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Old 23rd May 2017, 9:09 pm   #21
Vauxfan2k
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

I've done a few of these machines, use a small capless dashboard bulb from Halfords for the cassette lamp, solder the wires to the bulb and it's a perfect fit with correct brightness.

I'm assuming you did do the loading belt even though it's tricky, I undo the clip and slide the shaft out to release the gear the belt goes round. That way you don't interfere with the machines alignment.

New reel tyres can be had on eBay and are highly recommended as is an idler tyre.

Short term you can turn the reel tyres inside out and clean with fairy liquid before refitting.

Which part did you snap off the idler? If it's the top piece that keeps the spring in place then that's what applies the tension to the reels. You will need to fix this.

Cheers

Steve
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Old 23rd May 2017, 9:31 pm   #22
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Hi Steve, just been watching your vids on youtube..

I changed the loading belt exactly the same way you did, remove the clip and slide the shaft from the worm gear. All the other belts were pretty straight forward.

I have removed the tyres from the right hand take-up spool and the idler, boiled for a few seconds in soapy water in the microwave for 15 seconds and they have come out very clean with a lot of grip. These were replaced.

If you take the idler assembly, on the underside of the section between the pivot point where the assembly slides onto the pin and and articulate point. I have since managed to get good super glue (with bicarb) to make good. there is also a black tension spring around the pin. It looks like the plastic bit is used to push the idler assembly away from the Caspian.

No I'm trying to work out why there is a green bar down the right side during playback and a slanted colour line running from the left of the screen to the right consistent. Tracking has made no difference. Sound reproduction is fine. Any ideas (Pic attached)
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Old 23rd May 2017, 9:35 pm   #23
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Could it be the head switching point is way off?
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Old 23rd May 2017, 9:45 pm   #24
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

I think those lamps were held in place by a silicon rubber 'bung' in the mounting tube to stop them falling down.
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Old 23rd May 2017, 10:31 pm   #25
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by julie_m View Post
Could it be the head switching point is way off?
Hi Julie. Any idea what pot needs adjusting? Annoyingly it has happened since replacing the belts. Before I watched a whole concert video with perfect reproduction.

If it is any help with the diagnosis, when you first play a video the reproduction is fine but quickly deteriorates. After a couple of seconds the green bar along the right side of the screen fades in and the vertical interference jumps in. Almost as if the screen is losing hold. The sound is fine thoughout

Last edited by amtrakuk; 23rd May 2017 at 10:52 pm.
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Old 23rd May 2017, 10:32 pm   #26
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by vidjoman View Post
I think those lamps were held in place by a silicon rubber 'bung' in the mounting tube to stop them falling down.

Your right however the wires are very narrow so the bung doesn't help.
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Old 24th May 2017, 12:24 pm   #27
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Find link to video fault. I'm guessing I have knocked something, I'm not sure if the new belts caused it? https://youtu.be/kJz29wZKJ5U
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Old 24th May 2017, 3:47 pm   #28
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

From your extremely short video clip ( ), it looks like the capstan servo is out of lock and running too fast or too slow hence the noise bars running regularly up the screen.
There is either no control pulses coming from the Audio/ control head (the tape may be missing the head due to an alignment issue) or there is no pulse coming from the capstan rotor pick up head. This is located next to the capstan rotor under the deck and looks like a small cassette tape head. Check that the capstan is located correctly.
As the fault has happened since changing belts, I imagine it will be something fairly silly!! Check that no plugs have been pulled out of the large board underneath which has to be hinged out of the way to access the under deck.
Also check that the pinch roller is engaging correctly with the capstan shaft.
Good luck
Cheers Nick
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Old 24th May 2017, 5:22 pm   #29
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Hi,

I've had a good look and can't see anything a miss.

If its any help adjusting the blue pot behind the play button does clear the picture up to the point of a band of scrolling interference up/down the screen depending on the adjustment. There is a sweet spot nearly to its full extent where the deck is picture perfect for about 10 seconds then the picture slowly degrades at the bottom (or top dependant of the pot setting) and another band of static scrolls across the screen.

