Were all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrication on critical parts? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Rick62008 · 29th Mar 2013, 10:59 am

Hi.
I have acquired a Philips VCR VR685 (which one of the many issues was already explained here https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=94870 ) and this is my first TurboDrive deck based VCR iI ever got to work and iI have to ask if it is normal the nearly complete lack of lubrication on critical parts. I was actually a bit shocked when some of the parts were just grinding against each other leading to its demise so soon. I know this is a later deck but it was introduced in 1994\95 iI guess so iI still expected better.

Is this really how all TurboDrive Philips decks were made? Not to mention the flimsy plastics all over the place which make later revisions of the Philips Charly deck look like a true beast in robustness.

Welsh Anorak · 29th Mar 2013, 3:03 pm

Hi
The answer is yes! There was the odd daub of Molykote or similar here and there. However, Philips had learned from the Charlie series so the plastic was of slightly better quality, though about half of the decks I saw had the record prevention tab and spring broken off, rattling round inside.
They did seem to last well, though.
Glyn

ben · 30th Mar 2013, 12:18 pm

They're starting to deteriorate, recently I've had a couple with crumbled plastic bushes on the chassis where drum load arm mech goes. Also had one where the brakes stopped working for the same reason. That they've lasted since the late 90s at all is surprising. Probably best avoided now.

Welsh Anorak · 30th Mar 2013, 12:54 pm

Hi
You're right, Ben, of course, though they certainly lasted better than those Eighties all-plastic cassette decks they made! We need to remember they've done their job - a consumer product that lasted five to ten years until VHS beacme obsolete.
With the increasing 'solid-state-ification' of everyhting we'll one day look at the mechanics of a video recorder - even the Turbo deck - and be amazed it ever worked.
Glyn

Rick62008 · 30th Mar 2013, 6:34 pm

Well iI went ahead and lubricated this turbrodrive deck, although iI just noticed that if too much lub is added in the mode wheel it can get to the tape when the tape ejects and the pinch roller rises to its park position.

Maarten · 31st Mar 2013, 10:04 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben

They're starting to deteriorate, recently I've had a couple with crumbled plastic bushes on the chassis where drum load arm mech goes. Also had one where the brakes stopped working for the same reason. That they've lasted since the late 90s at all is surprising. Probably best avoided now.

The crumbling bushes are typical for 1996/1997 model years (VR666 etc). Haven't seen them on any earlier or later models.

I don't think turbodrives should be avoided, as it is arguably the best mechanism still produced after all other brands switched to flimsy crap.

trellis · 5th Apr 2013, 7:31 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak

Hi
With the increasing 'solid-state-ification' of everyhting we'll one day look at the mechanics of a video recorder - even the Turbo deck - and be amazed it ever worked.
Glyn

Quite honestly, ever since opening up my first VHS VCR to watch how it operated, I find it astonishing not only that they work, but they work so well, and they're so cheap to buy! Truly remarkable technology that we just took for granted.

Michael Maurice · 5th Apr 2013, 10:29 pm

They weren't cheap to buy when they first came out.

They worked because they were born out of the Philips N1500/1700 which in turn evolved from Alpha wrap reel to reel VTR's.

I find it quite amazing watching record player autochangers in action and they were 20 - 30 years or more previous.

The fact that VCR's are cheap now comes of 35 years of evolution, together with different manufacturing techniques.

I believe the Turbo and its predecessor the Charlie deck were assembled completely by machine.

Rick62008 · 6th Apr 2013, 10:55 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by trellis

Quite honestly, ever since opening up my first VHS VCR to watch how it operated, I find it astonishing not only that they work, but they work so well, and they're so cheap to buy! Truly remarkable technology that we just took for granted.

Indeed! Most of the time people look at VCRs as clumbsy or fail prone machines, mostly because the only vcr they ever owned was after 1998\2000 and the quality never again matched the previous VCRs.

VCRs can be really clever mechanically wise, and a feast for the eyes. People never understood what brains went into their design and they just toss it away like if it was a empty can.

Who knows, maybe some day VCRs will collectible. They are becoming already hard to find and even worse, in working condition.

Michael Maurice, as for the turbodrive and charly decks being assembled by machines, you wouldn't know if is there in existence any video of that happening? That would be historical actually.

Maarten · 6th Apr 2013, 7:48 pm

If there's a promotion video of such manufacturing, it was probably made by Philips Austria as the deck manufacturing was exclusively done there.

29th Mar 2013, 10:59 am	#1
Rick62008 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Braga, Portugal. Posts: 231	Were all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrication on critical parts? Hi. I have acquired a Philips VCR VR685 (which one of the many issues was already explained here https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=94870 ) and this is my first TurboDrive deck based VCR iI ever got to work and iI have to ask if it is normal the nearly complete lack of lubrication on critical parts. I was actually a bit shocked when some of the parts were just grinding against each other leading to its demise so soon. I know this is a later deck but it was introduced in 1994\95 iI guess so iI still expected better. Is this really how all TurboDrive Philips decks were made? Not to mention the flimsy plastics all over the place which make later revisions of the Philips Charly deck look like a true beast in robustness.

29th Mar 2013, 3:03 pm	#2
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,920	Re: Where all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrification on critical par Hi The answer is yes! There was the odd daub of Molykote or similar here and there. However, Philips had learned from the Charlie series so the plastic was of slightly better quality, though about half of the decks I saw had the record prevention tab and spring broken off, rattling round inside. They did seem to last well, though. Glyn

30th Mar 2013, 12:18 pm	#3
ben Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Madrid, Spain / Wirral, UK Posts: 7,498	Re: Where all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrification on critical par They're starting to deteriorate, recently I've had a couple with crumbled plastic bushes on the chassis where drum load arm mech goes. Also had one where the brakes stopped working for the same reason. That they've lasted since the late 90s at all is surprising. Probably best avoided now. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Regards, Ben.

30th Mar 2013, 12:54 pm	#4
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,920	Re: Where all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrification on critical par Hi You're right, Ben, of course, though they certainly lasted better than those Eighties all-plastic cassette decks they made! We need to remember they've done their job - a consumer product that lasted five to ten years until VHS beacme obsolete. With the increasing 'solid-state-ification' of everyhting we'll one day look at the mechanics of a video recorder - even the Turbo deck - and be amazed it ever worked. Glyn

30th Mar 2013, 6:34 pm	#5
Rick62008 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Braga, Portugal. Posts: 231	Re: Where all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrification on critical par Well iI went ahead and lubricated this turbrodrive deck, although iI just noticed that if too much lub is added in the mode wheel it can get to the tape when the tape ejects and the pinch roller rises to its park position.

5th Apr 2013, 10:29 pm	#8
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 7,224	Re: Were all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrication on critical parts? They weren't cheap to buy when they first came out. They worked because they were born out of the Philips N1500/1700 which in turn evolved from Alpha wrap reel to reel VTR's. I find it quite amazing watching record player autochangers in action and they were 20 - 30 years or more previous. The fact that VCR's are cheap now comes of 35 years of evolution, together with different manufacturing techniques. I believe the Turbo and its predecessor the Charlie deck were assembled completely by machine. __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

6th Apr 2013, 7:48 pm	#10
Maarten Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haarlem, Netherlands Posts: 4,199	Re: Were all TurboDrive Philips deck made this way? No lubrication on critical parts? If there's a promotion video of such manufacturing, it was probably made by Philips Austria as the deck manufacturing was exclusively done there.