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Crumbtrail TV Forums: TV Equipment: VCR Repair Forum:
Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue

 

 


AlanWithAnEh
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Dec 31, 2009, 3:47 PM

Post #1 of 19 (11063 views)
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Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue Can't Post

Hey all. Hope someone can assist with their experience/knowledge. I have a yard sale Betamax that I want to bring back to life here. Sony SL-2401. Case marked with inspection dated 1984.

Upon initial power up the tapes can load, fast forward and rewind with ease. It loads the tapes fine but when I attempt to play the tapes the head engages (play button light goes on) and then all drive power cuts away immediately. I can't rewind anymore, faster forward or play again. The deck itself is on but it appears that just the internal power stops like the player heads won't re-engage to play the tape.

I can press the power button to power off the unit, and then when power returns, the player can eject and rewind and forward tapes again. It's just when I try to play them that it "ceases" up on me. Maybe a common problem back in the day...Maybe someone has some ideas as to where the trouble is. I'm pretty techno-savvy and fixed quite a few devices, electronics, laptops on my own so any info or questions to guide me would help.

Thanks ahead,
Alan.



jts1957
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Dec 31, 2009, 4:45 PM

Post #2 of 19 (11059 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Have you read...http://www.tv-forums.com/...h_string=beta;#48952


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AlanWithAnEh
New User


Dec 31, 2009, 5:35 PM

Post #3 of 19 (11057 views)
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Re: [jts1957] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Oh yeah...Saw and missed it. Now I see it.

Cool beans JTS. Smile Thanks. I'll dive in tomorrow and check the gears. That post of checks specs everything...I'll post if anything else encountered like a drive motor or something.

1) Does unit Power On? - And STAY On? Yep
2) Does unit accept a cassette into the front and lower it into machine? And STAY On? Yep and Yep
3) Does tape from cassette "load" around cylinder? And STAY On? Yep and Yep
4) Does unit "try" to go into mode (FF/REW/Play) selected (should click, at least), but the unit "senses" there's something not right, And unit then takes it back to "stop?" Yep
5) Have you tried with a "dummy" tape - so as to see what moves, what amount of torque, etc.? Yep - but so far only with the case on with my endoscope.


denonjapan
Veteran

Jan 1, 2010, 6:30 AM

Post #4 of 19 (11047 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Nobody can teach anybody anything, WE CAN ONLY HELP THEM THINK".
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
denonjapan
made in japan


AlanWithAnEh
New User


Jan 1, 2010, 6:48 PM

Post #5 of 19 (11045 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Disregarding that last useless comment aside...I pulled open the chassis and may have to dig deeper underneath the drive carriage. It appears there are more gears underneath.

Pressing play causes the pickup not to respond so the tape appears to show slack for about 1/2 a second when playing but bunches a hoop of tape up beyond the player head and that's when the play senses something is wrong and disengages the play power for me to forcing me to power down and reset the player power on the VTR to either eject the tape or attempt to play it again.

Will keep you posted once I can figure out the most efficient way to get down below the housing without losing the most screws. Wink


AlanWithAnEh
New User


Jan 2, 2010, 6:12 AM

Post #6 of 19 (11037 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Here's the scoop.

It can play as long as I press FF or RW to search ahead or back during playback. I didn't think Sony's has rubber bands in their drive systems but this one does. I'm guessing the single and only band could be dried out and stretched and maybe that's what's losing the slack on playback. Not broken though, maybe worn. I might check maybe it came off the main spool during storage or moving....


denonjapan
Veteran

Jan 2, 2010, 5:19 PM

Post #7 of 19 (11032 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

yeah yeah! due to your impertinent priorities, you had neglected yourself while you could be seeing jenny craig. Although ain't much of a difference
damn!!! I haven't seen what so called ugly LOL...you look like a the guy from a movie 'SAW'. IS that all reason these betas needs back to work to
record your random killings?

denonjapan
made in japan


AlanWithAnEh
New User


Jan 3, 2010, 8:58 PM

Post #8 of 19 (11022 views)
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Re: [denonjapan] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

That was pretty inappropriate and you have terrible English and grammar. So whatever you said...I think it had something that should be spoken about in the movies forum...keep it up. Nice try though -- you have no clue what I look like or the purpose of owning a Betamax. Trolls like you are simply that. Fictional characters, and nobody believes in them.

