Sony DTC750 DAT with One Thing After Another Wrong With It

[@SergZak2023]

Sense of accomplishment is a motivation on these repairs. Great job, Dave!

[@12voltvids]

I have a soft spot for DAT. It is one of my favorite tape format that i used extensively.

[@12voltvids]

@Taco Better than CD quality in 48KHz sample mode.

[@yuritovbin8953]

He did it again. And hopefully will do so many times over in the future, raising old/broken electronics from the dead. Thank you, David

[@12voltvids]

Yes it was a fun one, but working great now.

[@greggaieck4119]

What a Kool Sony dat dtc750

[@greggaieck4119]

Some one didn't no what they were doing that wood make me mad 👺👺👺👺👺👺👺

[@matthiash.4670]

Just a quick advise: I tend to replace the head amp. caps with ceramics (0805). They are cheap nowadays and will never leak. Also they are way smaller than electrolytics. And because the caps are just bypass caps, it's a quick and easy solution with even better bypass capabilities.

[@12voltvids]

I replace with what i have on hand. Not about to order in a couple $ worth of parts and pay 20 in shipping because they might last a few years longer. As long as they last long enough then I am good. The originals lastedbiver 20 years. Do you really think these decks will still be in service by the time the new ones fail?

[@matthiash.4670]

@@12voltvids it's as you said: I have that on hand, in contrast to very small electrolytics. So I replace with ceremics, because there's no fiddling around with it. Even new SMD electolytics will last for decades. But I just found SMD ceramics are just the best solution here, because it's simple and very fast. I never saw anyone doing so. Sometimes the people are even open up the cans to make room for there huge caps. What a hack of work!?

[@phillanassa759]

I still have my DTC59-ES from 1994/5 bought brand new. Has about 50 hours on it, Rosewood sides works like a charm. The only issue I've had with it is the foam head cleaner pad disintegrated. Clogged the drum and heads. Quick clean and back in business. It's seen around 10 tapes, all Sony. Had a 77ES, sold it, liked the 59ES better. Nice to see an old timer still out here and willing to work on these. Takes patience and logic skills, which you have. Many folks won't touch these. They aren't that bad after the first one, essentially a camcorder/VCR type transport. The ES units use better parts, less Nylon, which break in lesser Sony's. Rock-On!

[@12voltvids]

I have a pair of 75es rosewood sides a 680 I think and a pair of tascam da40. A fee portables too. Have about 200 tapes kicking around.

[@stephendevore3902]

Movie Night.You put that DAT in a headlock and would not let it go until it started singing 🤣🤣🤣 What is nice is everything I was dealing with during the 1990s and into the 2000s with all my electronics has virtually been explained. So I'm vindicated it was not me it was the rot of certain components to in my case of overuse. I turned all electronics into crash test dummies. The stresses on ever level you diagnosed and fixed.The last thing you worked on in this video had been recurring problems with my equipment and never thought about cracking or cracked circuit boards. At least this has put to rest problems I had always were in the back of my mind. Thanks. GOOD VIDEO 😎

[@richardh100]

I remember the first time I used a hot air soldering station I blew half the components of the board great hehe Great video that wasn't a long video It was a real time video thanks again dave.

[@12voltvids]

Much was cut actually.

[@nzflyb0y]

Thats seriously going down the rabbit hole. Well done climbing back out the other side with a working machine. I got my DTC-750 and a PCM2300 cheap 2nd hand in New Zealand. Almost identical units, but 2300 is the Pro version and both had head amp issues. I tried recapping the 2300 like how you showed- which worked for a while, but then the distortion came back. I didn't have the bravery to go any further so I sent the mechanism (which had high milage and was really sluggish) to Pro Audio Revival in Romania- who repaired it good as new for a fair few $$$, but it was worth it. He said my head amp repair had been ok, but apparently the pcb was faulty with bad traces, so he replaced it but with new caps. So now nice snappy, perfectly aligned mechanism- which I switched into the 750, runs great. Now I need to tackle the other mechanism (originally from the 750) and its head amp. Although the mechanism is in much better condition than the 2300 one- the reel torque is weak. Often it doesn't have enough to wind the tape- happens in all Rewind, Fast Forward and Play modes- sometimes just stalls, then the unit senses this and stops by itself. Some tapes wont fast wind very far in either direction, when in Play or Record I have seen the tape loop bulging out after the capstan as the takeup couldn't wind on. Any ideas what I should be looking for, how to fix this?

