as to what I need?

A digital caliper would come in handy.

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Calip...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

jr

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

OK, thanks, I will give that a shot.

What about the PV-1750?

I'm not a fan of the PV-1750 or PV-1770 (with wireless remote). Belts, idler tires, and sensor lamp failed repeatedly more than the other vintage Panasonic VCR models.

[vortalexfan]

OK so a little update on these VCRs, the PV-1650, I was able to find some replacement idler tires for it, but for some reason it still won't play (it rewinds and fast forwards just fine) but when you hit play it will load the tape against the heads like its supposed to but it won't actually play the tape (move the reel tables) and then it just loads the tape back into the cassette after a few seconds, so I'm not sure what is going on, I checked all of the belts related to the playback mechanism and replaced them all, so I don't know what else could be causing the VCR to not play, and all the motors are fine because they all spin up as they should when powering on the VCR, the service manual for the VCR just lists belts as being the only issue that could cause the VCR to fail to play, but I've alreay replaced all of the belts, unless the belts I used were not the proper length (too long) and weren't supplying the proper tension for the reel tables?

The PV-1750 I was able to get it to Rewind and Fast Forward as well, and the playback idler needs a new tire for it, but I can't seem to find one that is the proper diameter (its around an inch in diameter for the outer diameter and about 7/8" inner diameter), and I had ordered an idler tire assortment from one of the electronics parts suppliers and they didn't have any idler tires of that size in their assortment for some reason, they had one that was the next size up from that one but not that exact size, and that's all that's keeping the PV-1750 from working properly, even the remote was fully functional still when I tested it.

[Phil]

This may not be helpful at all, but I have had the same problem in U-matic machines, obviously not the same thing as VHS, but anyway the problem was caused by a failed or mis-adjusted microswitch which tells the logic the tape is threaded and ready to play. If it doesn't get this signal it will unload the tape. You might check to see if there is such a switch in your machine.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Phil

This may not be helpful at all, but I have had the same problem in U-matic machines, obviously not the same thing as VHS, but anyway the problem was caused by a failed or mis-adjusted microswitch which tells the logic the tape is threaded and ready to play. If it doesn't get this signal it will unload the tape. You might check to see if there is such a switch in your machine.

Well according to the service manual for my VCR there's a Take-up and Supply Phototransistor that I think is performing the same function as the "microswitch" you're referring to. Would something like that failing cause the troubles I'm having?

[vortalexfan]

Well I got the PV-1750 to play tapes finally, it was a combination of a bad play idler tire and a belt that was too big on the underside.


But now that I got it playing tapes again, I've noticed that it plays tapes too slow, and I'm not sure why.

When its playing the audio sounds like a 45 RPM record being played at 16 RPMs, and the picture has large scanline bars going across the screen that look like a movie having tracking issues but its not a tracking issue because its not correctable with the tracking controls.

I can make a video and post it to youtube so you can see what I'm talking about if that's necessary.