Fostex R8 - tape won't go forward

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marshside

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Having not used my R8 for ages, I was messing around listening to old stuff and it seemed fine, then...it stopped playing and fast forwarding. Has the motor died? Could a drive belt have gone? Have I pressed a magic button by mistake? This problem has never exhibited itself before. All suggestions grategully recevied....
 
Belt.

If all other play-engage motions seem normal, check the capstan. When you lift the right tension arm the capstan should spin CCW. If it doesn't spin it would usually indicate the belt is bad. It's less often a problem with the motor. If play-engage motion doesn't work at all, I'd check the fuses. If play-engage motion is sluggish or inconsistent, I'd look at the solenoid that controls pinchwheel movement, & as long as I was in there I'd also check the solenoid that releases the hub brakes./DA:eek:;)
 
Thanks very much. Right...just checked and the capstan does indeed spin CCW. When I do "play" or "FF" there is no motion from the right hand reel at all. So...are you saying this is likely to be a fuse? If so, how do I get at it?

I just tried raising both tension arms and hititng "play". The right hand reel did nothing, the left hand reel moved clockwise fast, as if rewinding! It did the same when I hit rewind, except faster. When I tried ff, nothing from either reel.

Thoughts?
 
Okay!

The symptom description has changed a bit from the first post!

If, as you describe, when activating "Play" mode the right reel will not move, (that's an easy one!),... I'd look for the R8 to be inadvertently in "Edit" mode. The Edit mode on this vintage of machines would disable the right reel, into what's known as dump-edit mode, i.e., to dump the unwanted tape off the left reel and into (presumably) the trash can or onto the floor.

My friend, look over the R8 or consult the manual about Edit mode, and make sure Edit mode is NOT activated. That may be your only problem. I've seen this specific issue of "malfunction" before. In fact, many years ago I bought a "broken" Tascam 38 on-the-cheap that was just in Edit mode.

Best of luck!:eek:;)
 
OK. I have not heard of an edit mode and I can't see any button that would do this but I will have a rummage through the manual and let you know how I get on. Thanks very much for your help.
 
Have looked through the manual...no mention of any "edit" mode that I can see. Just tried the machine again and no change. Key thing remains that the right hand reel will not move anti-clockwise so not possible to play/record/fast forward.

Any futher suggestion more than welcome...
 
Okay,...

Sorry that didn't pan out! If I can dig out my R8 manual, I'll have a look thru it too.

If you feel competent and adventurous, you might want to disassemble and remove the front panel cover & inspect the belts, solenoids and inner mechanical workings. Not having taken an R8 apart myself, it's my impression that the reel hubs are belt driven. You may have a bad belt in there, or something more quirky like the hub brake solenoid not releasing the brakes.

Not sure what else. Hang in there.:eek:;)

/DA
 
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