MCI JH-110 A-2 won't move tape

WarmJetGuitar

New member
This nice old producer I know gave me a MCI JH-110 A-2 - needless to say I'm over the moon.
However it doesn't move tape. Most lights are working except on the section with the transport where only "torque limit" light up. Nothing happens when I press play.

I wondered if these could have a saying, doesn't look like they should just be floating around like that.

Any advice? Would love to have a full analog chain.MCI kabler bagpå.jpg
 
This nice old producer I know gave me a MCI JH-110 A-2 - needless to say I'm over the moon.
However it doesn't move tape. Most lights are working except on the section with the transport where only "torque limit" light up. Nothing happens when I press play.

I wondered if these could have a saying, doesn't look like they should just be floating around like that.

Any advice? Would love to have a full analog chain.View attachment 99847
Those look like the head cables.
 
Might be however when I move the tape by hand it passes audio. They have small stickers saying 3 and 4. Did locate something on a circuit board saying 3 and 4 too but they wouldnt fit.

On the PSU there's an empty slot saying "deck". Could it be that I just need another cable to feed power to the transport?

The torque thing lights up slightly even when the machine is switched off entirely, so it seems the whole section doesnt get any power.
 
So you have a deck wired for four tracks. So, you really want to solve this? Get the manual for the machine. Study it. Become an expert on all things MCI 110. Or hire a professional to have a look at it for you.
 
Yeah the the deck was pre-wired for 1/4" halftrack or 1/2" 4-track. Those are just the cables for electronics modules 3 & 4 if they were fitted and the transport and heads were setup for 1/2" 4-track. They have nothing to do with your issue and can be tucked away.

I'm with radardoug. I'm hedging you have an issue with the transport servo control. Do you have the manual? Study it. Find out what that torque limit indicator means and go from there. Is the capstan spinning? Does the pinch roller engage when you press PLAY? Have you reseated the servo logic card(s) and/or any internal and external connections? Start there. But the next step if that doesn't do anything is to verify the power rails are healthy. So if you are not prepared to study the manual, make sure the basics are functioning, rule out any operator error, and get out your DMM and verify the power rails, then contact your tech of choice and go from there. Google "MCI red socket" and read up on that. A lot of MCI machines used sockets for the ICs...they were red. They were problematic and most folks replace them...until you do so, if it has them (and I suspect the 'A' series 110 machines did), be prepared to get that done if you are serious at all about keeping and using the machine.

HTH
 
Very usefull advice, thanks a lot :-)
Mine has lots of red sockets so that's a task ahead that needs sorting out - gonna have to ask a tech to do it though, I'm clumsy with a soldering iron. Would have to learn to reseat the logic boards.
However I'm almost certain that what causes the issue at the moment is the lack of a cable from "deck" on the PSU to "power" on the transport section. On those pictures I've found of the PSU this slot is in use.

The section is doing litterally nothing, no pinch roller engaging, no spinning capstain, the counter doesnt light up. The green light on "torque" it seems is mechanical in nature as it engages when the machine doesn't get any power.
Does any of you have such a cable you'd want to sell?

I got a manual for the B version, better than nothing I suppose.
 
My only experience with these machines was a later Sony-era JH-110. It did not have red sockets but had its fair share of problems. Hitting play would spool out the tape. One of the capacitors on the torque board had failed, and was leaking too much voltage to one of the ICs, frying the IC. Replaced that capacitor and IC, and it played, but was very unsteady.

The board got a re-cap but the job was never finished. It belonged to the university, and the university wasn't interested in hiring a pro to service it. This was long ago when I was very green in these matters.

If only I could go back in time knowing what I know now.

Seriously, the service manual is a work of art. Read it carefully.
 
Thanks a bunch for your replies. Chris Mara confirmed that I need a cable between "deck" and "power" on the transport. Meanwhile the owner is looking for it and the manual and a guy from a studio in Denmark using lots of MCI is maybe willing to sell me one however he needs a diagram. Perhaps he have to diagram.

Does anyone know how to find a service manual? Found one for the JH-110 B but this is the A-2 and he says they're not nessesarily the same in this regard.
 
Oh wow I think I have a copy of the 110-A service manual I scanned in myself...so it's complete and good quality. I'm not where I can get it to a public node at the moment but I will soon and will PM a link to you when I can.

Geez I can't even recall where I ever got that...I think maybe it came in a bundle of early JH-416 mixing desk technical docs Larry Lamoray (former MCI staff) loaned me to scan years ago...I think that's how I got it...I was only interested in the 416 docs but he sent me a mish-mosh and I must have thought it wise to scan in the tape deck manual even though I've never owned an MCI deck and don't expect I ever will. Huh. OCD-ish-ness pays off.
 
Oh wow I think I have a copy of the 110-A service manual I scanned in myself...so it's complete and good quality. I'm not where I can get it to a public node at the moment but I will soon and will PM a link to you when I can.

Geez I can't even recall where I ever got that...I think maybe it came in a bundle of early JH-416 mixing desk technical docs Larry Lamoray (former MCI staff) loaned me to scan years ago...I think that's how I got it...I was only interested in the 416 docs but he sent me a mish-mosh and I must have thought it wise to scan in the tape deck manual even though I've never owned an MCI deck and don't expect I ever will. Huh. OCD-ish-ness pays off.

Wow, that would be excellent - thanks a lot dude :thumbs up:
These things are tricky to find, kind of weird considering how common a machine the JH-110 are.
 
Sweetbeats... first of all sorry for the late reply. Had a bit too much to do lately for once. Thanks a bunch for the manual, think I found the right one somewhere else too.

Got a new question though...
Is it cables like these I new for the JH110?
Tuchel Connectors | Redco Audio

Oh wow I think I have a copy of the 110-A service manual I scanned in myself...so it's complete and good quality. I'm not where I can get it to a public node at the moment but I will soon and will PM a link to you when I can.

Geez I can't even recall where I ever got that...I think maybe it came in a bundle of early JH-416 mixing desk technical docs Larry Lamoray (former MCI staff) loaned me to scan years ago...I think that's how I got it...I was only interested in the 416 docs but he sent me a mish-mosh and I must have thought it wise to scan in the tape deck manual even though I've never owned an MCI deck and don't expect I ever will. Huh. OCD-ish-ness pays off.
 
Can you put up a pic of the connector at the transport and the connector at the power supply? The early MCI machines all used Cinch Jones connectors like a lot of Ampex machines. The later MCI mixing consoles used Tuchel connectors for audio I/O. I don't know if the JH-110"A" machines, or any MCI tape machines used the Tuchel connectors, particularly for power interconnect. It would really expedite things if you could just post pics of what you are trying to interconnect.
 
Can you put up a pic of the connector at the transport and the connector at the power supply? The early MCI machines all used Cinch Jones connectors like a lot of Ampex machines. The later MCI mixing consoles used Tuchel connectors for audio I/O. I don't know if the JH-110"A" machines, or any MCI tape machines used the Tuchel connectors, particularly for power interconnect. It would really expedite things if you could just post pics of what you are trying to interconnect.

Thanks, that sounds like a useful hint :-) It's my impression they generally had lots of inspiration from Ampex.

I'll take some pictures when I get back to the studio tomorrow and post them on Friday.

Thanks once again, you're a hero.
 
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