It has to be something that's been disturbed but for the life of me I can't see anything.

I have tried adjusted basically all the pots on the side board, noting and returning them to their original positions but these made no difference, the only one that Capstan pot makes a difference. I'm beginning to think I've fiddled to the point of no return
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Old 24th May 2017, 5:28 pm   #30
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Ignore me, with those symptoms it is unlikely to be the switching point. One "swipe" of the heads is a full field, not a single line.
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Old 24th May 2017, 5:39 pm   #31
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Basic rule (though a bit too late) - pots don't adjust themselves so adjusting them usually won't help cure a fault!
From what you describe in post 29 you're losing your control track pulses. Check and double check the wires going to the bottom board - a plug could have come partially disconnected while you were belt changing - we've all done it. Then follow the wires from the audio-control head and check the plugs' seating. Play a tape and watch the edge as it passes the head - it must be completely smooth. Have you enough back tension? Hard to assess without a gauge, but the tape shouldn't be loose round the head.
Scrolling back I see I've almost repeated what Nick said in post 28. So it must be good advice!
Glyn
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Old 24th May 2017, 6:26 pm   #32
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Don't adjust pots without first using a marker pen to mark the original position. Servo faults can be tricky to sort out, especially with a unit this old. One thing to do is use a pre-recorded tape, by this I mean a commercially recorded film, and put the unit into pause. The freeze frame won't be good on this model, but you should have reasonably stable picture overlaid with a lot of white noise. If the picture is bouncing I think there is a Vsync pot to adjust to help to stabilise the picture. In pause the capstan servo is effectively not running so, if the head speed is ok and the video processing is doing something you should see some semblance of a picture. If you still can't see a picture, you may have other faults!!!

To make matters worse, many modern LCD Tv's don't like the noisy signal you get from a mistracking VCR then just mute the whole thing. If you can, try to use a CRT set without any video mute, it's so much easier to set up a VCR with a noisy output that way.

As far as I can remember the tracking control on these VCR's shifted the phase of the drum servo and not the capstan servo. Hence the picture should sway left and right if you move the tracking control quickly.

The reason I said to use a commercially recorded tape is that these are recorded the full width of the track, and not just half width in the way that many later generation 2head SP/LP units did.

Good luck with it, I wouldn't expect too much as regards picture quality on one of these, they weren't bad but later units with digital servo's and better video heads gave better pictures.

Regards, SJM
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Old 24th May 2017, 7:17 pm   #33
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Just re-reading your posts, this must be something you've done in changing the belts etc. As you said the machine must have been fundamentally OK before you started work. So, provided you've put everything back they way it was.... it should work! I've done the same as you have many times and cursed myself afterwards. Leave the thing, have a drink and approach the job with an open mind, and you'll probably find what you've done wrong. Regards, SJM.
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Old 24th May 2017, 7:17 pm   #34
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Your perfectly right. Even I was telling myself "Never touch a running system" but it is where it is.

I have uploaded a second video https://youtu.be/U6RgIII1r1M showing the best I can get out of it so far but I feel an external repair is needed.

It would make scene for there to be an issue with the timing as this is the pre belt change video and you can almost see the deck "click" into the signal https://youtu.be/bRX4BIAWw3c

Also on the Audio/tracking head, there appears to be a cable missing 2 prong vertical (see attached shield removed) but I cant find any unattached cables.

I've also chased the cables from the Audio head to the base board and all correct. I've re plugged all the cables on the bottom too
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Old 24th May 2017, 7:41 pm   #35
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by samjmann View Post
Just re-reading your posts, this must be something you've done in changing the belts etc. As you said the machine must have been fundamentally OK before you started work. So, provided you've put everything back they way it was.... it should work! I've done the same as you have many times and cursed myself afterwards. Leave the thing, have a drink and approach the job with an open mind, and you'll probably find what you've done wrong. Regards, SJM.
Yeah I know where your coming from. I've totally stripped laptops down and rebuilt them so I know it is all to easy thinking "I'll never forget where that came from".

