Working on a Philips DCC900 Digital Compact Cassette deck.

A DCC900 Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) deck breaks down. Can we repair it? It won't be easy and it won't be cheap.
Dr.DCC at the DCC Museum: / ralfie225
Capacitor replacement: • Philips DCC900 Digital...
Pinch roller video • Replacing the Pinch Ro...
Audio and video transfers: www.video99.co...
Please support us on Patreon / video99couk
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Music “Let It Run” with permission, copyright Cristie/MacFarlane.
(Look at the last three letters of the link for this video!)
Dr.DCC says: "The reason why the right pinch roller did not come out is that you would have to open the mechanism tray slightly. You can do that manually by turning the wheel on the right."

[@DRDCC]

Great detailed video. Thanks for the shoutout and your support.

[@DrCassette]

Thank you for another very interesting video! Back in 2010 I found two DCC decks in the trash, a Marantz DD-82 and a Philips DCC 600. They worked mechanically, but neither one of them worked electronically. Most likely the same sort of bad SMD capacitors. Seeing this video, the repair indeed is complicated, but not as impossible as I thought back in 2010. I sold both recorders. Hopefully somebody was able to repair them and they still exist...

[@und4287]

To my knowledge, bad surface mount capacitors are somewhat less common in later models than they are in the early models (Philips DCC-900, Marantz DD-82 and DD-92, Technics/Panasonic RS-DC10, Optimus DCT-2000)

[@markpirateuk]

I think you have made the right decision not to repair the analogue playback, it is not worth the risk. As you only need digital playback, I would call that done! I really hate changing those nasty surface mount caps, the smell alone is foul enough. I also use through hole caps as replacements if there is room on the board.

[@video99couk]

I learned a long time ago: If the potential gain is small but the potential loss is large, it's a risk not worth taking even if the odds of losing are small. Does that make sense?

[@zx8401ztv]

Well done on making it much much better :-D I was amazed at how dead those caps were, they looked fine, very deceptive. I needed to use my old realistic scanner to listen to the output of a 433 mhz car fob i was repairing for a mate. My scanner had died in storage :-( A capacitor near the audio stage had leaked all over the board and the tracks went black, some eatern away. Evil things capacitors ;-(

[@video99couk]

I have an Icom IC-R2 for that sort of thing. I've been changing surface mount electrolytic capacitors for years, but it's only been quite recently that I've seen capacitor juice eating up PCBs.

[@zx8401ztv]

@@video99couk receivers are so handy, checking i.f strips in other radios by bringing the antenna coax near a circuit, no connection means no loading on the device under test :-D I have an old yaesu frg7700 0-3mhz as well, ideal as test gear :-D. Leaking caps really destroy pcbs :-(.

[@giuseppelavecchia775]

Il fatto che non legge la cassetta standard,mi da molto fastidio,comunque,a meno che non si riesce a rimpiazzare la scheda figlia,pazienza,nel limite del possibile,hai fatto un buon lavoro

[@video99couk]

It would have been nice to fix the analogue playback, but not worth the risk of damaging something. I wouldn't use this machine to play analogue tapes anyway.

[@zeljkostanisavljevic4665]

Did u fix dcc 300 with no digital signal... Caps RW board or bad digital heads? Did u check errors rate?

[@video99couk]

Checked error rates, zero or nearly zero on good parts of tapes.

[@zeljkostanisavljevic4665]

I have dcc 600, plays analog but no dcc audio, what is the problem? Read/write board or bad azimuth dcc heads? How to check this?

[@video99couk]

Probably capacitors. Look at dcc museum web site for repair information.

[@BeversMusic]

Nice repair. Question I am repairing my deck as well. Can you tell me where I can buy the pinch rollers or at least what the measures are? Is buying at aliexpress an idea? There are a lot of types available.

[@video99couk]

DR DCC has pinch rollers. They're not cheap, but exactly the right ones. See link to their channel in video notes.

