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Vintage Tape (Audio), Cassette, Wire and Magnetic Disc Recorders and Players Open-reel tape recorders, cassette recorders, 8-track players etc. |
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20th Jan 2019, 4:01 pm | #1 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Philips D-8132
Hi Guys,
I recently picked up this Philips D-3812 cassette/radio player, I'm looking for some advice on restoring it, when I first plugged it in there was no sound, I tried all 3 bands FM MW LW, I thought it was broken, but after about 30 seconds it started making some noise, It picks up a few strong local FM stations, but it doesn't seem to pick up any MW or LW the volume level is ok with the local FM stations but very low on MW LW although it doesn't really pick them up anyway, (is that a design feature to quieten down white noise maybe?) Anyway I would love to get it sounding better and get the cassette player working, any advice on where to start, what needs replacing etc. I can solder and have a multi meter, but my electronics isn't that great, I have re capped a few old computers put new ram in and voltage regulators in etc so can follow instructions edit: what does the RIF switch do on the rear? PS. sorry if this is in the wrong section, wasn't sure if it should be under Radio/Audio etc. Regards, CHRIS. |
21st Jan 2019, 8:44 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Philips D-3812
First thing is to open it up and clean the function select switches with servisol spray. Also inspect the cassette drive belt, toothed spooling gears (can crumble or shed teeth in these). Check also the erase head hasn't disintegrated or gone gooey - use only junk tapes to test for now.
RIF probably shifts the bias oscillator frequency to avoid whistle when recording.
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Regards, Ben. |
21st Jan 2019, 9:09 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Haarlem, Netherlands
Posts: 4,203
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Re: Philips D-3812
AM (LW/MW) doesn't give the kind of noise you're used to on FM, so it will be almost quiet between stations.
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21st Jan 2019, 9:29 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 7,577
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Re: Philips D-3812
R.I.F= Radio Interference Filter.... what Ben says. It shifts the record oscillator frequency slightly so that recordings taken from MW or LW radio don't cause a whistle to be recorded on tape.
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There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman..... |
22nd Jan 2019, 5:13 pm | #5 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Philips D-3812
Thanks Guys, I opened it up earlier to have a quick look, as suggested the switches/sliders are caked in muck/dust and the tape belt is stretched and misshapen. How does the play button actuate the amp/motor? eight times out of ten the play button just goes down and nothing happens, I thought it would just be a slipping belt but there is no motor noise or amplifier noise, a couple of times if pressed slowly it works and I can hear hiss from the amp and the motor spins, surprisingly there is good torque even though the belt is slack. I'm guessing there will be a leaf `spring switch or similar that's dirty, the problem is to get at the tape deck out it looks like I'll have to unsolder the ribbon cable and remove the tuner board first :-( does that sound right? does anyone know the belt size for this model or the best way to measure the old one and add a bit for stretching?
Regards, Chris. |
22nd Jan 2019, 6:14 pm | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Cornwall, UK.
Posts: 13,454
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Re: Philips D-3812
D-8132...?
Lawrence. |
22nd Jan 2019, 7:17 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Philips D-3812
If it's the mech I'm thinking of, the leaf switch for power is on the side nearest the pinch roller. As to belts, get a mixed pack from ebay. Are the gears Ok? if they have missing teeth all bets are off.
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Regards, Ben. |
29th Jan 2019, 1:23 pm | #8 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Philips D-3812
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29th Jan 2019, 1:46 pm | #9 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Philips D-8132 parts.
Hi Guy's, Thanks for your previous replies, I had a bit of an accident with my cassette door :-( my cat knocked the player of the window ledge and the door hinges have snapped off, are these parts hard to come by? I don't really think glue will work as its the hinge on both sides that have broken and the toothed part that runs on the wheel on the right. I also have an old Hitachi TRK-150ER like this one in the picture which I would like to restore which is missing a cassette door.
P.S. Sorry to start a new thread, but I put the wrong model number in my first post and couldn't find any way to edit my post later. Regards, Chris. |
29th Jan 2019, 3:16 pm | #10 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 9,642
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Re: Philips D-8132
Thread title corrected
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29th Jan 2019, 3:50 pm | #11 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Philips D-8132
Before worrying about the cassette flap, check the condition of the gears and get the contact / power problem sorted out. Otherwise you'll just be wasting time.
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Regards, Ben. |
9th Feb 2019, 11:21 am | #12 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Philips D-8132
Thanks Ben, I'll have a go at striping it down to check the power problem, I was reluctant to start it, but now it's damaged I don't think I can do it any more harm. A few people have told me to get an assorted bag of belts now, can anyone recommend a particular listing, on ebay if possible, I could do with a broad range of belts as I use them in my spectrum computers dvd players etc. Also is Servisol super 10 ok for the sliders?
Regards, Chris. Thanks |
9th Feb 2019, 1:28 pm | #13 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK
Posts: 7,498
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Re: Philips D-8132
Just make sure you go for a square section belt selection as some of the packs are flat type which are less useful. I had one set which gave quite irregular running/flutter because they weren't cut uniformly, have ordered more but not tried any yet, hoping they'll be better - so don't pay more than a fiver. Servisol will be fine for switches. Keep us posted!
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Regards, Ben. |
28th Feb 2019, 6:37 pm | #14 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Philips D-8132
Update
The cassette is now working, it's was one of those funny faults if I pressed play normally it wouldn't play but if I pressed play very slowly it played, I slid a little sandpaper between the contacts on the leaf spring and cleaned a fair few dust bunnies out of the button end of the mechanism, and it now works properly, the belt actually looks to be in good condition but I'll replace it once my new belts arrive. As I say it was a strange fault because pressing the play button slowly shouldn't have made a difference if the leaf switch was dirty, but it's working ok now. I still have two issues though. 1 where might I find a cassette door? 2 the radio actually has quite a low volume, I thought something was wrong with the amp, but the tape plays fine, then I noticed when I touched the Aerial the sound gets louder, does this sound like a common fault/easy fix? Regards, Chris. |
3rd Mar 2019, 5:07 pm | #15 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Merseyside, UK.
Posts: 57
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Re: Philips D-8132
I managed to superglue the two pieces of hinge back onto the door and figure where the spring went but I’d still like to find a replacement door, I don’t think the glue will hold for too long.
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