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Old 12th May 2022, 1:05 am   #1
RT 1006
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Default Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

I recently acquired a Ferguson 3292 VCR to compliment my 3V29 and early Sharp front loader. The machine itself is in very nice clean virtually unmarked condition and does not appear to have had much use.

Unfortunately it has what seems to be a fairly major fault with the mechanism. I've had a search through various threads on these machines and similar models and it has been suggested that they did tend to suffer from complex mechanical faults in their day.

The trouble with this particular machine is that the pinch roller and erase head/impedance rollers will not fully close up into position. (Picture 1). The tape guides close up ok.

The problem appears to be caused by the pinch and impedance roller actuator arm on the underside of the deck not being pushed back far enough by the deck timing assembly to allow them to move to position (picture 3).

I've spent hours and hours going between stop and play mode by turning the main flywheel by hand whilst studying the mechanism and working out how it all works but I can't for the life of me figure out what is causing the actuator arm not to be moved out far enough to put pinch and impedance rollers into position.

I'm beginning to think that something within the main timing assembly in the top left corner on the underside of the deck has become misaligned or is broken. There is an arm within the timing assembly that is related to the actuator arm mentioned above that appears to have a lot of free movement and doesn't seem to be quite right (picture 4).

I have a bit of experience in electro mechanical devices but I don't really want to go dismantling the timing assembly just yet as that's probably going to involve some major work. Another option would be to buy another machine with the same deck and compare it with mine but that assumes a replacement deck doesn't have any faults of its own and given the prices some of these machines are fetching now I don't really want to buy another one either.

I'm just wondering if anyone who has experience with these decks could suggest a possible cause or point me in the direction of something that I may have overlooked?

Any information would be gratefully received as I'm pulling my hair out with this one!
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Old 12th May 2022, 9:16 am   #2
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

I'm working on a 3v22 at the moment. Your mechanism, which I assume predates the 3v22 (is a 3292 a 3v00?) is basically similar but with some obvious differences.

I will study this machine this evening and find out how the pinch roller is actuated. It might shed some light on your problem.

Cheers
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Old 12th May 2022, 9:59 am   #3
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

i seem to remember the 3v00 doesn't use a microswitch in the pause mode, have i got that the right way round. using pause (without picture) took a lot more effort to push, I will dig a manual out
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Old 12th May 2022, 10:23 am   #4
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

If you have a look at worldradiohistory.com there are pdfs of back issues of television magazine. There's a series of articles on servicing these and 3v00, 3v22 etc. I think its part 2 or 3 that goes into some detail on how the loading mechanism works. There are 3 different versions of the deck, this vcr uses the first version and the articles focus on the second but they are mainly similar. I think the main difference between the first and second is how the pause works (mechanical link vs solenoid). The series starts in the march 87 issue and is called servicing mechanical vcrs.
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Old 12th May 2022, 10:40 am   #5
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

The articles mentioned are very good, but this isn't a machine that's easy to dismantle - well, that's easy - it's the putting together that's difficult!
The problem is probably that the loading of the arms isn't quite finishing which was often due to the gears lacking lubrication then bending slightly. Study the articles then decide!

If you're not in a hurry or get nowhere with this I do have a couple of machines here for spares and I'm passing through Dumfries occasionally...
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Old 12th May 2022, 4:50 pm   #6
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Here's a picture of the mechanism in play mode (note this is the mk3 mechanism so there may be differences but it looks very similar to me). Pic 1 is it in play. Notice how the roller on the left has located into the notch in the timing wheel and the stud with the circlip on the timing wheel has reached the little sloping section. Your pic looks to me like pic 2 which is where the deck is if I stop turning it before the end of the loading cycle. Is the capstan flywheel turning freely at that point?

I'm not sure about the bit you say has a lot of freedom of movement as mine doesn't have it. I do have a machine with this version of the mechanism though so I could check it if needed.
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Old 12th May 2022, 7:29 pm   #7
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

are you sure the tape guides are fully home?they don,t look like it . the most common fault for this was a worn capstan belt . yours does look quite shiny .
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Old 13th May 2022, 12:15 am   #8
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Hello and thank you to everyone for your replies today.