[@tmbaz66]

Hello, your work is excellent, but you did not check important parts, checking the variable resistors. There may be a malfunction or a loss of the connection, as well as the fixed resistors in the motherboard as well. The most important thing, the head may need to be modified. I am now working on modifying the board for the Dolby System and dancing vu meter regularly and I reached an excellent result in sound and purity as well as controlling the Dolby on the digital tapes. Sorry my language not very well but I hope you understand what I say

[@michaelturner4457]

It's always the caps need replacing with DCCs isn't it? I guess they were made during the capacitor plague era. BTW I'm already subscribed to Dr DCC.

[@video99couk]

Yes, but later models like the DCC300 didn't use those awful surface mount caps.

[@PhilipvanderMatten]

"(Look at the last three letters of the link for this video!)" DCC LOL

[@video99couk]

Yes, fantastic bit of luck that.

[@gabrielebellini]

@@video99couk ((26 lower cases + 26 UPPER CASES + 10 digits)^3)/8, meaning one chance over 29791 to read DCC on final part of the link...

[@Hi-Finity]

The problem with analog compact cassette lies in through holes contacts on the smaller board. If you repair next DCC900 or any first generation DCC recorder, first thing to do after capacitors removal is to check all the conductors especially through hole bridges as there often interruptions caused by the leaked electrolyte interacted with copper.

[@video99couk]

Yes, the capacitors do cause through-hole failures. I had to repair at least one of those.

[@Hi-Finity]

@@video99couk Not only through holes but often regular conductors are get damaged. Sometimes only a tiny invisible break near to the hole contact causes signal interruption too. I’ve experienced this often, especially near these 4 10uf capacitors that are responsible for analog cassette playback.

[@feedback-loop]

I understand the decision to stop at some point and tolerate some problems you don't really care much about, but why do you think you might make things worse if you did?

[@video99couk]

Two reasons: The flexicable to the head assembly is fragile, and if damaged then that's the end, so it's a balance of risk vs. gain. Secondly, when looking at the Digital PCB, I could see that some through plating is in a fragile state. It's a triple layer board, so there's a risk that a through-plate could be damaged during testing which would make it virtually unrepairable. I'm not saying I will never revisit it however, if I ever have reason to dismantle the machine again.

[@rodrigobelinchon2982]

that footswitch mod is G E N I U S

[@video99couk]

It certainly helps on the ESR60. The later model ESR70 has a slightly better design so it's easier to use.

[@bobjerome5390]

hi just had a PRO-BETACAM SP UXW-100 it got a lot on it came with len's and a lot of free gear it's heavy cell pack last 150min the tape drive need work i watch all this video

[@retro-reels5652]

Dreaded surface mount electrolytics-if I had a pound for everyone I’ve changed over the years, I’d be very rich !

[@video99couk]

I'm working on a Panasonic DVCPRO-50 deck at the moment. Between myself and previous repair people, it's had about 200 capacitors changed I reckon. And it still has capacitor issues. So my next video will be about some equipment to hopefully make the job a little easier....

[@retro-reels5652]

video99.co.uk I still can’t understand why a major manufacturer like Panasonic (Matsushita) couldn’t make an electrolytic capacitor (surface mount). These caps were bad even when they were new ! These were used in expensive professional & broadcast equipment (D5 AJ-D580), which wasn’t cheap. An alternative would have been to use tantalum capacitors, but these are more expensive & whilst they can fail short circuit or explode if they are over volted, they are generally very reliable. An alternative now would be to fit solid capacitors, but depends how long you plan on using the VTR, as they are expensive.

