Equipment problems - troubleshooting help needed!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Erinhey
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Erinhey

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Hi - tried posting to the Fostex board but perhaps I wasn't clear? My buttons keep popping up on the tapedeck so that I can't record, play, rewind, for more than a couple seconds etc. What causes this? Is there a simple solution I could try or should I send it away? for repair? What about a tape head-cleaner, would that work? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks -
 
Now, I don't have a Fostex, but...

Do you mean that you put in a cassette tape to play or record or otherwise have it do its cassette- tape thang, it stops and the buttons (play or play/record) pop up? Does this happen with EVERY tape, or just one or two? Has the problem just begun? Will the deck stay in playback mode if there is NO tape in the deck?

When I've had this happen to me before on regular two-channel decks, it's usually been a tape-tension issue--too much pressure is being exerted on the tape, leading to engagement of the auto-stop feature (to prevent tape snappage). Sometimes it's because of friction between the reels and the shell (from warping of the shell or what have you). Lacing the fingers together and squeezing the offending tape between the palms of the hands often works for this (and tape speed problems caused by that type of friction). Don't squeeze too hard and crack the shell! :) Can you spin the reels of the cassette at all with your fingers? If you can't, or it's difficult, then that's an indication.

I don't think head cleaner would be helpful for this issue.

Let us know how it works out for ya.
 
I dont see it mentioned here often but a good practice with casette recorders is to FF the tape all the way to the end then Rewind all the way back.

Do this before every session and every few hours during recording. This will help make sure the tape is wound with proper tension and doesnt get snags from constant back and forth winding during overdubs and such.
 
For now the tension in the tape reasoning for buttons popping up seems to be fixed by the FF/Rewind method. The only thing that concerns me is an audible ticking coming from the deck itself as it plays (this sound does not show up on the tape). Thinking it's the age of the equipment, natural wear-and-tear (I bought it used on Ebay so I really don't know how much it was used before me, and I'm jus' gettin' started). Amost like a metronome - sound familiar, anything to worry about? Thanks everyone for your sound advice -
 
Mechanical noise in itself isn't a concern as far as recording goes.........unless you find it totally distracting:), I have 2 tape decks that both moan and groan all the time. That said, it may be an indication of "wear and tear" which will need attention sometime in the future.

:cool:
 
You might want to call around and see if anybody in your area can sevice it. It might be good to have it properly cleaned and replace any worn rollers and bands.
 
Hi.

I don't think anyone hit on this? If this is a belt drive deck (most are) with auto stop (again anything not from the stone age has auto stop) a bad belt can cause the problem you are having. If the belt is glazed or loose from age it can begin to slip. this can give the deck the impression that the tape is at its end just like a bad tape with two much tension. Older decks become more sensetive to tape tension because of this some times. auto reverse decks will begin to flip directions back and forth. Tame ting. Some decks also have friction clutches that can go bad as well causing the same problem.

I agree with Tex:)

I would try to get it serviced. You may end up with a warbling sound from speed variations if not.

Good luck

F.S.
 
I think you need to throw that tape deck away and go out and get yourslef a nice digital workstation. Tape sucks, face it.
 
I wonder what "recpro" means at the end of Tyler's name................the mind boggles.

:rolleyes:
 
I think all of you people are just dumb music people, trying to record their own music on their little 4 channel tascam tape recorder!!!
 
Tyler,

If your profile is correct you are 18yrs old...........unfortunately, you are acting more like a spoilt, snotty nosed, self-important, arrogant little grot.

I haven't bothered to read all your posts...........it isn't necessary, as you have clearly shown you know about 3% of nothing when it comes to recording, and mostly even less than that when it comes to BBS etiquette.

You advertise web page design on your website..............bud, if you treat clients the same way as you have treated people here then good luck.

Son, go off somewhere and grow up.

:cool:
 
Hey Tyler.

Don't listen to Aus. He's just a jerk, and so is Blue Bear. I think you have lots of interesting things to say, and I want to know all of your theories. Why don't you start your own thread on this stuff over in the recording section or wherever. I want to know all about how to, uh, record the way you do. I think you are kewl and smart and bluebear and Aus are just a couple of lightweights recording on 4-track tascams. :) :) :)

I think you could maybe start another one of those cool threads like Harvey's. Harvey is over-rated, too, by the way, :) and we need someone to compete with him.

I'm on your team now, Tyler. Stick with me. We'll go places. These guys giving you a hard time are schlups.
 
I totally agree with you chess! I think we should start a hunting club, and get to people to PAY US so they can shoot all the bears.
 
Why I remember when!

I remember when we would walk 10 miles in the snow to borrow a stereo recorder, then we would tape two of them together to make a 4 track to record our "shoe box & broom stick guitars".
And we were happy to do it!!:)

Hey tyler why don't you call up ozzy and tony to tell them how wrong they where to record such an awsome album on a four track back when they started out. They are still getting money off that 30 years later.

Talent always out weighs medium. Some of these guys could make better recordings on a wax cylinder than some rude young man (or me for that matter) in a protools studio.

Later

F.S.
 
I am not saying its not POSSIBLE to record on four tracks, I mean, people used to record everything totally live with one track. It's just, most people should be above that.
 
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