Thank you Birksholt for the pictures and the link to the mechanical restoration series in the 1987 editions of Television. I've been reading through and studying these articles whilst comparing pictures and descriptions to my deck.
My apologies, my picture of the deck in play mode is not correct, for some reason I've photographed the mechanism whilst only part loaded. When fully loaded it does look exactly like your picture No1 with the load arm cam sitting in the notch in the timing gear.
After a bit of time spent this evening it looks like there's almost certainly a problem with the arm highlighted in my forth picture in my initial post. I've put up a clearer picture of it here. The blue and green pencils point to either end of the arm in question and it pivots around the area marked with the red cross. I think your deck will probably have it it's just that it's probably hidden at a different position within your mechanism.
The picture was taken with the deck in stop mode. The arm seems to have a lot off free play. So much so that whilst going through a number of load unload sequences tonight it has moved by about 90 degrees and now appears to have jammed the mechanism!
I'ts looking more and more likely that I'm going to have to dismantle the timing gear assembly to investigate what's going on with that arm. I'm not looking forward to it but it's just going to have to get done.

The original capstan belt was slack so I've changed it for a better one from my box of old used belts. At the moment I'm driving the mechanism by hand so the belts aren't too much of an issue. I want to get the mechanics all fully working first then I'll look at sourcing new belts.

Nick (1100 man) I think the 3292 has the same deck as the 3V00, 3V16 and 3V22 but with some minor differences. From what I understand the 3292 was the first Ferguson VCR available in the UK and was introduced in 1978.

Welsh Anorak thank you for your offer of a spare machine. I'll see how I get on with the fault finding but it is possible that I may need some spare parts depending upon what is going on within that timing assembly. I'm going to be travelling to Monmouth in about 4 weeks time so I'll see how I get on with the deck in the next few weeks.

I'll hopefully get some more time to work on the deck tomorrow evening and will post further updates.
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Old 14th May 2022, 8:52 am   #9
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

I've taken another photo of one of my machines showing where that item should be. The two orange arrows point to the two ends that stick out. It's stopped from rotating in either direction by the two edges marked in green.

I've also marked them out on your picture. The part has rotated clockwise and somehow got past the lip that extends down on the part above that should block it from going in that direction.
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Old 20th May 2022, 12:19 am   #10
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Quote:
Originally Posted by birksholt View Post
I've taken another photo of one of my machines showing where that item should be. The two orange arrows point to the two ends that stick out. It's stopped from rotating in either direction by the two edges marked in green.

I've also marked them out on your picture. The part has rotated clockwise and somehow got past the lip that extends down on the part above that should block it from going in that direction.
Apologies for the late response and thank you very much for taking the time to post the two photographs.

It looks like my suspicions have been confirmed and something within the timing mechanism is either missing or broken causing the highlighted part to move out of position.

The only thing to do now is to dismantle the mechanism to see what the problem is and hope that it's repairable. It doesn't look like that's going to be a very easy job so I've bought a set of coloured paint pens and will colour code the various components prior to disassembly. The good thing is the deck appears to be original and untouched with no indication that anyone has been in there before.

Unfortunately due to a recent bereavement I'm not able to do any more work on this machine at present. Administrators please leave this thread open for the time being as I will return to it and update it as soon as I am able to do so. Thank you for everyone's help so far.
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Old 20th May 2022, 7:20 pm   #11
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Hello. Here are some diagrams I found in the Television magazine in an article about servicing these machines. Let me know if you need the full pdf and I'll post a link.

Regards

Fivos
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Old 14th Jun 2022, 12:01 pm   #12
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Hi,
If you are still looking to get this machine working, or when you have chance to come back to it, my 3V00 has just had the same problem and I have managed to set the mechanism right. I took pictures of what I did as I noticed that it had got into the same state as yours.

It seems to be caused by this screw coming loose (pic 1).

You need to do all the following with the timing gear (the main large white nylon gear) in the stop mode position.

