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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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Old 30th Jan 2018, 1:55 pm   #1
Drewster
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Default UHER Report 4000 IC Automatic - Checklist

Hi - As a continuation of my introduction, here is a bit of elaboration on what I would appreciate some help with for "general" projects and/or specifically for this UHER Tape.

I have picked up at auction a
"UHER Report 4000 IC Automatic" Reel-Reel Tape
(it is actually in a nice "leather" case and cosmetically looks very nice)
It has a Sonnenschein dryfit A200 battery/powerpack - Which appears to be as flat as a pancake. It has a (handwritten) date March 94.
It also can take 5 D batteries (U2/SP2)

So this is where I thought a logical step-by-step process would be more beneficial than just poking it (and presumably the step-by-step would be good practise for all projects)......

So initially - apart from a checklist:
Is the A200 power pack likely to be rechargeable? (or just bin-fodder).

Basic description of "so far":
Putting in the required 5 D batteries:
a) The batteries are pretty loose - the sponge padding on the back of the cover is totally lifeless - no springiness at all (I have placed a small bit of corrugated cardboard to hold the batteries in place).
b) Rewind and Fast Forward both seem to work - ie the reels spin and tape transfers from spool to spool.
c) Start (play?) spools turn and tape transfers.
d) Moving Speed setting - Start "spins" at different speeds (No idea about accuracy of speed but visibly different speeds)
e) The tape counter moves
f) The "Recording level" display doesn't move/flicker at all - either Play-back or Record.
g) The little light comes on (on the Rec Level dial) when tone switch is pulled out.
h) No (obvious) movement on the "Record Level" dial when pulling out the switch to "test battery".

During "Play" there is no sound at all. I have no idea what if anything might be on the tape - but I would expect "something" even just a hiss.....

The various other knobs don't "do anything" noticeable (not surprising without it playing anything).

Obviously I will attempt to answer any question you may have

Just thought to add - I don't have the/a microphone.... :-(

Last edited by Drewster; 30th Jan 2018 at 2:05 pm.
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Old 1st Feb 2018, 12:14 am   #2
hsbhachu3d
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Default Re: UHER Report 4000 IC Automatic - Checklist

I have never owned a Uher Report, but if I got one of these with these issues, I'd head to Hi-Fi Engine and download a manual or scour the internet for one.

I can trust your word that you have connected it up properly, BUT i owned a Sony deck and it was a pain up my backside with 3 or 4 dins for in and out and you had to know which gave ins, which gave outs and which gave both and whether they were line or phono level. So It happened to me that I found my deck in the same situation, I thought it wasn't working, because nothing displayed on the meters during play or record, but the deck was made to not show anything during play on the meters but only show during recording (which I had not wired properly, making me think that the deck is not playing nor recording

Assume you don't get a manual and are sure your connections are perfect,
Check the switches, output mute switch (if there is one) Record playback switch on the inside, maybe corroded contacts, try switch cleaner spray like servisol, if you're still not in luck and believe that the switch is fault free,
check for IC numbers and look for datasheets and see where you think voltages are meant to be. Could be a diode, transistor, IC, dried out capacitor or something as small as a broken wire or a burnt fuse.

It's very hard to tell just like that more or less any component can cause no sound coming out Lol.

Last edited by hsbhachu3d; 1st Feb 2018 at 12:22 am.
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Old 1st Feb 2018, 5:55 pm   #3
barretter
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Default Re: UHER Report 4000 IC Automatic - Checklist

If you have no sound I would check the electrolytic capacitors on the main circuit board and the audio amplifier board which powers the internal speaker.
I've found quite a few of these (particularly the Frako ones) to have gone short-circuit with the normal consequence of no sound.
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Old 2nd Feb 2018, 1:32 pm   #4
Welsh Anorak
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Default Re: UHER Report 4000 IC Automatic - Checklist

On earlier Uhers the unusual headphone socket could cause the speaker to be muted - worth a look. The above advice, of course, is sound (no pun intended).
Glyn
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Old 8th Feb 2018, 7:55 pm   #5
ben
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Default Re: UHER Report 4000 IC Automatic - Checklist

Definitely suspect the frakos - I had one about ten years ago where -I think- it was two 2200uF ones behind a heatsink which were actually getting hot.
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