[@Fahrradkanal]

Hello video99.co.uk, I also have a DCC 900 on which the capacitors have to be changed. I contacted some radio and television technicians here in Germany, but nobody wanted to take care of the matter. Since I saw how you did it, I have the question whether you would also change all capacitors in my device. Play DCC still works, unfortunately the DCC recording works with a DCC 60 minutes, almost OK, with a DCC 90 minutes mostly not anymore. Analog only plays the left channel (although I wouldn't care about the analog thing, it would of course be nice if it worked). As asked above, would you change all of my capacitors? I can remove the PCB board and the other one (I'm a hobbyist) and then send them to you well packaged. Ask what would you charge for it? How can I contact you by email? So that I can send you an email, so that you then have my email address and can then answer me. I would be very happy if I finally find someone to fix it for me. Because I am a high-end fan and love these devices! One more question, I'm not entirely sure why the recording only works almost 100% with the DCC 60 min., It may be that the tapes are old and worn (oxidation and / or the magnetic layer on the carrier tape has become too thin )? Or does it have something to do with the tape guide (pressure rollers, main drive belt for the capstan)? It could also have something to do with the braking effect of the reel side, which keeps the tape taut during recording. Because if the tape on the head is too loosely guided, the head / tape contact could be too weak and, especially during recording, the tape head must have very good head-tape contact in order to be able to magnetize the tape right? I would also like to change the pressure roller and the skin drive belt, where can I get these spare parts and what do I have to unscrew for them (a video about this wouldn't be bad). I hope you can help me with changing the capacitors. I would do it myself, too, but very reluctantly. Because I no longer have such a steady hand and I would have to get myself a double soldering iron first, the Atlas ESR 60 would also be a good help. But these are all costs that I would rather invest in a professional capacitor change. Please let me know if you would do it, as I said, I can remove the boards and send them to you. This means that the entire device does not have to be sent first. By the way, I also have a KZbin channel: kzbin.info/door/9ZmYRdF5pEnaF8bd77qUTgvideos There you can also see me as a person (360 ° videos about bike tours). I hope my english is understandable as far as i made it with google translator. I can speak a little English, for a smal-talk it would be enough, but certainly not for such a differentiated thing. Many greetings from K.R. from Remscheid / Germany

[@video99couk]

I don't take on repairs but I believe the DCC Museum do, see Dr.DCC at the DCC Museum: kzbin.info

[@Fahrradkanal]

@@video99couk Hello video99.co.uk, thanks for the fast reply. It's a shame that you can't fix it. To the DCC Museum and Dr. DCC I just wrote a corresponding rep request. Hope that someone can help me there. Otherwise I have to do it myself again. Soldering circuit board assemblies is not the problem, only SMD soldering is not my strength. You need a steady hand. I'll wait and see what the 2 answer. I'm assuming that you would stand by me with good tips if I did it myself, right? First a question, where did you get the pressure rollers? I can't find them on ebay, and at least they have the straps. Or can I get them from the museum too? The only question is when I have removed the drive, how do I get the main drive belt? What else do you have to unscrew? have you ever changed that? Many greetings from the DCC 900 fan / Germany

[@video99couk]

@@Fahrradkanal Yes I bought the required parts from the DCC Museum. Not cheap, but the right quality. If they are doing your work then of course they can change the drive belts too.

[@Hi-Finity]

@@Fahrradkanal Perhaps I can help you. I live in Germany. Vielleicht kann ich Ihnen helfen.

[@jameslaidler2152]

Yes, I'm definitely sticking with DAT. Not problem free, but at least the big ugly laboratory grade machines are built to be worked on. Just yikes.

[@video99couk]

Oh yes, DAT is superior. But I need machines of as many formats as possible for my audio/video transfer business. I have five good working DAT machines.

[@stiffe68]

Hello ! Looking at the same dcc 900 and the seller say that no sound out from the player. What can be wrong.....easy to fix ? Can it play / record normal cassetts ?

[@video99couk]

This is a well known problem and it is covered in this very video. Capacitors have leaked, they may be OK to replace but sometimes the PCB needs replacement. The DCC Museum now stock them but soldering skills are required to swap over an IC. So it's all do-able but not trivial. Yes these will play normal cassettes, though most DCC enthusiasts recommend against doing so for extended times because it could cause machine wear.

[@stiffe68]

@@video99couk Have a Pioneer CT - W806DR and it convert with digital processing 20 Bit A/D - D/A , is that better then Philips DCC 900 ? Want clean and digital ( and use my cassette deck as much i can....old fashion, dont like stream music ). I am stuck in the 80 / 90 thing to listen at music home.