[@captianbubble]

Woo hoo! Second comment for me! Great job as always! I always look forward to watching your amazing repair videos! What I meant to say is second comment from me for watching this video alone! Good job for rescuing and fixing the.DAT tape player! God bless you sir.

[@waleed9128]

man, alot of faults in this one yet were solved by the Master himself. thanks for sharing, it was a pleasure to watch.

[@christopherbuck7679]

Wish you lived in the UK. Just bought a Sony A8 with a problem, so for parts. Apparently the tape plays but no sound, so likely the pre amp you show repaired, fingers crossed. Nice video love the way you work through stuff. Cheers regards Chris

[@michelk1445]

Just found you’re channel, what a great video is this. Love it.

[@brunolagace1135]

My friend you did a great job repairing this Dat!

[@12voltvids]

Thanks. DAT guy strikes again!

[@BoB4jjjjs]

You earned your keep with that one, Dave! I think I would have lost hope with it, but then when things become fiddly, I lose patience fast. Never worked on a DAT machine, it is unlikely that I will. Just as well you know your way around them!

[@12voltvids]

Mechanically they are like a mini VCR. I love the old DAT format.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

@@12voltvids They didn't appear to catch on here! They were around but tended to be smaller.

[@12voltvids]

@@BoB4jjjjs No only the serious home recordists liked them, but the professional market did use extensively. Used extensively in recording studios around the world and in TV / film production and radio stations. They had multi track versions that used 8mm video cassettes as well, and svhs cassettes. Many a small studio had a pair or 4 8 track day synced together and would cut records on them and then mix down to 2 track to a standard dat tape which was sent out to the CD pressing plant. This was the standard until qbass and protools became the standard and everyone went tapeless. For 20 years dat was the standard. There are millions of them around.

[@BoB4jjjjs]

@@12voltvids OK, maybe that is why I didn't see many around, I can see some advantages to then, but usually it was big 1" tape machines (was it 1"?) 8 track reel to reel machine. Or was it 16 track? Never stopped to ask, but they were big tapes! But that would explain a lot. I did see someone use a small tape machine, it may well have been one of those, but I was busy and didn't pay too much attention to what they were doing. OK, thanks for your reply, I live and learn something every day :-))

[@12voltvids]

@@BoB4jjjjs there for many different formats that used one inch and sometimes even 2 in wide tape. Recorders which was very common in recording studios that the session tapes were recorded on analog multi-track and then they were mixed to digital and when they were mixed digital they were put on to a 4 mm dat tape. There were multitrack digital recorders that used small cassettes some used a high eight tape others would use a VHS type tape the units that we used to VHS tape were called an A-DAT. 4mm dat or r-dat as it was also known was the 2 / 4 track versions. There was also high bit rate dat which used the same tapes but ran it faster speeds and recorded higher resolution 24-bit. Those tapes however are not compatible with the standard digital audio tape format which is what this is. Consumer format machines use the serial copy management system to prevent piracy by only allowing one generation but the professional decks such as the tascam da30d40 etc have the option to turn off the serial copy management which made them useful in a studio environment. Multiple decks could be synced together because they all run with time code so you could have a bank of recorder players and when linked together all the players would be playing back in sync while your recorder was recording so it could operate as a multi-track system so your performance could listen to the session that had previously been recorded while adding another session and I don't know how many could be linked I know you can link several of the pro machines together and then they could all play back in sync and be mixed down through the mixer. The consumer version of course was stripped down it did not have all the features but the pro decks or actually pretty well made and were used extensively in audio production right through to about 2006 are there about when the transition to hard drive based really took over. Was actually probably a little earlier than that 2002-2003 that the hard drive based recording really took off because by 2006 they stopped making dat machines. there are tons of bootleg recordings floating around that were recorded on dat because the portables were so small. you could smuggle one in to a concert and make a very good sounding recording with just a stereo microphone.

