Repairing Tascam 102 Cassette Player display issues - possible causes?

[canidoit]

Hi,

I have a Tascam 102 Cassette Player Version 1 which has the display section that is not working(does not light up) but when I push a certain switch down hard a certain way, the display goes on fully but turns back off when I let go of pressing the switch.

I opened the unit, but the display area looks buried within PCBs and metal frames and seems hard to get into the area deeply and I am concerned I will not be able to put it back together or break something.

I am looking for a free downloadable service manual PDF but can't seem to find any. Wondering if anyone knows where to get it?

What are the usual causes to this issues do you think? I am thinking possibly broken solder joints somewhere near the display area, so I was considering taking the display section out and just resolder everything.

Thank you.

 

[user 130681]

Here's the manual but if you did not attend the training course, back in 1989/90, you must work out how to take it to bits yourself. There is little information on how to do it.
Page 16 should help.

I would look for dry joints especially around the flourescent display heater pins on the ends.

Edit; more info added

 

[canidoit]

Hi Jon, thank you heaps!

I think I will give this repair a go

Well atleast I have visual construct. So many times I have pulled things apart and notice one or two screws left over or can't figure out what section went where.

Thank you for the tips, I presume the heater pins will likely be in the display area. I will likely just re-solder everything in that area.

 

[canidoit]

After decades of procrastination, it is finally fixed. One broken solder completely torn off from a leg. Looking at the soldering in general in this unit, I don't see how some of it passed QA, some solder joints were so light with solder, it was like only one side of the leg were soldered or it was soldered with a thin layered of skin of solder.

Anyways, playing tapes, has brought back my interest in the sound of tape again.

Thank Jon, the diagrams in the service manual helped alot!

 

[user 130681]

After decades of procrastination, it is finally fixed. One broken solder completely torn off from a leg. Looking at the soldering in general in this unit, I don't see how some of it passed QA, some solder joints were so light with solder, it was like only one side of the leg were soldered or it was soldered with a thin layered of skin of solder.

Anyways, playing tapes, has brought back my interest in the sound of tape again.

Thank Jon, the diagrams in the service manual helped alot!

Please to help.

 

[canidoit]

Hi All, just been recording with the tape deck and its playing it warping sounding. A few tapes work fine but it is very picky on the tape, sometimes it plays OK in the middle of the tape. Took out a NOS blank tape, recording something, it was warping badly on playback. I then forwarded it to the end, and heard all these sticky sounds coming from the tape, like when you peel packing tape. The other side recorded fine, but now its not recording well anymore on the-same tape.

Not sure whether it is the tapes I have resurrected that are the issue, or the tape deck itself. I mean I haven't played the tape deck or the tapes since tapes went out. Am I damaging my tape deck, by playing really old tapes, maybe its adding sticky residue on the rubbbers and the metal spinning parts?

Fast forward, rewind all work fine, the motor sounds good and the belt seems to hold up. Just playback is really iffy.

 

[grizzli06]

Hi,

I have fixed a Tascam 122 a few months ago, and it had various problems, including those you mention.

The main cause of the issues was the electrolytic capacitors, that were of a poor quality. I had been disappointed to see that Tascam did not make any effort on the quality of these parts.

To fix the problems definitely, I did the following:

a-.Replace all the Electrolytic caps in the Power Supply section, particularly the small values (when they are electrolytic): some of them were still OK, but some of them were close to die.
b-.Replace all the SMD capacitors on the Capstan Board, if such a board is present on the 102 model: this is a well known issue on the Tascam 122: all these SMD capacitos must be replaced ! I don't know if the 102 has the same Capstan Board, but if I were you I would replace them immediately.

Regarding the Display problem, I did notice that a few small value capacitors were dead in this area, and I also replaced them.

Finally the Tascam went back to life !

As a conclusion the quality of the stock capacitors was disappointing, and particularly the SMD Capstan Board had t be fixed by replacing the SMD caps.

I believe that most of your problems come from weakly caps...

 

[sodderboy]

Hi All, just been recording with the tape deck and its playing it warping sounding. A few tapes work fine but it is very picky on the tape, sometimes it plays OK in the middle of the tape. Took out a NOS blank tape, recording something, it was warping badly on playback. I then forwarded it to the end, and heard all these sticky sounds coming from the tape, like when you peel packing tape. The other side recorded fine, but now its not recording well anymore on the-same tape.

Not sure whether it is the tapes I have resurrected that are the issue, or the tape deck itself. I mean I haven't played the tape deck or the tapes since tapes went out. Am I damaging my tape deck, by playing really old tapes, maybe its adding sticky residue on the rubbbers and the metal spinning parts?

Fast forward, rewind all work fine, the motor sounds good and the belt seems to hold up. Just playback is really iffy.

Seems like the capstan bushing and belts or idler wheel are good if some tapes are OK.
Its the same story for most tape over the decades. The medium that holds the oxide to the plastic tape gets soft and a cass will play a bit and stop, sometimes squeeking. The tape literally sticks to the heads. Older tapes, 70's and earlier, can go the other way, where they disintegrate to flakes and dust when coming off the capstan. Gotta check carefully if it is an important tape. I have deliberately not played tapes for fear of losing them. Family recordings from late 60's into 70's on SONY cassettes are OK, tend to the dry end of the spectrum, but I watch TDK, Maxwell, BASF, Phillips, etc from 80's on need to be carefully checked, seconds at a time. Capstan and pinch roller will get dirty quickly from the dry tapes, gooey tapes will not play. Keep the transport clean- tiny bit of 100% alcohol(90 or 70% only if you have to) on a non-plastic stick Qtip, NO DRIP! just moist enough to clean heads and capstan, keep dipping fresh clean ends and touch a paper towel (or jeans!) to take excess alcohol. I use ATHAN solution on the pinch rollers, and rubber parts behind if they are still. Short of that I will do 20:1 Dawn or other simple dish liquid. I've always thought that ATHAN was diluted SOFTSOAP handsoap, but never did a side-by-side. No drips, just like the alchohol. Alcohol and pinch solution will help kill the lube in the capstan bushing.

Someone here must have tried baking cassettes. There is a lot of info regarding baking reel-to-reel stuff. A wider search will yield results I am sure.
Mike

 

[canidoit]

OK, I just did some capstan cleaning on the 102, I forgot about the dilution part sodderboy and cleaned it with 90% alcohol. I hope the rubbers will be ok.

I have now narrowed down the problem. The warping(wow and flutter) only occurs when I record to tape. Any tape recorded on different decks will play normal on the 102, but anything I record on the 102 will sound warped on playback.

Trying to find something in the manual, but it all refers to playback. Anyone ever come across this sort of issue?

 

[nsalis]

I recommend doing what Grizzli06 suggested.

 

[canidoit]

Hi nsalis, but it seems like the issues may not be capacitor related. I mean the issue is only when it records to tape. Maybe it is an adjustment somewhere, just don't want to adjust the wrong thing and skew it even further.

Testing it out further, the wow and flutter issue seems to be on playback as well. Just some tapes play OK and some have the issue. I think I messed up the calibration somewhere when I pulled it apart including the transport area to fix the display issue.