DAT Digital Audio Tape tape recorder repair

[@sarasartori6859]

Holy crap that board is gigantic. Awesome to think they made these portable.

[@victorcoss2600]

Good songs on that DAT tape at the end. :) I always wanted to get started on DAT myself, still on my to-do list to pickup some decks and tapes. Same type of head concept as a VCR..

[@12voltvids]

There are DAT decks for sale all the time. Both the 2 shown here were sold by the guy that brought them to me. He had me align them before he shipped them out.

[@12voltvids]

I have hundreds of dat tapes loaded with great music.

[@robwebster7406]

Your videos are great, keep up the great work 👍

[@tonyneises5195]

Nice job...always like your videos 👍👍👍

[@budandbean1]

Fascinating... Your brain is filled with all kinds of cool stuff! By the way, what’s a DAT machine? Don’t worry about answering, I’ll google it but seriously, I’ve heard of them but really don’t know what they are. I will have to look it up. :-) Got it, Digital Audio Tape, Wikipedia has some interesting reading. Very cool concept, interestingly the media hasn’t been made since 2012 like you had said. I remember the backup tapes for PC’s and never realized that’s what the were but it totally makes sense. Thanks for again broadening my mind! You Rock! Buddy

[@12voltvids]

DAT Digital Audio Tape. Devoloped by Sony as the replacement for the analog compact cassette. It would provide a bit for bit copy from a CD. The recording inductry had something to say about that and challenged in court. In order to satisfy the record companies a serial copy management chip was added. It would allow 1 copy from a CD, but the tape could not be duplicated digitally. (you could still copy a tape though analog, of you could make your mix tape recording via analog and make as many digital copies as you wanted from that "master" tape but the copies could not be copied. About the same time Philips introduced their DCC (digital compact cassette) in a bone head move designed to confuse the consumer. DCC had the ability to play but not record analog cassette tapes because the tape was the same size. DCC used a compressed audio stream, and did not deliver the quality that DAT did. Because of this confusion, many consumers did not buy into DAT, but the professional market sure did, and DAT became the defacto standard for recording studios and radio stations around the world. Pretty much every CD made from about 1985 right through to the end of tape based recording in about 2007 had DAT involved in some aspect of the production. It was used as the mix down master tape. Musicians would go into the studio and lay down their session tracks, and then head into the mix studio to mix their music. The multi track mix was mixed down to 2 channel and saved, all in the digital domain to DAT. They would make multiple copies. Session original master, duplicator copies and safety copies. Master and safety copies which were digitally identical would be used to make duplication copies which would be sent out to the CD pressing plants to make the CD master. Radio stations used DAT in their automation systems. DAT was also used as high capacity computer backup drives. Worked like a mini VCR, but because the tape was only wrapped 90' head and tape wear was much less than the video cousins. The professional versions of DAT, like the one I have, a Tascam DA40 don't have the restrictive copy protection bullshit that the consumer models were required to have. Because of this record studios could use DAT as session tapes. Rather than have a 24 track open reel recorder, they could use 3 A-DAT (an 8 track version that used a S-VHS tape) or multiple DAT recorders. The consumer version shown here was referred to as R-DAT which meant rotary dat, and the 16 and 24 track studio decks called S-DAT for stationary head) R-DAT could operate in 2 channel and 4 channel mode) A studio could have a couple of regular RDAT machines and simulate a multi track studio. Because the tapes all have time code, multiple machines can be linked to behave as a single, much larger multi track machine. The session work can be recorded onto multiple tapes, with work copies made for session playback while the musicians worked on over dubs and such. Once the session tapes are recorded, the original tapes go into multiple players, and they are played in sync, and mixed to a master tape. This was quite a common setup in home studios where a musician could put in 4 DAT machines or a single ADAT for session and RDAT for mix down. This of course ended with the introduction of Protools, and now everything is done on a computer.

[@budandbean1]

I read this, the first time, with my mouth wide open! This was just amazing to read and really take in so I read it a couple more times to really try to fully understand it. It sounds like it was a great idea that the government got their claws into and screwed it all up. I can’t believe they screwed up machines with chips and other BS. When I was reading the Wiki about this the one thing that did jump out at me was the excellent recording properties. Thanks a lot for the great explanation, I really appreciate your hard work here, this was really an education.

