How to fix a Sony MDS-JE640 Minidisc Deck with recording problems

What can you do if your minidisc deck starts corrupting the TOC and results in a "Blank Disc" or "TOC Error".

[@dominicleung8582]

Thank you for this. I have the exact same problem with my Sony MDS-JB980 deck. Playback is great but recording or making any changes to the TOC bricks the Minidisc. Your video has given me the confidence to open the deck up and have a tinker.

[@KateWard]

TY so much! I was able to fix a MDS-E12 with help from your video.

[@proffessasvids]

Welcome back bruder! Thankyou for that one! I got some twinkle discs after watching your collection vids.... just so I could whisper "wowwwwww" to myself whilst watching her glint in the light. Love you dude. Don't ever stop xx

[@52nenne]

Very informative! Tnx for sharing. I worked on an MC-R30 that wouldn't lower the recording head. The motor driven mechanism had got stuck because of years of collected dust.

[@marcowilka8063]

Very helpful, managed to repair my Yamaha MDX-E100 using this exact method.

[@paulrod0711]

Love your videos, I wish I hadn't sold my Technics SJ-MD 150 Deck it was one of the best. I had problems with my Sony MDS-JE640. Still have all my portables and my CMT-DC-500MD mini Hi-Fi.

[@daanherreman8161]

Great video, very helpful, I have the same problem with an mds jb920 and will try to solve as you showed. Thanks!

[@sophist1cated]

Klasse, das Video kam wie gerufen. Habe einen gebrauchten MDS JE640 der neben dem verschlissenen Riemen auch das Problem hatte. Jetzt läuft der wieder, danke für's teilen.

[@fritzbox9858]

Perfect solve!!!Great man👍

[@independentvoice6686]

Excellent video.

[@hifirulezzz]

Agree, great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@Zuiyo1974]

This was amazing. Will try it on ny Sharp deck which has the same issue.

[@YumOboz]

That's a very useful video. Thanks a lot!

[@hugoherreradiaz459]

Muchas gracias amigo,aprendi bastante

[@filipliekens351]

thanks man good work!

[@sergeys6263]

Отличное и полезное видео! Спасибо автору. У некоторых моих мд дек есть схожая проблема. Попробую применить опыт автора.

[@NeathVideos]

Teac /tascam still make MD recorders to this day,but they are about £400 As for the problem you fixed, I have also done this ,I think on the white plastic shell that holds the head there is a sort of hinge built in to the plastic ,and this gets sticky with age

[@voineadumitru6390]

Thank you

[@h205gtx]

Super vídeo!! Super thanks!!!!! Best video ever!!!! I have the same problem in other Sony unit and I was crazy thinking about what could be the problem... I bought some MD disk cleaners but without a good result... After watching this video now I know where the problem is. I will try it when I can 😇😇

[@wilfredestuardoperezjuarez2676]

Hi friend I have Sony MDS-JB940 and Technics SJ-MD150 with the same problem but I can’t. I live in Guatemala. Greetings friend and thanks for te information.

[@rick601a]

The part you are calling record head is a heater. The heaters wear out and don’t get the disc surface warm enough so moving it closer just makes up for the heater being weaker. The laser unit is still doing both process play and record. Heather is basically setting up a record bias for the surface. Improper heat will cause the record process to be corrupted.

[@freund333]

WRONG! The LASER at the bottom is heating up the disc and the record head on the top is recording the disc. A minidisc is recorded magnetically and a laser can't be magnetic.

[@rick601a]

@@freund333 I was certified technician worked on many of the md units and we we’re taught the bias was determined by the temperature of the coil in the top head which usually changed in resistance and caused the bias to change. The laser is used in both playback and recording. When the coil failed in resistance it would alter the power to the laser pickup for safety purposes. Modify to the circuit can cause failure to the laser assembly. The proper repair was to replace the coil assembly. Last time I checked there was a third party offering the bias coil assembly I’m thinking price was around $25 for the generic one.

[@freund333]

@@rick601a WRONG AGAIN! There is a Sony minidisc in store demon tape that was uploaded by Random Retro. This demo tapes explains exactly how a minidisc works and how the recording process works and it says that the LASER is heating up the disc to that the MAGNETIC RECORD HEAD can write the data onto the disc.

[@freund333]

@@rick601a Here is the part where they explain how the recording works. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4XMknqwg9V7bdE

[@freund333]

@@rick601a This part is better. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4XMknqwg9V7bdE

[@gameworldbg527]

Hello, I have Yamaha mdx-9 recorder, when in playback everything's fine, but when records starts fine and after minute and half or two minutes recording starts to skip, it writes toc normally but recording is not ok. Did you experienced similar problem?

[@ricardoartuz5896]

Hi, where can I find this piece, mine is damaged.😢😢

[@6581punk]

I've bought two recorders now, 1st was supposedly serviced and wasn't, the eject belt was had turned to goo and either not changed or changed without cleaning the pulleys. That wouldn't record as the head had been bent. The second one it seems like someone thought the white plastic tab on top of the head fitted into the holes in the black plastic arm which doesn't move. So that one also now needs fine tuning. I broke one of the record arms, so I have a spare mechanism coming. Seems you cannot trust sellers these days, there's a lot of people messing with things they shouldn't.

[@6581punk]

I've got mine nice and level but I think there's a break so it needs soldering eep.

[@glenembrey1187]

Great video.. Thanks. So.. I bought a second hand Sony MDS-JE470 and had this exact issue. Took it apart to find the Head Over Light is broken off. What do you think the chances are of finding a replacement?

[@johnr4459]

nil unless you buy another 440/470, you may get a dog cheap that works and swap drives, the owh is a nightmare if broken, 440's and 470's are handy if the owner has a 640/770/940 with a shot drive as they are all the same, best chance of a cheaper one is spares or repair with a shot belt, easy fix. your 470 is now a player only.

[@glenembrey1187]

@@johnr4459 Hi.. I managed to get a complete mech from the US for $20 so waiting for it to arrive. Guy said it was working but then stopped and it has a disc stuck in it. From the photos he has sent me it looks like the loading belt has failed. Everything else looks perfect so fingers crossed. :)

[@johnr4459]

@@glenembrey1187 easy to get the disc out, at the back of the drive you will see two white sliders a broad one and a narrow one, give the broad one a wee push, just till it stops, dont force it, it lifts the disc out of play position and towards out slightly, then push the narrow one until the disc comes all the way out, again it will stop at a certain point, install the new belt through the front with a good pair of tweezers, dont worry if you dont get it on the wheels first time.hope it aint out of a 480/980 as they look the same but different

[@glenembrey1187]

@@johnr4459 Thanks for the help John.. appreciate it. The mech coming is from a 470.. same model. Will let you know how it goes. :)

[@glenembrey1187]

@@johnr4459 Got the mech in the post today. Got the disc out of it.. Thank you. Fitted the head over light to my deck and works great. Very happy to be able to record again. 😀

[@h205gtx]

BTW, sometimes, with this problem, my MD disks get irrecoverable. After the TOC error I try them on other MD units but there is no way of reading or formatting them again. Other times I just get the error but they can still be formatted again on other unit... Do you know how could I recover those MD disk or maybe is not a good idea and I just should forget them? :)

[@Matowix]

I wondered the same thing. Did u find the answer ?

[@dominicleung8582]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2O6nKCBnK2dicU This may help

[@Synthematix]

Never replace a minidisc recorder with a HDD recorder, hard drives have an average lifespan of 9 years, minidiscs can last over 50 years.