Sony SLHFT7 Superbeta Theatre with several faults

This one has many problems. Will it ever work again? Lets find out.

[@evidentsavant12]

Wow! What are the odds that you have the exact problem I am having with the loading mechanism. I will try your solution since the vcr is no longer taking tapes in. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and problem solving.

[@waynesharp1690]

Really enjoy watching VCR repairs 👍

[@12voltvids]

Part 2 later.

[@JESUSCHRYSLER5512]

@@12voltvids YOU DONT INTEND TO MAKE A PART 2 DO YOU?

[@directrix101]

I bought that STK module at a shop here n the Caribbean two years ago, when I am in that area will check to see if they have more.

[@eman59461]

That must be very heavy . Amazing unit I never thought Sony made.

[@jr-pl9kj]

actually those stk5441 ics are available on ebay brand new, i replaced mine last week.

[@NunYa953]

I found one of these at a garage sale for $5. After months of sporadic tinkering I got it going. I intended to sell it but it so unique I decided to keep it. My wife was less than pleased. 🤣

[@JESUSCHRYSLER5512]

YOUR WIFE WAS VERY HAPPY INSTEAD

[@zx8401ztv]

The dodgy zenna or bad joint was an odd fault, i was also wondering about the multi regulator. The lack of any heat transfer compound did seem a bit shitty. Lucky you had a compatable loader. I hope you are feeling much better now, sometimes just drinking more water for a day can help your system dump unwanted compounds in your blood. Sometimes its all to easy to upset the balance.

[@12voltvids]

Usually it's the regulator. They popped like fuses.

[@emmarandom9609]

Oh Daaaave, I must pause at 8.50 to ask... why not just 3d print a gear? Just yanking your chain of course, but if it was my machine & no replacement was available I do think I'd probably have a go at cutting back into the gear a little and building it back up with epoxy/filing to shape. Depending on how soft and crumbly the nylon has got, that's a potential solution for an enthusiastic owner (that or taking an impression of the whole thing, manipulating the bad area in the mould & casting a whole new gear in resin).

[@Oldgamingfart]

Gotta wonder if that Zener came back to spec after being heated up from desoldering/ soldering? Perhaps replace as a precaution to prevent a 'boomerang'..!

[@12voltvids]

Could have been a filter down stream that reformed. Not on this board.

[@KEN_CHILLER]

That’s my favorite Casio watch. Just wish it was waterproof.

[@12voltvids]

Mine too

[@Gypsycat19]

I have an akai PAL vcr from 1993 that is dolby surround has speaker inputs unfortunately hifi doesn't work anymore I think it works in LP

[@AndrewWiegert]

@12voltvids Hello, I have this same model with no power at all. I opened it up and both the IC and that diode are missing. It looks like the STK5441 is the correct IC, but I am not sure which diode to look for. Could you or anyone help? Usually I just research the numbers on the parts that are bad, but this time I don't have any parts! Many thanks for any help you can provide on this one.

[@sunspot42]

A friend of mine bought an Akai VHS Hi-Fi deck circa ‘86 that had a built-in amplifier. Nice idea but the deck itself was junk and died after a few years. She was still using it as an amp with a remote control into the ‘90s though - the deck had an audio input.

[@12voltvids]

Akai made shitty VCRs even worse than their shitty tape recorders

[@sunspot42]

@@12voltvids Who in general made the easiest cassette decks to work on? I’ve watched a slew of repair videos and it definitely seems like some brands had mechanisms that are harder to access and fix than others.

[@12voltvids]

@@sunspot42 some of them are nightmares.

[@sunspot42]

@@12voltvids I’ve been eyeing decks locally and on eBay. Just wondering if any brands are generally better - or worse - when it comes to repairability.

[@sunspot42]

@@12voltvids One thing I’ve noticed - the big mainstream brands like Sony, Technics, Pioneer, JVC, Yamaha, Denon and Onkyo all command a hefty premium. Don’t even get me started on Nakamichi. More audiophile brands like h/k and NAD are also spendy. Off brands like Fischer, Sanyo, Mitsubishi and store brands like MCS and Realistic still seem much more affordable.

[@chezsnailez]

We've had a few of these and still have one in our video rack. We literally had to set its tuner 'can' on fire to reflow the solder or whatever to get it to tune stations again. Alas, our cable company finally went digital so we really don't use it for anything at the moment. We have at least one full unit in the celler that maybe needs its tuner can 'flamed' - certainly needs its line audio out reflowed. Have loads of spare ßeta gears - we could shade you the one you need if we still have a loader in our parts bin...