I think you guys are prefectly right, there is something not plugged in... I'll attach the base board to see if it clicks with someone.
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Old 24th May 2017, 8:21 pm   #36
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Base board
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Old 24th May 2017, 9:51 pm   #37
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Just had a look at your two you-tube clips. The one where this no snowing on the picture shows that the basic alignment of the deck is OK. The second shows the drum servo (video head drum) not locked with the capstan (tape movement) servo. When you pause the machine you should get something like a picture as I mentioned earlier. Looking at the fault I'd say that you are missing tracking pulses. These are derived from the fixed audio control head (ACE). If there is any misalignment of the tape path, the tape may not ride over the ACE head correctly. As you look at the machine playing, if you look very carefully at the ACE head, there are two silver looking sections at the top and bottom of the head. If the machine is correctly mechanically aligned a small part of these two sliver sections should just be visible at the top edge of the tape (the sound head) and at the bottom edge of the tape(the control track head). If the sound is crisp the head is somewhere near right, but that's just a rough guide.

Ideally you need something like a solo piano playing as a test tape, if the servo's are trying to lock, you can often hear this on the sound track. The two terminals you mentioned were I think for setting up. Sorry I'm a bit vague, it's 18years since I last looked at one of these decks.

If you have twiddled the capstan speed pot and the basic speed is now to fast or slow, the servo may not now lock anyway...

Don't get down about it chances are it's something you've done, but don't tweak unless you know what's what.

One last thought, I had the very same symptoms you showed on your clip many years back. It turned out to be nothing more the a dead spot in the tracking control. It was worse in the centre click position, these are on the edge of the pcb and sometimes got bumped.

Regards, SJM

Last edited by samjmann; 24th May 2017 at 9:53 pm. Reason: Poor wording
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Old 24th May 2017, 10:52 pm   #38
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Thanks for the encouragement, When pressing pause the picture is true, with a little bit of interference as expected.

Out of interest, what does that blue pot do behind the play button? There is nothing labelled on the board

Right plan of action for tomorrow! :-

Finding the sweet spot on the Audio/Control head. Should I be looking for the tape to sit in the middle of the head Audio/control head?
Best way to adjust the tape bath height across the A/C head using the left & right tape path guides?

Once it as central as possible I guess looking at the capstan speed pot?

There is no problem with slipping belts or tension
Sadly I don't have a service manual or scope so I'm unable to do precision adjustments / tests.

Last edited by amtrakuk; 24th May 2017 at 11:19 pm.
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Old 25th May 2017, 9:24 am   #39
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Sorry another train of thought last night, I have had the cassette mechanism in and out of the deck about 20 times, is there something I may have missed when seating it back in?

The train of thought is it may not be "aligned" properly causing the control signal not being picked up somehow?
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Old 25th May 2017, 9:48 am   #40
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Default Re: Videostar 3v30 restoration

Quote:
Originally Posted by amtrakuk View Post
Yeah I saw the conversion to LED kits... Until I know the machine is fit and working I didn't want to spend that much.

Luckily a TV repair company in Morley has a lamp and knows with these recorders well. He has a lamp with 1cm of wire - soldering iron and insulating tape time

https://www.ceedees.co.uk/

Also he said he can still get them so maybe worth stocking up if its a reasonable price.
Is the owner called Gordon by any chance? I used to have a service cetre in Morley where I did warranty work for most of the big Japanese companies. I saw my first '3V00' hidden behind a curtain at the Harrogate HI-Fi show. It hadn't been released in the UK at the time and according to the JVC rep it was an NTSC version, though the mechanisms were the same.

It looks to me as if the tracking pulses are missing as mentioned in a previous post. Back tension is critical but with experience it can be judged by reducing the picture height, difficult on a flat screen TV, and watching the lines below the head switching point. If they are shifted left or right the tension is wrong.

By the way, I've got one of those lamps you need, new, unused original.

Some where I also have alignment tapes, torque and back tension gauges as well as two sets of belts, two front pannel operator buttons and one type 'L' replacement video head for the JVC HR7200 series

Last edited by See_Mos; 25th May 2017 at 10:13 am. Reason: Added info
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