To get to the screw, you need to remove the head drum flywheel and the bracket that carries the pickup head, you can then just about get enough angle to tighten it. Bring the guide rollers and back-tension post to their stop position and hold them there while you tighten the screw. You might need to remove the lever that controls the back-tension arm to do this (pic 2). Don't loose the small bearing that the screw goes through.

Next remove the circlip and washer and unhook the springs (pic 3).

Lift the slide plate off the post that goes through its slot and its stud out of the slot in the plate (pic 4).

Rotate the plate clockwise past the post and all the way until it meets the capstan flywheel (pic 5). You will have to force it past the post but the bracket that the post is on has some flex.

I will continue this in the next post as I can only upload 5 photos to a post.
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Old 14th Jun 2022, 12:02 pm   #13
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Continuing from the previous post.

Push back the loading arm lock lever and rotate this part anti-clockwise as far as it will go (pic 6) then release the loading arm lock lever. The mechanism should now look like this (pic 7).

Rotate the plate back past the the post so that it's lip goes behind the part you previously moved (pic 8)

Reverse the steps in pic 4, 3 and 2 to put the slide plate back in position with the washer and circlip back on and the lever that controls the back-tension arm back on. The mechanism should now work. Test it by pressing the play key (with power removed) and rotating the capstan flywheel by hand.

Hope this is helpful.
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Old 2nd Jul 2022, 2:37 pm   #14
RT 1006
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

This is my first time back on the forum for a good few weeks now so thank you to the administrators for keeping this thread open.
A very big thank you to Birkshot for the detailed posts above, these are going to be very helpful indeed.
I'm hoping to be able to get a bit of time later this afternoon to restart work on the machine and look forward to posting an update on any progress made.
Thanks again for everyone's help.
Kevin.
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Old 21st Jul 2022, 11:29 pm   #15
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Eventually got some time to recommence work on the machine and at last some good news - mechanism all realigned and working.

Followed Birksholt's instructions above but was unable to get enough flex in the post referred to in his pic 5 as it looks like the 3V00 deck may be slightly different. I could probably have removed the post but its base plate appears to be secured by a nut with a large dollop of anti tamper varnish on it so I thought it best to leave this alone.

I ended up having to dismantle part of the mechanism and remove the main timing/actuator assembly in order to re orientate the part highlighted in earlier posts into its correct position.

Removal and refitting wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I colour coded some of the parts with paint pens to make things easier.

I've put some pictures up of how the assembly looked in its misaligned state and how it should be in its normal state.

Now the strange thing is I cannot figure out how or what caused the assembly to become misaligned in the first place as there is not enough free movement in any of the parts in question that would have enabled them to 'jump' over each other which is effectively what had happened. Birksholt suggests that it may be caused by the screw referred to in his pic 1 coming loose but this screw and associated mechanism on my deck was tight and everything still in its correct location. The concern now is that because the original problem is unexplained could it happen again? But if it does at least I know how to put it right!

I've currently got the machine connected to a TV via RF output as don't seem to have anything from the video output. Picture and sound quality are both surprisingly good.

Hoping to get some more time in the coming days to give the deck a good service and will post further updates with progress.
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Old 22nd Jul 2022, 10:40 am   #16
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Glad you got it sorted. I wonder what did cause it to become misaligned. I imagine the lack of video out will be a simple fix, the feed to the video out and to the modulator are common up to the point where the video out feed is taken off through a 75R resistor so there is only this resistor and the physical connections that it can be. In my experience the rf picture is better on these than the one through the video out anyway.
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Old 24th Jul 2022, 12:04 am   #17
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Managed to get some more work done on the video this afternoon.

Cleaned all the heads and guides as well as the various rubber idlers/tyres etc.

I've been pondering over whether or not to get a new pinch roller and belt set however the existing pinch roller appears to be in very good shape. The tape passes between the roller and capstan with no riding up or down so I think I may just leave it as it is.

Some of the belts look like they have been changed in the not too distant past and also appear to be in good order. The only belts I've had to change are the long square section belt on the underside of the deck and the flat belt on the top of the deck, both were a bit hard and stretched so I replace them with some good used ones I had in the spares drawer.