[@12voltvids]

It wasn't the government. They had nothing to do with it. It was the supreme court. The record companies went to court to prevent the sale of these machines in the original form. Just Hollyweed tried to stop VCRs. In the case of the VCR that was permitted, because as an analog format making a copy would degrade the quality,, making a 3rd generation copy would really degrade the quality. You can bet of VCRs were broadcast quality and could make a perfect dub that they would have restricted them the same way, just as digital recording devices are. When was the last time you saw a bluray recorder that could record off TV? You haven't seen them, but they are available in Japan. Just not here.

[@budandbean1]

You’re right, but when I read supreme court I kinda think government... Sucks that any group has that much power that they can dictate these machines and how they are built. I didn’t know that about the Blu-ray machines. Another fun fact.

[@12voltvids]

In Canada we have a law called the Canadian private copying collective. Any media that "can" be used for audio is subject to a relatively high tax. Audio cassettes, reel to reel, DAT, Minidisk CD-R /RW (computer) and CD-r / RW (music) have this tax added at the cash register. Something like .40 per CDR. Doesn't matter if you want to put your family photos on it, you still pay the tax.

[@markmarkofkane8167]

Do they still make those? If not, what will the owners do when they wear out? I think this is cool stuff. I know they don't make VCR's anymore, which is a shame. There are probably tons of VHS tapes that have stuff on them that you can't get anywhere else. Especially personal recordings and special programming. At least turntables are still being made. Thanks for a great video. I love seeing the insides of rare devices.

[@markmarkofkane8167]

American Woman, Long Cool woman in a black dress.

[@12voltvids]

Dat machines went out of production in 2007 when Sony made their last unit. There are still many available on the used market as they were used extensively in the recording, radio and television production industry. Many are fetching prices that are probably close to what they cost when new.

[@claudioherrera9019]

Cool video. As I see you align while playing a tape. It's really necessary to use the test mode on these Sony decks?

[@jarecki83]

How do you align tape path on mini dv camcorder? There are the same screws but I cant move them no matter what.

[@12voltvids]

Mini DV is MUCH more involved but same concept. The head spins at 9000 RPM. and multiple stripes are needed for each frame of video,

[@jarecki83]

Do I need some special tool or screwdriver? I cant adjust these screws, its like they are locked in one position so no one can move it.

[@12voltvids]

They quite often have lock screws to prevent them from turning.

[@dapla999]

Great Video!!! Where are you located? I wonder if you could repair my DTC-690 DAT machine. It needs a new rewind belt and the transistors in the back of the unit overheat and become disconnected from the circuit board at times. For years I've worked on it myself but my eyes and hands aren't what they used to be. Especially on small parts. (I SUIBSCRIBED!!!) I wish i knew why the parts overheat and come disconnected. It also needs a new power switch as well...

[@zx8401ztv]

Somehow i don't think the digital scope would do the job, analog is my favorite. I used to use my old cossor scope for vcr head settings, also handy to see if the tracking control was working correctly. People liked turning the tape guides for some reason, i always started by seating the tape on the reference shelf, then fine adjusting.

[@12voltvids]

My digital scope on't cut it on this. Some high end units may be fine, but not the little POS I have. That is why I have an analog scope as well.

[@timyoung9351]

Maybe you could discuss the settings you use for the scope. My scope is identical to yours.

[@craggercragger8989]

I have A DTC60ES a needs fixing. Does nothing when you load a cassette, unfortunately. Good video!

[@Madness832]

Just picked up a DTC57ES. It will open the door, take in a cassette & drop it into place (& eject again). But it will not pull the tape out (guides frozen).

[@danieldaniels7571]

Madness832 I have a DTC-A7 that’s doing the exact same thing. After watching this I think I’m going to send it to a qualified tech

[@video99couk]

You could use the proper alignment tool. It looks like the tool for 8mm video alignment would fit those guides properly. I use one frequently for "misaligning" an 8mm deck to match bad recordings. I've never had to re-align a DAT deck, not yet anyway. I have a Sony DTC960, Sony PCM-7040 and Tascam DA-30MKII which is probably my favourite.

