UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > Success Stories

Notices

Success Stories If you have successfully repaired or restored a piece of equipment, why not write up what you did and post details here. Particularly if it was interesting, unusual or challenging. PLEASE DO NOT POST REQUESTS FOR HELP HERE!

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 22nd May 2021, 10:20 pm   #1
high_vacuum_house
Octode
 
high_vacuum_house's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Belper Derbyshire
Posts: 1,909
Default Sony minidisk deck repair

Good evening,
A quick success story I did today.
I tried out my Sony minidisk player which I brought new years ago. It was one of Sony's top end hi-fi minidisk deck models of the time. I hadn't used it for some time but tried it today. It didn't take the minidisk and made some peculiar noises before coming up with a loading fault. Taking the mechanism out is relatively easy though a couple of delicate looking ribbon cables to watch out for. The fault was simple, It was the loading mechanism belt had stretched and was loose. It was not something I would have. I had an idea on a short walk between the rain that I might have something in my Technic lego collection. A rummage around found a Lego 2X2 white pulley belt which was a very close match. Fitting it and reassembling the machine and I was relieved that it actually worked as it should. I am currently listening to a couple of Goon shows that were recorded onto Minidisk.

Total cost of the repair probably about 30p!!
Christopher Capener
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	sony minidisk deck.jpg
Views:	190
Size:	85.1 KB
ID:	234652  
__________________
Interests in the collection and restoration of Tefifon players and 405 line television
high_vacuum_house is offline  
Old 22nd May 2021, 10:51 pm   #2
Tyso_Bl
Hexode
 
Tyso_Bl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Magor, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK.
Posts: 436
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

Looks like a nice machine, and a creative repair, nice one!
__________________
Adapt, Improvise, Oh Bother.....
Tyso_Bl is offline  
Old 22nd May 2021, 11:16 pm   #3
Jolly 7
Octode
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,049
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

My Sony minidisc deck is an MDS JE330 purchased new in 1999. It plays minidiscs fine, but for some unknown reason has become stuck in the random playing mode. I cannot seem to get it to play tracks sequentially anymore. Whether using the remote or the jog dial track selector, the result is the same.
Jolly 7 is online now  
Old 23rd May 2021, 10:16 am   #4
mole42uk
Nonode
 
mole42uk's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Resolfen, Wales; and Bristol, England
Posts: 2,588
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

I have a Sony JE330, and one of their “Walkman” style recorders, and a Minidisk player in the car..... Fortunately all of them work!
__________________
Richard

Index:
recursive loop: see recursive loop
mole42uk is online now  
Old 23rd May 2021, 12:48 pm   #5
HECTOR63
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolly 7 View Post
My Sony minidisc deck is an MDS JE330 purchased new in 1999. It plays minidiscs fine, but for some unknown reason has become stuck in the random playing mode. I cannot seem to get it to play tracks sequentially anymore. Whether using the remote or the jog dial track selector, the result is the same.
Have you a copy of the user guide? Attached just incase take a look at Page 19 and maybe give this a try?
Attached Files
File Type: pdf User Guide.pdf (651.0 KB, 158 views)
HECTOR63 is offline  
Old 23rd May 2021, 7:41 pm   #6
Jolly 7
Octode
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,049
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

Quote:
Originally Posted by HECTOR63 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolly 7 View Post
My Sony minidisc deck is an MDS JE330 purchased new in 1999. It plays minidiscs fine, but for some unknown reason has become stuck in the random playing mode. I cannot seem to get it to play tracks sequentially anymore. Whether using the remote or the jog dial track selector, the result is the same.
Have you a copy of the user guide? Attached just incase take a look at Page 19 and maybe give this a try?
Thank you Hector 63 for your help.
I believe I have now found out what the issue was. Just above the LCD display of the MDS JE330 there are three small buttons labelled play mode, repeat and level/display/char. There were some extra LCD indicators that I activated inadvertently leading to the random playing. These disappeared after pressing the buttons. Now I am only left with Track and L Sync. My player/recorder is now playing tracks sequentially from 01 to XX as it should in the normal play mode.
I have the deck connected to the analog input of a Teac CR-H255 and it sounds just as good as it did when I recorded my music compilation all those years ago on blank Sony 74 min minidiscs.
Jolly 7 is online now  
Old 23rd May 2021, 7:55 pm   #7
whiskas
Octode
 
whiskas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Knutsford, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 1,488
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

Well done on your simple repair Chris. It's a nice deck and I thought that Mini disc should have been more popular in it's time. The results are pretty good considering it's compressed audio. Certainly much better than cassettes overall...
__________________
...where on earth did that spring/screw go??
whiskas is offline  
Old 23rd May 2021, 8:59 pm   #8
HECTOR63
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolly 7 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by HECTOR63 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolly 7 View Post
My Sony minidisc deck is an MDS JE330 purchased new in 1999. It plays minidiscs fine, but for some unknown reason has become stuck in the random playing mode. I cannot seem to get it to play tracks sequentially anymore. Whether using the remote or the jog dial track selector, the result is the same.
Have you a copy of the user guide? Attached just incase take a look at Page 19 and maybe give this a try?
Thank you Hector 63 for your help.
I believe I have now found out what the issue was. Just above the LCD display of the MDS JE330 there are three small buttons labelled play mode, repeat and level/display/char. There were some extra LCD indicators that I activated inadvertently leading to the random playing. These disappeared after pressing the buttons. Now I am only left with Track and L Sync. My player/recorder is now playing tracks sequentially from 01 to XX as it should in the normal play mode.
I have the deck connected to the analog input of a Teac CR-H255 and it sounds just as good as it did when I recorded my music compilation all those years ago on blank Sony 74 min minidiscs.
Your very welcome and I guess Jolly Lucky Seriously its usually the oddest things that lead to such mischievous behaviour that can have you running round in circles sometimes. Likewise brilliant player and always had a soft spot for the minidisc players and Kenwood in there day made some very fine examples of these in the early days but like DAT it was a limited format sadly, but brilliant concept for recording and editing in various ways and modes-very clever
HECTOR63 is offline  
Old 24th May 2021, 11:08 am   #9
Welsh Anorak
Dekatron
 
Welsh Anorak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: North Wales, UK.
Posts: 6,884
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

Lego to the rescue!
I have a similar JE-930 which is a great machine and you can label and edit using an old-style PC keyboard plugged into the front! Great for jingles as you can have tens of short bursts on one disc.
Yesterday I found a MD programme I'd recorded in 2003, dusted off a Sony portable I'd last used ten years ago and it played perfectly.
A great format, sadly missed.
__________________
Glyn
www.gdelectronics.wales
Welsh Anorak is offline  
Old 24th May 2021, 3:36 pm   #10
HECTOR63
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

https://www.minidisc.org/sony_mdsjb930_review.html

Here is a very nice review and the conclusion is right on the button too for its credibilityI still have a bundle of MDs from years ago too plus some pre-records from Radiohead, The pretenders and Roach ford that I used to use as demos after repairs etc.
I'm actually getting itching palms to start looking for another even as I type as I used to have a really good Sony Recording portable then later invested in a Sony, Pioneer and lastly a Kenwood over the lasting years. But at those times I was in pocession of a Nakamichi Dragon tooSo it was a golden era indeed.
HECTOR63 is offline  
Old 24th May 2021, 3:55 pm   #11
HECTOR63
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Bedfordshire, UK.
Posts: 601
Default Re: Sony minidisk deck repair

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21297024

The Grand Finale.
HECTOR63 is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 7:17 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.