What I have noticed is the above deck load belt rides over the top of the drive motor pulley as in the picture. Not sure if this is normal or not? It's not a problem as such as the deck still loads up ok it's just that it doesn't look quite right. Both the drive pulley and the driven pulley appear to be in the correct positions on their respective shafts. It's an 8mm belt that's fitted. Does anyone know if this is the correct size belt or should it perhaps be a 6mm belt?

The problem with the video and audio output appears to be due to my 1990's Tatung CRT set not liking the video/audio signal from the VCR as my later LCD TV accepts the signal quite happily, strange. For a machine that's coming on for 45 years old the picture quality really is superb.
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Old 25th Jul 2022, 10:31 am   #18
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

ISTR that belt did look wrong back in the day - I suspect that's why there's a handy bracket to stop it falling off when it wears.
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Old 25th Jul 2022, 1:52 pm   #19
RT 1006
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

Quote:
Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak View Post
ISTR that belt did look wrong back in the day - I suspect that's why there's a handy bracket to stop it falling off when it wears.
Ah right so it is the correct belt. I could lift the pulley up the motor spindle a bit but if that's what these machines have been like since new and don't appear to cause any problems then I should probably just leave it as it is.

Any idea where I could source a new belt? It's around 58mm diameter x 8.0. This is the last belt I'd like to change as all the rest are good. 3/4/5mm flat belts are fairly easy to source but finding anything from 6mm upwards is quite difficult. I've tried the usual sources, CPC, Donberg etc.
Kevin
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Old 5th Nov 2022, 11:18 pm   #20
RT 1006
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Default Re: Ferguson Videostar 3292 mechanical fault

As I've been away from this thread for a while I thought I'd take the opportunity this evening to give an update on what's been happening regarding the video.

Since realigning the mechanism as detailed in earlier posts the heads, guides and mechanism has been cleaned and lubricated. Several tapes have been played from end to end and the machine works very well and gives surprisingly good results in terms of picture quality.

With some tapes the preset click stop position on the tracking control gives a good noise free picture but with certain other tapes the tracking control has to be adjusted accordingly and has a fairly narrow band of operation to achieve a satisfactory picture. Not sure if there's some degradation in the servo circuits but the machine is 45 years old after all.

I've noticed recently that the above deck loading belt slips occasionally. It's not a major problem but I'd like to try and source a new one at some point. There is an Ebay seller doing a complete belt kit and pinch roller for these machines but my experience with some Ebay AV drive belts is that a number of them have not been of very good quality.

What's also surprising about this machine is that all the led clock segments are working, though a couple of them appear to be slightly dimmer than the others so I don't know how long they will last.

All in all I'm very happy, it's a nice addition to my collection of vintage electronics, picture quality is excellent and physically it's in superb virtually unmarked condition. I'd been looking for a machine like this for a while because of it's status as the first Ferguson VCR available in the UK. All it needs now is a period TV set to compliment it and I think I've got just the job! - see picture at bottom.

The set at the top is a 1976/77 ITT model CS500/CVC25 chassis. I found this at the local rubbish dump in 1986 when I was a boy, It was floating face down in a puddle of mud, I took it home, hosed it down, let it dry out for a long time, replaced a faulty LOPT transistor (no doubt the reason it was in the dump in the first place) and used it in my bedroom for the next two years.

The set at the bottom is a 1983/84 model Mitsubishi. I found this one lying in some long grass in a field in 1995 when I was no longer a boy. Not sure how it came to be lying in the field but it seems the local litter throwers now prefer to just throw empty McDonalds wrappers and plastic bottles out of their car windows as I haven't seen any TVs lying at the side of the road since . If I remember rightly I think this one had a faulty mains switch.

Both are 20 inch and the picture quality on both sets used to be excellent, especially the Mitsubishi. They've both been sitting in the attic for the best part of 25 years. Neither of them will have been powered up for about 20 years. I'm hoping that if an opportunity exists at the end of the year they might make there way down from their current storage and brought slowly back to life. When I do I'll make them both the subject of a revival thread on here for anyone who might be interested.
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