[@12voltvids]

I don't have a guide post alignment tool. I did have a set back when I worked in the shop, but they belonged to the shop and I wasn't able to 5 finger discount those when I was packing up my tools. I got pissed at the owner and quit on the spot, so the owner stood there and watched me collect my tools. I was able to pocket a few things that were within arms reach, but nothing that was on the tool shelf.

[@video99couk]

@@12voltvids Oh dear, that ended acrimoniously then! I was given a full VCR alignment toolkit by our local [insert name of well known Japanese company here] service centre when they stopped working on video equipment about five years ago. Even though they didn't specialise in 8mm equipment, the VCR alignment toolkit fortunately included one. I suppose it wouldn't actually be that hard to fabricate a suitable tool, or even 3D print one.

[@12voltvids]

Screwdriver gets the job done. Some VHS machines used a 1.5mm hex key as the adjustment tool.

[@nickfatsis9607]

If you really wanted to, you could get a flat blade screwdriver that's as wide as the guide post, you could then grind a slit into it to custom make a tool.

[@SlaabMelg]

I have Fostex PD-4 in need of service...can I send it to you?

[@THEtechknight]

How does auto-tracking or even tracking in general actually work on these helical scanned drives? That is the one thing I never understood about the operation of these type of tape drives and VCRs. when you adjust the "tracking" control, or the MCU auto-tracks the system, what is it actually doing? is it a mechanical thing it does? or does it just adjust the speed of the drum?

[@12voltvids]

There are 2 types of auto tracking. DAT, 8mm and DV uses auto track finding, bu means of a special signal recorded on the tape.. VHS used a an envelope detector to look at the RF level coming off the hifi audio heads, if there was no hifi, then the system looked at the signal off the video heads and just hunted till the strongest signal is reached.

[@THEtechknight]

I figured there was a signal involved, but what does the machine "do" to bring it in? does it physically move the tape up and down? or does it just simply change the drum speed in a servo loop? I am not sure.

[@12voltvids]

Fisher machines (older top loader) used to vary the drum phase, as did the old belt drive Betamax and 3/4" decks. The rest of the VHS and 8mm vary the capstan motor phase slightly.

[@JacGoudsmit]

Is your measuring equipment connected to the isolation transformer or to mains? If mains, doesn't the case still get grounded through the measuring clips that are grounded inside the oscilloscope?

[@12voltvids]

The scope floats. It is not grounded to earth ground.

[@عليحمدان-د7ط]

ار جو ان تبي لنا بالشرح المطول كيف تقوم بتوصيل مسباري جهاز الراسم (الاسلسكوب) اي من اي مكان يتم التوصيل وكيف وشكرا لك ايه الشيخ

[@ivanordonezmartinez2508]

Greetings. Is it possible to make this adjustment by ear ? Placing some headphones and adjusting smoothly until you heard the best sound possible ? Thank you.

[@12voltvids]

Yes you can get close by ear, because when the alignment it bad the sound will be very choppy and cut out.

[@skwergs]

Dave... would using a tape with tones (like a 1Khz sine wave) on it make it easier to "view" the alignment?

[@12voltvids]

No you are looking at RF just like a VCR

[@shaun9107]

I would have to line one up manualy , same as VHS , No scope , no pope lol

[@12voltvids]

The guy that owned it tried that. He failed. I have a 3rd machine of his now.

[@shaun9107]

@@12voltvids It can be a bit tricky sometimes

[@satman6124]

Do you still repair DAT recorders ?

[@12voltvids]

Yes

[@satman6124]

@@12voltvids how do I contact you ?

[@caroman6761]

You should start an election, when your Cat should come with here MIAU, before your intro or classic after. My choice is after ;-)

[@richardthompson9552]

Still in business...?

[@12voltvids]

I still work on equipment. It been about 20 years since i was in the business.

[@BryanJohnson4891]

Hey 12voltvids, my ES1000 is suffering from the same issue - is there a way I can pay you to fix it? Taken it to several people and nobody could fix it… it’s fairly treasured as was my grandfathers

[@bobjerome5390]

hi to all the main place in the uk you can't get sony parts any more is there any one in the usa it people like us is killing the part game i am in need of sony dat parts teac tascam is uk for bob

[@kardeef33317]

Lol