Amstrad VCR6000 Will Not Accept Tape

[BobK]

I have an Emerson VCR6000 (manufactured in 1996). I believe it is a
rebadged Amstrad VCR6000.

The VCR will not accept a cassette. When a tape is push in, the load
mechanism pulls it in for about .3 seconds and 1/2" before spitting it
back out. Internally, the load motor eject the mechanism to its limit
and then spins on the belt for a couple seconds before turning off.
The VCR then shuts down. If I manually rotate the motor and fully seat
the tape. The VCR operates normally. There is no indication of a
jammed load mechanism.

As I poke around inside, it appears there might be a problem with the
light sensors. There are two solutions on the EURAS database, but I
don't have access.

I'm competent with electonics repairs once I have a solution to follow.
Any suggestions?

 

[BobK]

Additionally, the load motor belt is not slipping. It only slips
during the fault when the basket is fully ejected to its limit. Then
for a couple seconds the motor continues to operate, which causes the
belt to slip.

Again, once the tape is manually cycled into place, all VCR functions
work properly. Additionally, the eject button works properly. The
basket ejects without a single problem. Only while trying to insert a
cassette does the fault occur.

 

[JR North]

I think the load belt IS slipping, only you can't see it. The logic
looks for the load to complete quickly. If no, the unit will detect a
basket jam, eject and shut down. It can't tell the difference between a
jam and a slipping load belt.
JR

 

[BobK]

JR,

If the belt was slipping a bit, I think I could overcome it by
aggressively assisting the basket while the tape is loading. However,
no amount of pushing makes a difference. I'll take a second look at
the belt.

Any other ideas in the meantime?

 

[BobK]

For archive's sake, I found the problem.

On the bottom of the cassette mechanism near all the take up reel
gearing is a black piece of plastic about the size of a 50 cent piece.
It is held into place by one screw and a couple of little plastic nubs.
While in place, you can see that there is a grey gear underneath the
black plastic piece that engagea a white gear of the take up reel.

Look carefully and make sure you know how the grey gear is aligned.
There is a small half cutout on the edge of the gear as an indicator.
I made sure the half cutout on the grey gear was aligned with the dot
on the white gear.

Remove the grey gear by popping it out of the black plastic holder. On
the bottomside of the grey gear are four metal contacts and on the
inside of the black plastic are metal strips where the contacts,
well...make contact. Mine were dirty. I used an eraser to clean
everything up. Also, on the outside of the black plastic piece is a
connector with contacts that go into the main circuit board. Mine were
also dirty and I cleaned them up with an eraser. I put everything back
together and the machine now ejects properly. Apparently, the grey
gear with the little metal fingers feeds info to the main processor
when the tape is loading. Dirty contacts caused the problem.

 

[b]

Additionally, the load motor belt is not slipping. It only slips
during the fault when the basket is fully ejected to its limit. Then
for a couple seconds the motor continues to operate, which causes the
belt to slip.

Again, once the tape is manually cycled into place, all VCR functions
work properly. Additionally, the eject button works properly. The
basket ejects without a single problem. Only while trying to insert a
cassette does the fault occur.

seen this before.
first check and clean the mode switch - common problem on this model.
then remove the cassette basket. On the right hand side is a cam (black
if i recall). there are 2 leaf switches which have probably got bent
out of their correct position or are dirty - retension and clean.
Ben

 

[b]

Additionally, the load motor belt is not slipping. It only slips
during the fault when the basket is fully ejected to its limit. Then
for a couple seconds the motor continues to operate, which causes the
belt to slip.

Again, once the tape is manually cycled into place, all VCR functions
work properly. Additionally, the eject button works properly. The
basket ejects without a single problem. Only while trying to insert a
cassette does the fault occur.

seen this before.
first check and clean the mode switch - common problem on this model.
then remove the cassette basket. On the right hand side is a cam (black
if i recall). there are 2 leaf switches which have probably got bent
out of their correct position or are dirty - retension and clean.
Ben

 

[b]

Additionally, the load motor belt is not slipping. It only slips
during the fault when the basket is fully ejected to its limit. Then
for a couple seconds the motor continues to operate, which causes the
belt to slip.

Again, once the tape is manually cycled into place, all VCR functions
work properly. Additionally, the eject button works properly. The
basket ejects without a single problem. Only while trying to insert a
cassette does the fault occur.

seen this before.
first check and clean the mode switch - common problem on this model.
then remove the cassette basket. On the right hand side is a cam (black
if i recall). there are 2 leaf switches which have probably got bent
out of their correct position or are dirty - retension and clean.
Ben

 

[b]

Additionally, the load motor belt is not slipping. It only slips
during the fault when the basket is fully ejected to its limit. Then
for a couple seconds the motor continues to operate, which causes the
belt to slip.

Again, once the tape is manually cycled into place, all VCR functions
work properly. Additionally, the eject button works properly. The
basket ejects without a single problem. Only while trying to insert a
cassette does the fault occur.

seen this before.
first check and clean the mode switch - common problem on this model.
then remove the cassette basket. On the right hand side is a cam (black
if i recall). there are 2 leaf switches which have probably got bent
out of their correct position or are dirty - retension and clean.
Ben