Reel-to-reel tape decks (was: Re: ZX81 denigrated!)

From: Tony Duell <ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk>
Date: Wed Dec 1 18:54:14 2004

> > OK, I think I've traced it. A 3rd party user guioe ('The Philips Tape
> > Recorder Book', 1st edition) states that the ST454 is equivalent to the
> > Philips EL3541 and the Cossor CR1602.
>
> Yep - I've just had a look at some photos of the EL3451 - it looks exactly
> the same as the ST454, aside from the case finish (mine is red and white, the
> Philips unit I had a look at was grey).

Right.... It's not suprising things like the case colour and trim
changed.... I think the electronics is much the same...

>
> > 1) The superimpose swtich (turns off the erase head) became a parallel
> > play button (plaus tracks 1 and 3 together).
>
> Mine must be a fairly old unit then; it's got a superimpose switch, not a
> parallel-play button.

I think that makes it a first-series unit. Which means you'll not have
the 16V supply on the Stereo socket. THe book mentions 'This can be
easily modified by any Philips dealer'. Poole and Molloy gives all the
circuits (but spread over 3 books...), it appears to be just a matter of
adding 2 resistors.

Do you have access to Poole and Molloy (say in a good public library
[1])? You'd get a schematic from there, but the official service mnaual
would be worth getting since it'll cover the mechanical side too. I am
glad I got the manual for my stereo machine, some of the things, like
setting up the swtich linkages, are not at all obvious... I got said
manual from Mauritron back when they sold manuals on paper. Now that they
only sell them on CD-ROM, I don't bother with them -- I am not going to
pay out good money for a manual and then have to spend a few days
printing the darn thing out!

[1] At one time main libraries kept said books -- the complete set from
1952 onwards. But based on the number of volumes I've bought in libary
sales, I guess they no longer do...

> > It should do. Left side of the machine. Early models didn't provide the
> > 16V for the pre-amp here, though.
>
> Found it. Left side of the plastic top cover, next to the volume control.
> Listed in the manual as a "Stereo Socket"; appears to be a 3-pin DIN with a
> locator pin in the centre (?!)

Quitel likely. A normal 3 pin DIN plug will fit, and only the normal 3
pins are electricallly used.

> I'm beginning to think the brown staining in the top plastic may be down to
> some foam (or similar) splitting away from the polystyrene lid - it does have

Quite likely. I think origianlly there was a foam pad over each spool
turntable. The idea was you could leave spools on the machine and put the
lid on when you'd finished using it and the foam would keep them in place.

> a "foamy" look to it. Next job after that is fixing the crack in the lid and

If it is polystyrent then dichloromethane will stick it.

> sticking the rexine back down in the areas where it's peeled off...

-tony
Received on Wed Dec 01 2004 - 18:54:14 GMT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.0 : Fri Oct 10 2014 - 23:36:37 BST