[@dktr2]

Thanks for the great movies, thanks to them I didn't give up and fixed my 57ES, it probably had every possible malfunction: leaked capacitors in the preamp, cold solder in the power supply, deteriorating sponge that dirtied the head, detached felt after which double-sided tape remained sticky and blocked the mechanism. I think I dismantled the mechanism about 20 times myself :)

[@12voltvids]

Fun times

[@narutonish]

DAT repair are my favorite. I love anything DAT related. I have a Panasonic 3700, 4100 Sony tcd D3 D7 D8,A7.. walkman dt1, tascam Da30mkII.

[@The5thduke]

one of your best in my opinion

[@ColdSphinX]

11:32 that white part on the side, that holds onto the pin of the tray does not grab it when in end possition. By swapping that tray you reseated it and that fixed it not the swap. Good comparison shot at 12:17

[@12voltvids]

Even when I put the tray on the parts mechanism it was fer looser than the replacement.

[@petewmids]

Hi Dave. Great video as always. I love how you work through problems to get a machine working, and I have learned a lot from you. The one thing that seemed to puzzle you was that the original tape tray seemed to be 'floppy' and loose, but it seemed OK when you detached it from the transport mechanism? I think I might have an explanation..... You had identified that the timing mechanism on the side was out of alignment so you removed and refitted the bracket which slotted into the big timing gear wheel.. At 9:23 you are tightening the screw to hold the bracket and it looks like the two pimples on the frame were not aligned with the holes in the bracket either side of the screw hole. As a result the bracket went back on slightly out of line with the frame which meant that the rest of the mechanism didn't line up. I would love to know if you think this could have been the issue.

[@12voltvids]

No, because they are seated and the bracket is still lose on the donor chassis.

[@petewmids]

@@12voltvids Dave - thanks for your reply. The reason I said that it didn't look properly seated is that the bracket didn't appear to sit flat against the frame - you can see what I mean at 13:06. But obviously it's not easy to tell from a video. Keep the videos coming - they are the highlight of my viewing!

[@GeorgeGeorge-xj2bc]

In another Sony DAT model once had filtering capacitors problem around the linear regulators and when the electromagnets activated the mechanism stopped.Also in the mechanism some plastic washers that holding sliding parts were broken and loading action was jammed.Microswitches might have poor contact also,but in general DAT's seems that are repairable enough.

[@zx8401ztv]

Well done dave, i knew you would fix it with all the knowledge/skill you have with them. I knew there had to be a capacitor involved lol, but i didn't expect so many to be dead. All in the head amp processing, If that other deck is yours, maybe fix the cassette tray when you have more time. A handy spare :-D Loverly weather, just like being in the uk lol.

[@jasonwragg200]

Amazing repair! and fascinating to watch.

[@hugoherreradiaz459]

Tus videos son geniales amigo He aprendido mucho contigo He aprendido a desarmar los mecanismos de mis Dat Infinitas gracias

[@MrJuanjnc]

Thank you so much, I just fixed my DTC-790 that was having this "caution" message for a while now. This is a purchase I made in 1996, it always worked like a charm until I left it unused for a couple of years. I spent some time last year trying to fix it following your advices on the 790 videos with no luck (cleaning the switches). I haven't been able to throw it away anyway. So I decided to make another attempt yesterday and finally found this video which gave me the solution, beside loading issues (some bushing had went away from a lever) this black gear was in same situation than yours. Is there any way to get replacement bushing, I have one missing ? Let the music play (again).

[@VeritasKonig]

Lovely video! What music are we sampling there? The unit I have here has a really dim display.....please tell how to fix it???

[@ladamurni]

It is a long video indeed, i watched half of it. The rest some other time. I know it is not easy to edit a video down to lets say 20 minits if there is a lot of work envolved, I have the same with my video's. Thank you for the upload, I have learned something today.

