Working on a Sony Beta portable SL-3000. Part 1.

[@RetroGadgetMan]

Glad my capstan motor video helped and thanks for the mention. And by coincidence I have just uploaded a video about the Toshiba V-5470B that you did some videos on. I found your videos helpful, as I also put one of the drive belts around the head drum motor as it was already gone so i didn't know either.

[@video99couk]

That Tosh is a beast and probably very rare indeed in working order. Would you be able to measure a voltage for me on your SL3000? I know that's a big ask, but I still don't have a PAL service manual. CN4 pin 4 on the SY22 (syscon) panel: I'm getting 9.5V when FF or REW is selected, but I think that should probably be 12V. Quite understand though if you don't want to take the bottom off your machine for this.

[@RetroGadgetMan]

I will have a look for the service manual.

[@RetroGadgetMan]

I have found my service manual. Let me know what you want and I will email you some pictures.

[@shaunrichards744]

I bought it back in 1982 with the camera in a grey case it look very professional. $3000.00 Australian dollars. Sold very thing in 1988 for $600 dollars. Was heavy to cart around so I bought a 2wheel trolley for the portable beta machine.

[@KylesDigitalLab]

In 1982, I probably would have bought the SL-2000. Much smaller than the SL-3000 and is completely direct drive which is nice. Didn't suffer from the capstan motor going bad like the 3000 did.

[@Petertronic]

Satisfying motor repair, unfortunate there's other fiddly issues - I hope you can locate a service manual.

[@MrBetaByte]

Great video - I do love the SL3000 and my daughter still has hers which she occasionally uses which we repaired a couple of years ago but those capstan motors do seem to seize and I replaced it with one from a C5. The deck is a variation of the deck used in the Sony C5/C7 and is the same deck (as far as I can see) as used in the NEC PVC-740. I *think* I have the service manual but I'll have a check and let you know.

[@video99couk]

I now have the NTSC service manual, but would still like the PAL one if it's available.

[@more.power.]

Thank you as always another great video. Cheers

[@KylesDigitalLab]

I have the SLO-340 which is the professional version. Unfortunately I blew the system control board up with reverse polarity and I have to replace a bunch of blown diodes and probably a few blown transistors. I think the damage is only restricted to the system control board thankfully.

[@video99couk]

I have the very similar SLO-320 here too, in full working order, I did some videos on that a while back.

[@JonnyBlueChair]

I've not noticed the Techmoan mug!

[@video99couk]

Been there for a long time now, it occasionally features in my videos for one reason or another.

[@Dansbus1]

I have one of these machines in my todo pile I haven’t tried it yet but I guess the motor will be stuck as well. I remember the c5 c7 used to suffer from poor lock due to a capacitor but can’t remember which one now

[@thebreretons]

Think they were Sanyo Oscon capactors, pale blue and look a bit like normal radial electrolytics... its a long time since I worked on Betamax! but my favourite was the SL-C9.

[@video99couk]

In the C6 it was two 0.22uF Sanyo capacitors in the capstan servo, next to the free-wheel preset. So it's likely to be similar on C5 and C7. I always replace with polyester, I've no idea why they used electrolytic capacitors there.

[@janemcdermott7099]

i have a Sony beta portable SL -3000 that works but when it ejects it does not wind the tape back up so it eats the tape every time, why would it do that? what belt would i need to replace?

[@video99couk]

I think it is a lack of grip on one of the idler wheels on the top of the deck between the spools. You need to operate it with no tape in there to see where the fault is.

[@janemcdermott7099]

its ejecting fine now but im looking for the right cables so i can record on it, do you know what the name of the cable is?@@video99couk

[@jameslaidler2152]

Belt drive! (hisses) The Devil's drive system! (further hissing)

[@PurpKing4377]

cant wait for car key project😀

[@frankowalker4662]

Nice job on the capston motor. I'm not sure about the key fob. Cutting it down could be risky. Where there are no components, are there any traces ? it could have RF tuned antenna. (?)

[@video99couk]

Good point, will check for that.

[@KylesDigitalLab]

How hard is the motor repair? My friend's SL-3000 was eating tapes, and sure as hell, that motor is completely stuck. My Dad has a vice and everything.

[@video99couk]

It wasn't too hard to repair, certainly worth a go.

[@KylesDigitalLab]

@@video99couk I just finished doing this, it was a lot easier than I expected. I didn't even need to use the vice. I used some WD-40 and some 800 grit sandpaper on the shaft and now it spins freely now. Was expecting to be a major pain but it actually wasn't bad at all.

[@lutello3012]

Is that the one Leslie Nielsen used in Creepshow?

[@franciscoencuentracastillo3269]

Busco batería para este modelo. SL 3000

[@northernplacecorporation]

Will we get a part 2 of this?

[@video99couk]

If I get schematics from somewhere!

[@pubfood4926]

Do you like the band Coldplay?

[@video99couk]

I've enjoyed some of their tracks, yes. Why?

[@zx8401ztv]

Hmm i would remove the chip in the remote while you are hacking the pcb. You never know if static is being created.

[@RetroGadgetMan]

I will measure that for you. I have two of these machines both faulty.

[@RetroGadgetMan]

Ok, just dug my machines out and swapped some boards around to get one machine to do something. I am getting zero volts from pin 4 on CN4 and my machine stops after a moment on all tape functions. Interestingly I get 13v from the play button on CN4

[@video99couk]

Oh that's all quite different to mine. Which leaves us both not knowing which is right and wrong! Still no PAL service manual here so it's hard to go much further.

[@gerrywade4482]

Why would you bother. No one will use it for any recording and if you need to replay any old Betamax tapes there are more modern machines available. Total waste of time.

[@video99couk]

Agreed I wouldn't use this for transfers. But there is an interest in these older mechanical monsters, they do sell when in working order.

[@KylesDigitalLab]

These are some of the only Betamax decks you can hook up to a camera

[@OlavRoed]

Ironic considering I stumbled on this video because I want to record stuff on it. I have a camera from the 80s that is compatible with this vcr. I'm planning to use it for a short film