I have a JVC cassette deck from about 6 years ago that is one of their
top-of-the-line models -- auto reversing, dual deck, and when it records, it
tests the tape by recording a test signal in order to adjust its bias. Very
nice.

Its one flaw is this: It's not willing to apply much torque to the tape.
If it encounters a tape that has minor mechanical problems, it will flutter
badly or auto-stop when a cheaper deck would have just kept it going.

Being gentle with the tape is probably meant to be a virtue, but I'm needing
to copy a large collection of older tapes in very variable condition.

Is there likely to be an adjustment inside to increase the amount of torque
that it can apply?

It has always been like this, which is why I don't think it's a worn-out
belt, although it's conceivable that it left the factory with a belt too
large or greasy. I've never opened it up.

Thanks!

mc wrote:
I have a JVC cassette deck from about 6 years ago that is one of their
top-of-the-line models -- auto reversing, dual deck, and when it records, it
tests the tape by recording a test signal in order to adjust its bias. Very
nice.

Its one flaw is this: It's not willing to apply much torque to the tape.
If it encounters a tape that has minor mechanical problems, it will flutter
badly or auto-stop when a cheaper deck would have just kept it going.

Being gentle with the tape is probably meant to be a virtue, but I'm needing
to copy a large collection of older tapes in very variable condition.

Is there likely to be an adjustment inside to increase the amount of torque
that it can apply?

It has always been like this, which is why I don't think it's a worn-out
belt, although it's conceivable that it left the factory with a belt too
large or greasy. I've never opened it up.

Thanks!

do you refer to take up torque? (poor take up ). or does the tape
crinkle at the pinch roller in play (excessive torque)? I cant quite
picture the problem.....
-B

Possibly a belt tension issue. Also possibly a motor with insufficient
torque(too small) or a motor speed control (usually inside the
motor)fault. There may me some other issue, like excessive torque load
present in the tape drive, using up the motor torque.
JR

mc wrote:
I have a JVC cassette deck from about 6 years ago that is one of their
top-of-the-line models -- auto reversing, dual deck, and when it records, it
tests the tape by recording a test signal in order to adjust its bias. Very
nice.

Its one flaw is this: It's not willing to apply much torque to the tape.
If it encounters a tape that has minor mechanical problems, it will flutter
badly or auto-stop when a cheaper deck would have just kept it going.

Being gentle with the tape is probably meant to be a virtue, but I'm needing
to copy a large collection of older tapes in very variable condition.

Is there likely to be an adjustment inside to increase the amount of torque
that it can apply?

It has always been like this, which is why I don't think it's a worn-out
belt, although it's conceivable that it left the factory with a belt too
large or greasy. I've never opened it up.

Thanks!




--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth

"mc" wrote in message
...
I have a JVC cassette deck from about 6 years ago that is one of their
top-of-the-line models -- auto reversing, dual deck, and when it records,
it tests the tape by recording a test signal in order to adjust its bias.
Very nice.

Its one flaw is this: It's not willing to apply much torque to the tape.
If it encounters a tape that has minor mechanical problems, it will
flutter badly or auto-stop when a cheaper deck would have just kept it
going.

Being gentle with the tape is probably meant to be a virtue, but I'm
needing to copy a large collection of older tapes in very variable
condition.

Is there likely to be an adjustment inside to increase the amount of
torque that it can apply?

It has always been like this, which is why I don't think it's a worn-out
belt, although it's conceivable that it left the factory with a belt too
large or greasy. I've never opened it up.

Thanks!


Low take up torque has nothing to do with transport speed, so for a start,
we can eliminate that. The transport speed is governed by the contact
pressure between the pinch roller, and how well the tape is made to ' stick
' to the capstan by that pressure. Obviously, the capstan has to be rotating
at the correct and stable speed, but if some tapes play ok, you can pretty
much eliminate that also. Sometimes, excess take up torque can cause
flutter, and sometimes, with some tapes only. This comes about as a result
of the takeup torque overcoming the amount of stick of the tape to the
capstan.

The problem can also be caused by poor freedom of mechanical rotation of the
trailing tape spool. This can be as a result of a dragging reel table or the
table brake not coming fully off, or poor low quality spool mechanics inside
the cassette. This time, the speed variation occurs as a result of the
trailing spool ' tugging ' on the tape, so again the stick between tape and
capstan is reduced, and the tape slips.

