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Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc.

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Old 25th May 2016, 12:35 am   #1
GWR1971
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Default Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Hi chaps,

I have a Sony SL-F30 that was working perfectly until today. When I went to eject, the tape unthreaded, the cassette shell lifted, but then everything stopped dead. It sat in this state for a few seconds, and then the cassette dropped back down in the loaded position and the tape re-threaded.

Playback operation is completely normal, but it just won't eject properly. Is this going to be a repair that relies on unavailable parts? I do have another F30 with a failed Hall effect sensor, but I'd obviously prefer not to have to cannibalise that if possible (with a view to ending up with two working F30s).

Any advice greatly appreciated!
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Old 25th May 2016, 11:01 am   #2
GWR1971
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

And here's video of what the mechanism is actually doing: F30 unloading problem
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Old 25th May 2016, 12:07 pm   #3
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Worth a check on the Beta website.www.palsite.com
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Old 25th May 2016, 1:34 pm   #4
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

That looks to me as if it is jamming up on something. If the machine cannot complete the unloading cycle, it will re-load the tape to avoid leaving it half-loaded. If you can't see what it is jamming on in the time the machine is trying to unload, press eject, wait until the mech jams up, then pull the plug. This will give you more time to have a look around. When you power up again, the machine will just re-load the tape.
Mark.
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Old 25th May 2016, 1:41 pm   #5
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

I don't know this machine but it appears it could be something as simple as a belt slipping. You can see the cassette housing is at least making an attempt to lift but stalling.

John.
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Old 25th May 2016, 2:19 pm   #6
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Normally John, I'd agree with you, but it's a toothed belt on this machine.
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Old 25th May 2016, 2:52 pm   #7
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Can't be seen from the video clip, but are the flaps opening on the front of the machine?
If they don't, the cassette is prevented from escaping and gets reloaded.
It's easy to get the machine to attempt to load without a tape by moving the sensor plates on the carriage.
This will then immediately try to eject and you should see the sequencing of the cradle and flaps etc.. Be prepared to get your fingers out of the way quickly!

Pete
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Old 25th May 2016, 3:25 pm   #8
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

There are a couple of micro switches on the cassette compartment. Make sure those are clean and also check the alignment of the three gears. If they are misaligned, the tape will never eject and you will end up with broken gears.

Fivos
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Old 26th May 2016, 1:24 am   #9
Libratron
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

+1 Fivos.

Check the leaf switch on the FL assy, and the alignment of the FL.
Try to simulated a loading cassette, without the cassette.
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Old 26th May 2016, 8:12 am   #10
1955APREN
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Hi
I would go for what Dangerman says remove the front part of the cabinet
then press the eject button if the cassette coms out, look if the arm that lifts the flat as broken or just fallen out.
Regards Derrick
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Old 26th May 2016, 11:57 am   #11
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Thumbs up Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Quote:
Originally Posted by dj_fivos_sak View Post
There are a couple of micro switches on the cassette compartment.
Actually there's only one on the F30 on the right hand side

Kev
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Old 26th May 2016, 2:16 pm   #12
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Thanks for correcting me on that. I have a T30 which has two of them.
I didn't know Sony did that kind of upgrade with the 711B2 chassis.
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Old 26th May 2016, 3:13 pm   #13
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Fivos,

the FL of the T30 is the same, of the SL-C30 or SL-HF100.

Libra
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Old 26th May 2016, 7:10 pm   #14
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

The F30 makes the difference because it uses the 711B2 chassis. The T/C30 uses the 711B chassis.

Fivos
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Old 26th May 2016, 8:03 pm   #15
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

I speak of the FL not the chassis.
Obviously the chassis are not the same

Libra
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Old 27th May 2016, 10:17 am   #16
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Actually the F30 is a nice Sony to work on and remove items because they made things simpler and not too complex in certain areas. If you work on say a HF100 around the gear box and insertion mechanism and then on to a F30 you will see what I mean.Not so many boards either (but I do understand the HF100 has more features).

Kev
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Old 27th May 2016, 2:29 pm   #17
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Every 711 type of chassis is hard to work on due to the small plastic pieces and parts. The 710 chassis (SL-C6/T6) is very bigger and heavier but it's easier to work on. The easiest mechanism I've worked on is the Sanyo VTC 5000/5550. The 1981 Sanyo 5300-5410 models are very complex machines!

Fivos
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Old 28th May 2016, 11:13 am   #18
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

As is typical with Japanese electronics, they find ways to make things simpler and less bulkier that must prove more cost affective too.
For example, look at the HUGE Sanyo VTC9300 and then look at the VTC NX100 (or an even better example from Sanyo would be their 7250 Superbeta model as they got things even slimmer.
Then again look at the Sony Sl8000 and then the SLF30.You can see huge strides made their.
The only negative with the Sony's in that respect is the over use of tiny plastic made parts which crack and break over time. Sanyo somehow managed to avoid this, but kept rubber belt usage which also deteriorates with age but is easier to source thankfully.

.......Kev
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Old 28th May 2016, 5:20 pm   #19
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Well said Kev. You can't even compare the 1978 VTC 9300 with the 1981 VTC 5300 or the 1978 SL-8000 with the 1981 SL-C6! The differences and improvements that were made in between these three years were huge! The earlier models of Beta VCRs used a single 100 volt AC motor that drove everything in the mechanism including the video head disc!

Fivos
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Old 29th May 2016, 11:41 am   #20
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Default Re: Sony SL-F30 not unloading

Another thing worth mentioning concerning Sanyo and Sony later models.
Sanyo eliminated totally the use of solenoids with their first lightweight VTC 5000.The loading ring carried out all these functions as it whirled into position. This also must've lowered the cost to produce substanciously. (They did this at just the right time too as the VTC 5000 was the best selling Beta and vcr in 1982/3 gaining them a 15% total vcr market share. A real shame then around 1984 Beta's share was dwindling really badly around 7.4 %).
Sony didn't and kept one for use with the loading and lacing mechanism.(a bit of a backward step there).

.....................Kev
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