Philips DCC 600 problems - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

barrywebb · 30th Aug 2017, 1:58 pm

Hi I have a Philips DCC 600 digital cassette player with a small problem. When I put in a cassette the display says NO CASSETTE. I have changed the capstan belt and the drawer belt but that has made no difference. Any help would be much appreciated.

Barry.

kevinaston1 · 30th Aug 2017, 4:10 pm

Service manual is available here - https://elektrotanya.com/philips_70d.../download.html

Try the service mode given on page 25 onwards to see if it throws any light on the problem.

Sideband · 30th Aug 2017, 8:21 pm

More than likely a sensor switch has failed or wants cleaning. There is a detect system that tells it whether you have inserted a DCC tape or an analogue compact cassette. You will need to check that these switches operate according to the tape being used.

camtechman · 31st Aug 2017, 9:23 am

Which tape are you using?

barrywebb · 31st Aug 2017, 10:50 am

Hi at the moment I'm using standard compact cassettes I'm waiting for some DCC tapes to arrive in the post.

When I first got hold of it it did read the tape but when you pressed play it would start and run for one or two seconds then stop and after a short time it would not read the tape anymore.

The only thing I have now done to it is replace the drive belts. It's just saying no cassette it looks like it's loading OK.

Barry.

Sideband · 31st Aug 2017, 2:04 pm

Like I said, a sensor switch or possibly the tacho sensor under the right-hand turntable that detects tape motion. The fact that it ran for one or two seconds could suggest this. It works by detecting the movement of the right-hand turntable. I think it's magnetic (hall-effect) so pulses are produced when the tape is in motion. When the turntable spool stops (at the end of the tape) the pulses also stop and the mechanism then turns the motor off (can't remember if it releases the play key as well). It will also do this in a fault condition for instance if the clutch doesn't take up the drive or if the capstan motor doesn't turn.

barrywebb · 31st Aug 2017, 2:43 pm

Thanks for that info I found two rows of switches a row of 4 and a row of 2 cleaned them with contact cleaner but still no joy.

Looks like this one is out of my reach is there anyone on this forum who would be interested in having a go at it for me?

Barry.

barrywebb · 27th Sep 2017, 3:36 pm

After after stripping down the tape deck i found the switch that tells it its got a tape had some how moved from its mounting and was causing the switch to jam in the no tape position i put it all back together and yes she powered into live but only plays side B and trys to play side A but only for a few seconds and the stops.
At the moment i have left it running on side B to see how it goes must say it sounds great.
Any more help would be appreciated and thanks for your replys so far.
Barry

Clydeuk · 27th Sep 2017, 4:59 pm

I don't know these units or whether you can see the spools when the player is operating, but if you can, check that the take up spool is turning (right hand one if it's side A). If there's no take up then it will shut off to avoid spilling tape into the mechanism.

Does fast forward/rewind work?

pbengtech · 27th Sep 2017, 6:12 pm

Hi Barry,
I worked for a Philips Dealer in the day, and although the cassettes look similar to an ordinary compact cassette, I do not remember them to be interchangeable with DCC ones.
I still have a demonstration DCC cassette and it has the album sleeve moulded into the top, and a sliding metal shutter underneath that covers the spindle holes till the cassette is in place.
Any further details were forgotten, and the training documents were dumped years ago. Though I did copy the music onto an ordinary cassette.
Never did own a DCC recorder....
I will be interested to see if anyone else has more information....
Regards,
Phil

30th Aug 2017, 1:58 pm	#1
barrywebb Tetrode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Redruth, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 85	Philips DCC 600 problems Hi I have a Philips DCC 600 digital cassette player with a small problem. When I put in a cassette the display says NO CASSETTE. I have changed the capstan belt and the drawer belt but that has made no difference. Any help would be much appreciated. Barry.

30th Aug 2017, 4:10 pm	#2
kevinaston1 Hexode Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Featherstone, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 386	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems Service manual is available here - https://elektrotanya.com/philips_70d.../download.html Try the service mode given on page 25 onwards to see if it throws any light on the problem.

30th Aug 2017, 8:21 pm	#3
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,567	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems More than likely a sensor switch has failed or wants cleaning. There is a detect system that tells it whether you have inserted a DCC tape or an analogue compact cassette. You will need to check that these switches operate according to the tape being used. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

31st Aug 2017, 9:23 am	#4
camtechman Nonode Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Milton Keynes, Bucks. UK. Posts: 2,552	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems Which tape are you using? __________________ When I die, please don't let my Wife sell my collection for the amount I told her I paid for it!

31st Aug 2017, 10:50 am	#5
barrywebb Tetrode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Redruth, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 85	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems Hi at the moment I'm using standard compact cassettes I'm waiting for some DCC tapes to arrive in the post. When I first got hold of it it did read the tape but when you pressed play it would start and run for one or two seconds then stop and after a short time it would not read the tape anymore. The only thing I have now done to it is replace the drive belts. It's just saying no cassette it looks like it's loading OK. Barry.

31st Aug 2017, 2:04 pm	#6
Sideband Dekatron Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK. Posts: 7,567	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems Like I said, a sensor switch or possibly the tacho sensor under the right-hand turntable that detects tape motion. The fact that it ran for one or two seconds could suggest this. It works by detecting the movement of the right-hand turntable. I think it's magnetic (hall-effect) so pulses are produced when the tape is in motion. When the turntable spool stops (at the end of the tape) the pulses also stop and the mechanism then turns the motor off (can't remember if it releases the play key as well). It will also do this in a fault condition for instance if the clutch doesn't take up the drive or if the capstan motor doesn't turn. __________________ There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....

31st Aug 2017, 2:43 pm	#7
barrywebb Tetrode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Redruth, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 85	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems Thanks for that info I found two rows of switches a row of 4 and a row of 2 cleaned them with contact cleaner but still no joy. Looks like this one is out of my reach is there anyone on this forum who would be interested in having a go at it for me? Barry.

27th Sep 2017, 3:36 pm	#8
barrywebb Tetrode Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Redruth, Cornwall, UK. Posts: 85	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems After after stripping down the tape deck i found the switch that tells it its got a tape had some how moved from its mounting and was causing the switch to jam in the no tape position i put it all back together and yes she powered into live but only plays side B and trys to play side A but only for a few seconds and the stops. At the moment i have left it running on side B to see how it goes must say it sounds great. Any more help would be appreciated and thanks for your replys so far. Barry

27th Sep 2017, 4:59 pm	#9
Clydeuk Hexode Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Liverpool, Merseyside, UK. Posts: 453	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems I don't know these units or whether you can see the spools when the player is operating, but if you can, check that the take up spool is turning (right hand one if it's side A). If there's no take up then it will shut off to avoid spilling tape into the mechanism. Does fast forward/rewind work?

27th Sep 2017, 6:12 pm	#10
pbengtech Pentode Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 234	Re: Philips DCC 600 problems Hi Barry, I worked for a Philips Dealer in the day, and although the cassettes look similar to an ordinary compact cassette, I do not remember them to be interchangeable with DCC ones. I still have a demonstration DCC cassette and it has the album sleeve moulded into the top, and a sliding metal shutter underneath that covers the spindle holes till the cassette is in place. Any further details were forgotten, and the training documents were dumped years ago. Though I did copy the music onto an ordinary cassette. Never did own a DCC recorder.... I will be interested to see if anyone else has more information.... Regards, Phil