If you can run the machine with the deck removed, so that you can get to the
pinch roller arm, you can try pushing some extra tension onto the arm, to
increase the pinch roller / tape / capstan pressure. If this produces a
result, run the deck with no tape in, and see how easy it is to stop the
pinch roller with your finger. If it's very easy, then either the surface of
the pinch roller hasn't got enough friction - they do get ' glazed ' after a
few years service - or there is insufficient spring tension on the arm, or
the arm is being restricted before it is able to apply full spring tension
to the pinch roller. I have seen this occur where there is a mechanical stop
tab, and it is bent slightly out of alignment.

Excess takeup torque problems can be easily identified by stopping the take
up spool briefly, but make sure that there is plenty of space for the tape
to spill out, otherwise it will wrap up around the capstan.

Generally, these faults are fairly easy to identify, but you really do need
to be looking with the deck out, so you can get a good look at the whole
transport path. Good luck.

Arfa

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 01:50:24 GMT, "Arfa Daily"
wrote:


"mc" wrote in message
...
I have a JVC cassette deck from about 6 years ago that is one of their
top-of-the-line models -- auto reversing, dual deck, and when it records,
it tests the tape by recording a test signal in order to adjust its bias.
Very nice.

Its one flaw is this: It's not willing to apply much torque to the tape.
If it encounters a tape that has minor mechanical problems, it will
flutter badly or auto-stop when a cheaper deck would have just kept it
going.

Being gentle with the tape is probably meant to be a virtue, but I'm
needing to copy a large collection of older tapes in very variable
condition.

Is there likely to be an adjustment inside to increase the amount of
torque that it can apply?

It has always been like this, which is why I don't think it's a worn-out
belt, although it's conceivable that it left the factory with a belt too
large or greasy. I've never opened it up.

Thanks!


Low take up torque has nothing to do with transport speed, so for a start,
we can eliminate that. The transport speed is governed by the contact
pressure between the pinch roller, and how well the tape is made to ' stick
' to the capstan by that pressure. Obviously, the capstan has to be rotating
at the correct and stable speed, but if some tapes play ok, you can pretty
much eliminate that also. Sometimes, excess take up torque can cause
flutter, and sometimes, with some tapes only. This comes about as a result
of the takeup torque overcoming the amount of stick of the tape to the
capstan.

The problem can also be caused by poor freedom of mechanical rotation of the
trailing tape spool. This can be as a result of a dragging reel table or the
table brake not coming fully off, or poor low quality spool mechanics inside
the cassette. This time, the speed variation occurs as a result of the
trailing spool ' tugging ' on the tape, so again the stick between tape and
capstan is reduced, and the tape slips.

If you can run the machine with the deck removed, so that you can get to the
pinch roller arm, you can try pushing some extra tension onto the arm, to
increase the pinch roller / tape / capstan pressure. If this produces a
result, run the deck with no tape in, and see how easy it is to stop the
pinch roller with your finger. If it's very easy, then either the surface of
the pinch roller hasn't got enough friction - they do get ' glazed ' after a
few years service - or there is insufficient spring tension on the arm, or
the arm is being restricted before it is able to apply full spring tension
to the pinch roller. I have seen this occur where there is a mechanical stop
tab, and it is bent slightly out of alignment.

Excess takeup torque problems can be easily identified by stopping the take
up spool briefly, but make sure that there is plenty of space for the tape
to spill out, otherwise it will wrap up around the capstan.

Generally, these faults are fairly easy to identify, but you really do need
to be looking with the deck out, so you can get a good look at the whole
transport path. Good luck.

Arfa


Many higher end cassette decks use low torque drives as a means of
lowering the wow and flutter specs.
The manufacturers intention was that only high quality cassette
should be used. i.e. ones with only the lowest friction ratings.
I have and older Nakamichi and a top end Akai that are like this and
are particular as hell about the quality of cassettes run in them.
I usually had best results with Denon tapes or the pro stuff put out
by Loranger industries. Both had high quality bearing mechanisms in
the cassette hubs as well as really good graphite pads in the shells.
If you eliminate the tape drive as the problem take a look at the
condition of the cassettes.(Use the sharpened end of a regular pencil
inserted into the drive hubs of the cassette. If any drag is felt when
rotating the pencil you'll need to replace the graphite pads in the
shell.)