[@12voltvids]

I will make shorter versions, specifically dealing with the separate faults this unit experienced. One for the mechanical fault, another for the capstan and a 3rd for the preamp.

[@gregkendall2019]

@@12voltvids I like the long video format as it shows that you have to keep checking and testing to make sure you've found all the defects. I also can see that short videos specific to one fault condition will help the person who is looking for "how to do I fix this specific issue". Great work, I always learn something new from every one of your videos.

[@SonnyKavanagh]

Incredible repair

[@MetalGreggNY75]

I have all my recording projects from Middle TN State on DAT. I was hoping at the time to get them on CD….but then I was wondering if I could get a DAT machine for playback….but since my projects are from 95-98….trying to get a DAT deck as from watching this repair video might be a useless purchase.

[@dominikgs]

I have a sony dtc 55es someone sprayed some kind of oil in and the drum has little marks of rust which i think leads to the tape sticking to it. And it has other problems too. I got it so far that it loads and unloads. I cleaned the reel assembly and repaired the breaks. Do you think it is fixable when the drum has little rust pickles from that crappy foam cleaner that crumbled? I like your videos keep up the great work.

[@hadireg]

I love this channel!!

[@video_recuerdos2186]

Well, this comment you make here, is from two years ago, but nowadays people are indeed paying hundreds of dollars for properly functioning DAT decks. I just sold one of mine, a Sony DTC-A6 (not particularly a high end machine) for $350.00. I still have a Pioneer D-05 which has 44.1, 48, and 96kHz encoding. Happy fixing!

[@12voltvids]

There are 3 right now available locally for 50 - 75 each.

[@mmx23i]

Great job! Haven't seen for you to adjust the backtension screw. Is not necesarry in every case?

[@12voltvids]

I don't have an tension tape, so there is not much point in touching it.

[@mmx23i]

@@12voltvids I've asked because on another DAT video from you, where you have fixed an DTC-60ES, kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6POo6SKl9GIjrs, at 18:49 you are adjusting the backtension screw by tighten it completely and then unscrew it about half turn. That settings I've read on multiple other forums and websites. Isn't the settings common for all Sony's DAT tape transport type with belt driven gears?

[@12voltvids]

@@mmx23i normally that screw is paint sealed and I leave it alone. On that one one someone had already been in the unit. The only way so set it accurately is with a backtension gauge tape.

[@svenschwingel8632]

That thing was called 57ES (!) in Europe. I bought one as well for a few bucks which turned out to be a lost cause. I feel kinda sad for the tape. The yellow lid indicates a Maxell Pro series DAT cassette which were of top-tier quality. I can take one of these today, record it on a ZA5ES with 4700+ hours and get consistently low error rates during playback. No other DAT tape besides the Sony PDP-C series is able to do that today. No wonder Ampex put these Maxells in their 467 Mastering Cassette Packs along with the aforementioned Sonys.

[@harry.lassche5423]

I have noticed that a DAT-specialist in Germany said do not take Maxells with the yellow lid. They can destroy a head, because of a spring in it? So, I have got a box full of these things, I do it with Sony's PDP.

[@svenschwingel8632]

@@harry.lassche5423 who is that specialist?

[@mike311271]

wow u worked hard on that Mr DAT lol

[@Itsjacobytime]

Hey David! Ive been watching your videos trying to fix my tv and they are great! I have a broksonic 13” vcr tv combo that seems to not want to show picture but the sound works just fine. Its just white and black fuzz. Ive cleaned video heads and everything but still no picture just fuzz. Are the heads bad? Any ideas on how to fix?

[@PedjoGT]

This all is standard procedures fot that really bad sony mecha...but it is nice that you record a video....for that work in Croatia i ask for about 80$ ....what is your us price?

[@12voltvids]

These were the lower end mechanisms compared to the others but they get the job done.

[@oldguy8177able]

incredible,i think that is the most damaged unit i've seen you repair.

