Mitsubishi VCR Repair
 

I'm working on a Mitsubishi HS-U51.

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/...pslpscskp6.jpg

This is the left spool. What is that belt? It is loose, and it isn't clear where it's supposed to be.

It can also be somewhat seen on the studio sound electronics page.

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/...psiosdvk22.jpg

Not a belt, a back-tension band that adds a controlled tension on the tape. It's supposed to be loose in eject mode. It engages when the machine is in play-record, controlled by the back tension arm that rides on the tape and a tension spring.

Got it. Thanks.

Be sure to read my edited version.

I had to re-read and look closer at your pic before I finally got it right and did a few edits.

Sometimes the back tension band fails, the felt lining comes unglued and falls down in the mechanism, but that one looks good.

Check the belt on the bottom of the deck, commonly failed, stretched or turned to goo. If that slips or is no good it won't front load the tape.

Yeah, the belt on the bottom is completely loose. The motor spins by itself. I'll replace it with a belt from studio sound electronics.

Looks like a nice deck.

Yep those were nice decks. I have a HS-U52 here I've kept in operable condition. Similar mechanism. Another problem was the plastic pulley pressed on the capstan motor. It would crack and slip, and then no go. They used to sell a brass pulley kit to fix that.

Capacitors like to fail in these too. Sometimes you can see discolored blackened foil traces on the top of the board from the leaky cap underneath.

That's the problem with 25 year old VCRs.

I had a couple of Mitsubishi's here one was a HS-U48 and a SVHS model which I cant recall the model number at this moment.All bought new. They did not last here as the capstan motors fried on both of them since i do alot of tape shuttling and they had a habit of bad solder joints.Basically they fell into the same dept as the NEC's I had here.They were great to use but they dont last. I has the pulley coming off the capstan here too.I just super glued it back on.

HS-U48 is a completely different mechanism and overall build compared to the HS-U51.

No leaky caps as far as I can see.

I ordered a new belt and we will see how it behaves.

OK thanks .

I recall the 51 has the "F deck" with a power transformer linear power supply, the 48 has the" J deck" with a switch mode power supply.

I have a S-VHS HS-U790 with the J mechanism. Just a few years after I bought it, I had to replace the entire deck mechanism. The plastic guides for the cassette holder would crack and warp, and cause it to hang up. No glue would hold that slippery delryn type plastic. Fortunately Mitsubishi realized the error and changed the design, and made the whole mechanism available for about $60 dealer cost as I recall. Had to transfer the capstan motor, cylinder assy, AC head assy and align the tape path and X-value of the AC head. Still have that VCR too. Last time I used it I had to replace the bottom belt which had turned to goo.

New problem. Belts are now good, but VCR does this (click for vid).

The tape doesn't get caught by the guides and doesn't get pushed against the drum.

http://i1052.photobucket.com/albums/...psbbi9s2eq.mp4

??

You zoom in just as it loads, and I can't see what the reels are doing. Looks like maybe the brake on one or both reels isn't releasing. Not very good on the tape!

Good call. Let me post another video.

That's a sacrificial tape. It has seen much worse.

Here it is.

http://rs1052.pbsrc.com/albums/s451/...h=160&fit=clip