What types of cassettes are you using, exactly? I remember an issue when
tape decks were more widely used, that if you used the 'long-play' tapes (90
minute or 120 minute) tapes you could have slippage and handling problems,
because the tape medium was physically thinner.

Many higher end cassette decks use low torque drives as a means of
lowering the wow and flutter specs.
The manufacturers intention was that only high quality cassette
should be used. i.e. ones with only the lowest friction ratings.
I have and older Nakamichi and a top end Akai that are like this and
are particular as hell about the quality of cassettes run in them.
I usually had best results with Denon tapes or the pro stuff put out
by Loranger industries. Both had high quality bearing mechanisms in
the cassette hubs as well as really good graphite pads in the shells.
If you eliminate the tape drive as the problem take a look at the
condition of the cassettes.(Use the sharpened end of a regular pencil
inserted into the drive hubs of the cassette. If any drag is felt when
rotating the pencil you'll need to replace the graphite pads in the
shell.)

Just what I was saying... New cassettes work fine. I am trying to play some
older cassettes in order to transcribe them to other media. I'll follow up
the other fellow's suggestion that the pinch roller pressure may be
insufficient. I'll also see what triggers the auto-stop and whether
something is making it stop prematurely.

"Michael Ware" wrote in message
...

What types of cassettes are you using, exactly? I remember an issue when
tape decks were more widely used, that if you used the 'long-play' tapes
(90
minute or 120 minute) tapes you could have slippage and handling problems,
because the tape medium was physically thinner.

Most of mine are 90 minutes. I've always avoided the 120-minute ones.

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 10:30:35 -0500, "mc"
wrote:

Many higher end cassette decks use low torque drives as a means of
lowering the wow and flutter specs.
The manufacturers intention was that only high quality cassette
should be used. i.e. ones with only the lowest friction ratings.
I have and older Nakamichi and a top end Akai that are like this and
are particular as hell about the quality of cassettes run in them.
I usually had best results with Denon tapes or the pro stuff put out
by Loranger industries. Both had high quality bearing mechanisms in
the cassette hubs as well as really good graphite pads in the shells.
If you eliminate the tape drive as the problem take a look at the
condition of the cassettes.(Use the sharpened end of a regular pencil
inserted into the drive hubs of the cassette. If any drag is felt when
rotating the pencil you'll need to replace the graphite pads in the
shell.)

Just what I was saying... New cassettes work fine. I am trying to play some
older cassettes in order to transcribe them to other media. I'll follow up
the other fellow's suggestion that the pinch roller pressure may be
insufficient. I'll also see what triggers the auto-stop and whether
something is making it stop prematurely.

You can usually repair a dragging cassette tape by swapping out the
tape spools into a newer cassette shell with good graphite pads and
that'll solve the problem.
Just buy some name brand low bias tapes on sale at your local wal mart
and swap out the spools. You can always swap them back after you get a
decent copy off the old tape.
I've had luck using a light silicone oil swabbed onto the the tape
spools and facing surfaces inside the cassette shell just to get them
to run smoothly for a play or two. Don't overdo the oil though, if it
gets on the tape it's a mess to clean off you tape heads as well as
the tape.( I've got two or three bottles of pure high grade silicone
oil used for the shock absorbers on RC cars that works great for this.
It tends to stick to whatever surface you apply it to and really does
a good job at reducing surface tension)
Just wet the q-tip and rub it on the inside shells and the white
plastic tape hubs and reassemble.
Another problem might be the tape itself. It could have with age
become oily resulting in loss of friction with the drive roller.
Clean your finger tips with denatured alchohol to get off any skin
oils and rub a section of the tape lightly between forefinger and
thumb. If it feels the least bit slippery it's started extruding oils
out of the tape and/or has aqquired a layer of dirt buildup from age.
If so you'll need to clean the tape as well.(I've used denatured
alchohol when I couldn't find a tape cleaning solution. Cotton medical
pads soaked in alchohol will do the trick. You may want to rig up a
set of spindles and a hand crank to make the job bearable.)
There are also services in most cities that'll clean them for you.