Trouble With 246 Portastudio VU Meter

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Beck

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After 20 years of faithful service my TASCAM 246 Portastudio has developed its first issue. The track-3 meter stopped working. I can record and playback, and the overload LED on the meter works, but the meter itself doesn’t move.

This is one piece of equipment I don’t have a service manual or schematic for, since its been so trouble-free.

If anyone has seen this problem on the 244/246, and/or has a service manual in pdf I would appreciate any input.

Tim
:)
 
Darn! No luck with service manual or schematics. I’m sure it’s something simple, but it’s a ponderous machine inside. I guess I’ll be the one to post the solution once I find it.

Wish me luck...

I’m goin’ in!
 

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Tim, I have a paper service manual with schematics for the 244 (not 246). No pdf and not scanned. Tell me which info you need and I'll see if I can scan it or make a copy and send it out to you.
 
Beck said:
I’m sure it’s something simple, but it’s a ponderous machine inside. I guess I’ll be the one to post the solution once I find it.!
Click to expand...

Yeah. You cook - you eat. sort of thing :)
Just open the damn thing and fix that wire or something ;)
btw, I was trying to locate schematics or manual - it does not exist on the net. I gave up. Also , I don't think it would hel p you much in the situation anyway.
and, good luck
 
Thanks Daniel and ZEE,

I just discovered a bad meter for track-3... really the last thing I expected, as this is the first meter of any TASCAM product I’ve ever used that has malfunctioned. I thought it would probably be a wire or some component on the meter PCB.

I'm now in the process of converting a spare meter from an old Realistic TR-3000 reel-to-reel (made by TEAC). I’ll have to pry the meters apart and swap some things between them since the replacement meter doesn’t have an overload LED.

Man, this thing is a jungle inside. This is the deepest I’ve been into this 246. It looks like it’s going to come together just fine… very time consuming though.

Tim
:)
 
Good luck with goin' in, Tim and let us know how it goes! :)

Don't take any prisoners! :D ;)
 

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Success!

All meters are working now. It wasn't a big deal once I got to the meter, but getting this machine apart is a wonder. Anyway, everything is back together and no screws left over. :D

I’ll have to break down and get a service manual, as this thing is getting on in years.

I replaced the insides of the meter (needle, magnet) with one taken from a different, but similar TEAC meter. Very delicate stuff… I should have been a surgeon. ;)

Tim
:)
 

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Great news, Tim!

Reminds me when I dissassembled my 246 to clean it. What a horror show! Still have nightmares about it! :eek:
 
Tim, just wondering...
what exactly went (can go) wrong in a meter? I mean, I messed with meters couple times, and I know how easy it is to break it mechanically, but under "normal" condition, how can it get screwed? electronically? :confused:
Or does it just stop moving because it gets sick of this world :D ?
seriously, any idea?
 
Or next time you could get one for nothing from a guy about 40 miles west of you. ;)
 
Herm, that would take all the fun outa'life :)
*****
speaking of VUs, I've just found out, Line 6 made TonePort KB37 Audio Interface and MIDI Controller, and it got a pair of sexy VUs, thay are assignable too (what ever that may mean, btw, and we know how it goes - you scroll the menue, select and assign something, then press "enter" or something, and then happilly smile :D :D :D )
VUs look 'hot' on a USBport/MIDI controller , LOL
 

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Doc,

If I hadn't read your reply carefully I would have thought you had engineered analog vu meters into a digital piano keyboard! It looks like some of the great projects you delved into in the past!

~Daniel :)
 
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Dr ZEE said:
Tim, just wondering...
what exactly went (can go) wrong in a meter? I mean, I messed with meters couple times, and I know how easy it is to break it mechanically, but under "normal" condition, how can it get screwed? electronically? :confused:
Or does it just stop moving because it gets sick of this world :D ?
seriously, any idea?
Click to expand...

I don't know, Doc. I think the little electromagnet windings could short or possibly the tiny wires that attach to the contacts became severed. I expected it would be a bad cap or loose wire... something like that, but it was indeed the meter itself. I could not detect anything obvious under a magnifying glass.

~Tim
:)
 
Beck said:
I don't know, Doc. I think the little electromagnet windings could short or possibly the tiny wires that attach to the contacts became severed. I expected it would be a bad cap or loose wire... something like that, but it was indeed the meter itself. I could not detect anything obvious under a magnifying glass.

~Tim
:)
Click to expand...
ah, I see. That's kind of what I thought. Becuase I've heard such thing as "non-working meter", but never had a clue what exactly that may mean :confused: :o :confused: , also I had a bunch of vary old and not-so-old meters went through my hand and never happen to get one that does not work :( , i mean - :D
ok, then,
good work on fixing the machine :) thumbs!
 
cjacek said:
Doc,

If I hadn't read your reply carefully I would have thought you had engineered analog vu meters into a digital piano keyboard! ....

~Daniel :)
Click to expand...
huh! actually that gives me ideas, but I don't mess with midi gear: one thing I have no clue how to and the other thing - there's not much to mess with in those gear - look like empty soap boxes based on what my not so 20/20 vision can provide :D So my only options are - hit the "industry" where it really hurts :rolleyes: :p , well at least in my fantasy world, I suppose
here's pic of my last "project". It got no damn single transitor in it, it got genuine leather though :D
 
Dr ZEE said:
here's pic of my last "project". It got no damn single transitor in it, it got genuine leather though :D
Click to expand...

Ah, that's more like it! :)
 
VU meters can simply wear out due to mechanical failure of the pivot point seizing or the light gage coil winding wire simply breaking and leaving the circuit open and dead. A few good longer duration jolts of overload signal is usually enough to do it.

Keeping in mind how delicate a meter really is, it's amazing they don't blow more often.

Cheers! :)
 
The number 1 meter on my 246 sometimes doesn't work but a "gentle" tap brings it back to life... :D
 
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