[@12voltvids]

The tuners all had a few solder connections that failed. Sony tuners had that problem. Money makers.

[@chezsnailez]

@@12voltvids ~ that and the crappy electrolytics of several units. Have a non-functioning SL-2410 'talking' Betamax. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rn-xpGNpltJ6h9U It talks but can't play or (presumably) record. Have an SL-HF 360 that was our main recording VCR for several years that recorded fine - just can't play back anymore. If we get a 'legacy' sometime soon, we'll probably have to look for someone to repair them.

[@12voltvids]

Fixed many of those talking 2410. Gimik for people that struggled setting the timer.

[@wwsvs]

I wonder if that gear could be 3D printed.

[@12voltvids]

Lots of stress on that gear. Highly unlikely 3d printing can make that gear.

[@wwsvs]

@@12voltvids Do you do any repairs from the US? I have several Sony HVR-Z1U with tape transport issues. I also have a Pioneer PD-5700 that recently does not play. The focus moves up/down and the disc spins briefly but the transport does not move. I tried to move it by spinning the belt drive but it is stuck. I also have a Pioneer VSX-5000 that could use some TLC. Loving your videos, BTW. Thank you for posting.

[@12voltvids]

I get stuff sent in from USA all the time. I haven't worked on any z1 cameras. I have only worked on one fx1, mine. Those came out after i left the industry.

[@Cyberpuppy63]

You could probably reverse engineer a new mold for the broken gear, with a plastic kit or an "epoxy mold" type work around. It's not perfect, but it might work.

[@Cyberpuppy63]

Or heat-mix a new gear insert with a plastic heat gun. Or a cut-out and some crazy glue.

[@morrisonAV]

I wonder if you could scan the broken gear and 3D print a replacement?

[@crashbandicoot4everr]

Maybe it has the same problem as the SL-HF1000 where a small inductor went open circuit and killed the video signal? Who knows...

[@12voltvids]

I know and no, not an open coil. You will have to wait for part 2. No spoilers. The scope had to be broken out.

[@JESUSCHRYSLER5512]

@@12voltvids 10 DAYS LATER, AND STILL NO PART 2?

[@12voltvids]

@@JESUSCHRYSLER5512 troll?

[@ford1546]

I do not know if this video player has this mechanism but on many older machines you had to push the cassette a little hard before it grabbed the cassette but on newer video players you did not have to do this but many did it with the result that plastic parts were damaged.

[@12voltvids]

Shouldn't be much resistance and it will go in. Problem was many people were in a rush and they shoved the tape in as far as they could and then one time they hear this crack when they do it the table won't come back out because they just broke the loader

[@ford1546]

@@12voltvids Yes it is true. But on many old video players from 80's especially VHS you had to push the cassette harder than you had on newer players. If people had used old players a lot and switched to newer ones and continued to push the cassette in the same way then you destroy the newer player.

[@12voltvids]

@@ford1546 that sounds like user abuse to me.

[@geoffreykeane4072]

Great vid!

[@caligsi]

Do you do repairs? If so how does someone get in contact with you? Thanks

[@vitorcouto3322]

Good Morning I have a S-VHS professional vcr, a Panasonic Ag-5700. When i try to play Tapes recorded in S-VHS mode , the image appears with scratches and noisy. With tapes recorded in VHS mode, the image is fine and clean. Any idea what could be the problem? Thank you.

[@analogvideochannel4612]

There is a "hybrid ic" module on these that contain some of the SVHS functions. It has surface mount electrolytic capacitors which go bad over time and case problems with SVHS playback, so I suspect that's the issue.

[@vitorcouto3322]

@@analogvideochannel4612 thank you

[@12voltvids]

Yes the comb filter modules going to be shot. Surface mounted electric caps on them I've done several videos JVC and Mitsubishi use the same module Panasonic put there's in a metal can with a ceramic board which the electrical leaks destroys the traces. all Panasonic AG series VCRs should head to the dumpsters because they were junk when they rolled out of the factory to begin with.

[@reacey]

I rekon I could repair that gear by adding superglue and then shaping it with a Stanley knife blade

[@12voltvids]

Doubt it. High stress point.

[@reacey]

@@12voltvids you'd be surprised what I can do

[@sunspot42]

I was thinking the same thing. Or epoxy. Might hold up for awhile.

[@12voltvids]

@@sunspot42 epoxy won't stick, nor will superglue to nylon.

[@sunspot42]

@@12voltvids Interesting. Looks like when these gears are gone they’re just gone.