Funky old cassette player

[gwh]

Panasonic Direct Drive Cassette Stereo deck RS-276 US.
I picked this thing up at a yard sale for $3 just because I thought it looked cool.
Will play and sound good for about five seconds then shuts off (power stays on just the play function stops).
Any clue on what might be out of whack?





G

[trubluluc]

Does it rewind and FF ok?
Have you tried cleaning the head and tracking etc.?

-Luc

[gwh]

FF & RW don’t work ( sounds like a bad belt maybe?)
Don’t have a clue how to clean the inner workings.
Might take a peek inside later on.




G

[Polkersince85]

It says "Direct Drive" on the face. I doubt it has a belt. Try cleaning everything real good and let it dry before using it. May have to lube the motors.

[George Grand]

I have RS-276US. Put the machine in play, and see if the digit counter moves. The play motor is tied in to that digit counter. If the digit counter does not move, the deck thinks it is at the end of the tape and goes into auto shut-off. My machine occasionally does the same thing yours does, because it can't get passed "99" on the counter while in play. If I use FF or rewind, it blows right passed it and operates fine.

What I'm saying is, if the mechanical linkage that allows the digit counter to move is slightly gummed up, or in need of a lube, that's your problem.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[George Grand]

That problem is not unique to that machine. Many cassette decks with mechanical digit counters manifest the same problem. I have never seen a deck with digital fluorescent counters have this problem.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

[gwh]

I have RS-276US. Put the machine in play, and see if the digit counter moves. The play motor is tied in to that digit counter. If the digit counter does not move, the deck thinks it is at the end of the tape and goes into auto shut-off. My machine occasionally does the same thing yours does, because it can't get passed "99" on the counter while in play. If I use FF or rewind, it blows right passed it and operates fine.

George,
You were right on the money.
A band coming out from under the player mechanism going to a pulley that makes the counter move seems to have come off the track of whatever drives it
With the hood off and the play button engaged I can turn the pulley by hand and the unit will keep playing.
Not sure how to get under all that crap to reattach the band, lot’s of springs and screws, may tackle it another day.

Cool to see someone on the forum has one, and I definitely appreciate the info.

Peace,





G

[gwh]

After further review the band had fallen between the two pulleys, plays fine now.
FF & RW still don't work, might be too technical for me to figure out, but for now I’m going to slip on my Realistic Nova 40’s and tune in to the sweet sounds of a worn out Steve Miller tape. :D








G

[George Grand]

Am I one bitchin' guy, or what?

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

Hey, when you had the cover off, any chance you found the lead ballast they stuck in that thing? Heavy sucker ain't it? For $3, no FF or rewind is not a big deal. Just means you have to listen to the bad songs too. You got me beat, I paid $10 for mine in Nov 99. Also, mine is Technics (by Panasonic) but it is the same exact machine as yours.