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JVC VCR won't load tapes

J

John Z.

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi everyone,

I am having some problems with my JVC VCR. I have read in previous
posts where those who were kind enough to help asked us to be specific
about the problems (as well as confessions of what we did to our
machines before coming here to beg for help). I would very much like
some help and here is my confession (please forgive me for any unknown
repair sins...):

I bought a JVC HRD-720U VCR about 6 months ago at Goodwill. The price
tag was $5.00 with the classical saying "AS IS No Return". Heck, $5.00
won't even buy a movie ticket and the JVC VCR was heavy, solid, stereo,
and had peak level meters (when was the last time you saw peak level
meters on a VCR?). So I bought it and took it home to see if I could
resurrect it.

The tuner picture was snowy so I checked the RF section and replaced a
couple of dried up electrolytics. Picture looked real good after that.
This VCR had the classic JVC "linkage pin falling out" problem with the
left guide post. I glued the pin back in place. I went to load a tape
and the machine played fine until I went to eject the tape when the
tape stopped "half way out of the loading basket (loading mechanism). I
loosened the four screws that held the basket to the tape transport and
fully ejected the tape after lifting the basket off of the transport. I
manually turned the loading motor to make sure the transport (The
roller pins, etc.) was completely backed off into the "tape-unloaded"
position. I did the same for the basket and then re-installed basket
onto the transport. Walla! The machine worked perfectly-----for about 3
months...

Now the VCR started to have trouble loading a tape (It would not let
the tape fully down onto the transport and would eject it). So I
removed the basked and reset everything again (reset the basket and the
transport. Annnd Walla! It doesn't work (aww poop...).

What happens now is that the VCR's basket (loading mechanism) will load
a tape all of the way down onto the transport, but as the transport
tries to engage you can hear it bind (lock) up (there's a clunk when it
locks up and the loading motor bogs down as it spins agains the taught
belt). I can see everything on the transport start to move (like maybe
1/32 of an inch) then stop. After the the motor strains against the
locked up transport for about 4 seconds, the machine shuts off. If I
leave the tape in and turn the machine back on it immediately tries to
load the tape (which it won't because the transport locks up) and then
shuts-off after about 4 seconds). So I removed the tape and turned the
machine on (without a tape in the basket), but the VCR "thinks" there
is a tape there and still tries to load a tape then shuts off after
four seconds.

I tried to locate a mode switch, but I cannot seem to find one on this
transport. there is an optical position sensor mounted on the side of
the basket, but I am not used to seeing a mode switch there (is that
the mode switch on this machine?).

I'd really like to get this thing going again as it is a really well
made VCR. I was planning to use it with MY JVC HRD-910U that I bought
brand new back in 1990s (For the bargain price of $369.00). My 910U is
on its second set of belts and still going strong. I had hoped the 720U
would be as solid. Any help would be much appreciated. I do not have a
service manual, or schematics.

That's as much detail as I can think of to type.

Thanks in advance if you can help me out,
John
 
L

Laurence Taylor

Jan 1, 1970
0
John said:
What happens now is that the VCR's basket (loading mechanism) will load
a tape all of the way down onto the transport, but as the transport
tries to engage you can hear it bind (lock) up (there's a clunk when it
locks up and the loading motor bogs down as it spins agains the taught
belt). I can see everything on the transport start to move (like maybe
1/32 of an inch) then stop. After the the motor strains against the
locked up transport for about 4 seconds, the machine shuts off. If I
leave the tape in and turn the machine back on it immediately tries to
load the tape (which it won't because the transport locks up) and then
shuts-off after about 4 seconds). So I removed the tape and turned the
machine on (without a tape in the basket), but the VCR "thinks" there
is a tape there and still tries to load a tape then shuts off after
four seconds.

I tried to locate a mode switch, but I cannot seem to find one on this
transport. there is an optical position sensor mounted on the side of
the basket, but I am not used to seeing a mode switch there (is that
the mode switch on this machine?).

Google fpound me two pages that might be useful to you:

http://www.avrepair.info/faults/JC110114.HTM and
http://www.hamradio-badarc.co.uk/video/vcr2/ittjvcvcr.htm , worth
having a hunt round.

Most JVC/Ferguson VCRs of that era used the same mechanism, so faults
and solutions will be similar (though component references may differ).

A common fault is that the optical sensor gets gunged up with old
grease and accumulations of dirt; remove it and replace, if you can
get one, otherwise give it a good clean with an old toothbrush or
similar. Also watch out for wear in the nylon; worn cams can upset the
operation but not be visible to the naked eye.

You have put new belts in, haven't you? A poor loading belt can give
the impression of jammed mechanics because of the loss of torque.


--

rgds
LAurence

...."Pieces of Nine, Pieces of Nine" - Parroty error!
 
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