[@angelodagnolo984]

Love your Vids, started out life on this road but thought sod this.... so, became a domestic sparks 🤣🤣 more money and less headaches 😉

[@12voltvids]

I started out thinking a domestic sparky would be it. Started an apprenticeship working with a local sparky for the summer when I was still in high school. Was sent to hot attics to pull in wiring for ceiling fans on the hottest days of the year while the journeyman was bullshitting in the kitchen having a cold drink while I was sweating buckets. I thought, 4 years of this shit till I get licensed. No f--king way. Went to school to take television production, and did an internship for broadcast TV. Bad timing. No work. Fell into the electronics repair business and loved it for many years. I was making 70 grand a year fixing TVs when the average wage throughout the 80s and 90s was about 40 grand a year. Bought a house and had it paid off in full in 10 years. Left the TV repair business when it was clear that the industry was going to die and got a union job in telecom. I also, in addition to fixing crap, I operated a successful video production company and did hundreds of weddings, and corporate / industrial videos. Now I only work on electronics on my days off, make nothing from the repair, but only doit so I have something to make a video of, because the money is in the revenue that views generate.

[@gregkendall2019]

From your videos and my own experience, if the case shows signs of being dropped say on a corner, then you are highly likely to find bad connections with those items screwed to the back panel. I/O connectors and regulators in this repair. Cheers from Oz.

[@12voltvids]

If it had been dropped the damage would have been much more extensive.

[@gregkendall2019]

@@12voltvids Agreed, but as they say "results may vary". I purchased a Pioneer D-07 DAT from Japan and it was dropped during transit with enough force to severely bend the front panel. Fortunately the only internal damage was a cog knocked of the loader mechanism and the output connections were cracked at the PCB just like your repair above. It's working fine now and I managed to straighten the front panel too.

[@brentmarsh1325]

Dave. I live on the island. How do I get a hold of you? I’d like to get my DAT fixed

[@12voltvids]

My email is on my main page. Under the about tab.

[@jasonbailey8022]

We've got cash converters in New Zealand

[@tonysvinyl2214]

Was wondering what greas do you use for cd player slidrs and gears and such?

[@12voltvids]

It's just a synthetic lithium grease.

[@AstrosElectronicsLab]

So, you're DAT guy... don't be DAT guy... lol

[@stompinfm]

What voltages are the 22 and 4.7 caps you changed please as I need to do this thanks for the insight

[@12voltvids]

Have no idea.

[@stompinfm]

@@12voltvids What value voltage caps did you install ?

[@12voltvids]

@@stompinfm i don't remember. Higher than the originals. Perhaps 16 or 25

[@stompinfm]

@@12voltvids no worries , i took the amp apart today and can confirm 22uf are at 6.3v and the single 4.7uf is at 35v , hopefully it lives after the cap swap ..

[@stevejosrph6065]

Love your videos but would like to see more modern repairs instead of VCR and cassette pepairs

[@packratswhatif.3990]

Yup, DATs the way Dave does it.

[@will6245]

Hey I've tried to get in contact with you for a repair, my poor sony wm-d6cs have died could you help me? Will-

[@bobsbits5357]

hi i am looking for a door and many parts is there any body i can get parts for this deck

[@jimreardon8368]

Reminds me of a VCR but smaller.

[@andyp7065]

if the loading of the motor it have 5v in drops the vol 3.38 v i what part you change if anyone have the problem

[@adambennett1098]

i got a tascam da 20 for fifty dollers said eats tapes but got home and its working great

[@markhod1960]

Dat right Dave

[@SergZak2023]

And DAT's DAT!

[@scaleop4]

yay ya fixed it

[@12voltvids]

Of course I fixed it.

[@AstrosElectronicsLab]

I think you need a bigger screwdriver, mate 😆...I'll see myself out.

[@markhod1960]

And Dats A wrap.

[@12voltvids]

I should do one with a minidisk connected to a DAT. Then it could be called "A little disk and dat"

[@markhod1960]

@@12voltvids Dats a Good one Dave Lol

[@12voltvids]

@@markhod1960 Dats all she wrote.

[@bobsbits5357]

cash rip of i know them well

[@SantoshYadav-et6ld]

audio cassette player techniques Pioneer Sony Philips v/s like