Anyways. Back to the forum. The band was a counter band that spooled to the tape counter. I'm doing some close monitoring on the play mode though to see which head engages and if there's a capstan that is squeezing too tight around the tape or restricting it completely for the other spool to pick up the slack. Will keep you posted.


techchris
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Jan 4, 2010, 11:04 AM

Post #9 of 19 (11016 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

sounds like the take up spool is not turning. check the brake pad is not sticking to the spool . if you take the bottom off you may be able to see the underside of the deck to see what is not turning. as you found out there are lots of belts on old Sony's.


AlanWithAnEh
New User


Jan 4, 2010, 3:08 PM

Post #10 of 19 (11015 views)
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Re: [techchris] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

I think you're right Chris. I wonder if the take-up spooler operates on a separate mechanism than if I do a search with FF or RW while in Play mode.

That's been trickier to see in a Beta since I only get to see one spool turn but good info. Thanks!

Surprisingly I only found two belts on the SL-2401. The upper one is the tape load mechanism and the lower one underneath the carriage simply spools to the tape counter reader at the front of the machine....Hmmm...I wonder if that's the tension there? That belt pretty much puts the most tension on the whole take-up reel, but all it does is adjust the counter. Will take the belt off the counter and see if that works.


(This post was edited by AlanWithAnEh on Jan 4, 2010, 3:27 PM)


techchris
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Jan 4, 2010, 3:55 PM

Post #11 of 19 (11011 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

there may be an idler wheel (rubber) between the motor spindle and the take up spool which has gone shiny and lost its grip.


AlanWithAnEh
New User


Jan 5, 2010, 6:29 AM

Post #12 of 19 (10999 views)
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Re: [techchris] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

OK...thought I fixed it...twice. I can't figure it out. There's not enough torque on the take up reel. I almost want to flip that top off that motor with the orange coils to figure out why is it only in play there's no torque on the tape.

If I flip the tape switches with no tape in the drive to make it "think" there's a tape in it, it plays normal, but it I put just enough touch to torque the take-up spool on the mechanism, the sensor realizes it's spinning too slow and stops playing. I know the what, the where, the how but I can't figure out the "why". Unsure


techchris
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Jan 5, 2010, 10:04 AM

Post #13 of 19 (10997 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

my guess would be brake pads are sticking on or idler wheel slipping. you can smooth off the felt brake pad with a nail file emery board as they get gunk stuck on them over time and stick to the spool, and also ruff up the edge of the idler wheel to stop it slipping.If you have an old tape you can remove the tape and cut holes in the plastic so you can see what is happening when you put it in the vcr to play.


AlanWithAnEh
New User


Jan 5, 2010, 3:27 PM

Post #14 of 19 (10996 views)
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Re: [techchris] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

It's more than that. I can disassemble the entire lower play carriage and spoof the deck to think there's a tape in the player so there's absolutely zero torque on the opposite spool with the brake arm. That would likely be the long felt band wrapped loosely around with the lever arm attached to it correct? I'll check it again tonight.



It's almost like there's some simple solution to this I'm missing.


AlanWithAnEh
New User


Jan 6, 2010, 8:25 PM

Post #15 of 19 (10990 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Someone relayed a message from another forum via e-mail that apparently there's a potentiometer to change the torque of the play head on the SL-2401. Unfortunately I can't seem to find the location of it on this model.


techchris
Veteran

Jan 6, 2010, 10:56 PM

Post #16 of 19 (10986 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

never heard of that in 30 years.


AlanWithAnEh
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Jan 11, 2010, 3:28 PM

Post #17 of 19 (10972 views)
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Re: [techchris] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post



Here is the torque potentiometer location anyways. It did change the torque but still not enough to increase the amount of resistance I required to simply turn the tape in play mode. I have a feeling the brass bearing under neath is totally shot now. That acrylic fix is in there, but the bearing is probably so gone it doesn't matter anymore at the slowest speed of play.

Anyways I couldn't figure it out without wasting vast amounts of money and or time.

I managed to put a want ad at work and someone here gave me a Sony SL-HF300 series practically brand new still in it's box. Saved me tons of headache and time. Thanks for your help guys. Good forum!


Pol
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Jan 7, 2011, 11:32 AM

Post #18 of 19 (10556 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Thanks for giving information on this I will surly try this idea for me.. Hope this will help me a lot..
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philipz
New User

Jul 15, 2013, 1:31 AM

Post #19 of 19 (8616 views)
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Re: [AlanWithAnEh] Sony Betamax SL-2401 Play issue [In reply to] Can't Post

Alan, I am having the same problem with a SL-2041 I just got. I am wondering if you ever found a solution, (or did you give up) and if you did, if a beginner would understand it.

 
 
 


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