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SONY DTC-A6 showing Caution message after tape load.

C

ConnorP

New Member
Hi everyone,

I hope someone here has experience with this issue. This is a Sony DTC-A6 which was working. I hadn't powered it up for 2 years. As soon as I load a DAT it does the following:

Loads DAT and spins up and then there is an audible click. See attached video for better idea.

I can only remove the tape when machine is powered down by manually advancing the mechanism.

I would welcome your thoughts and suggestions.
Thanks.

ConnorP
 
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I believe you should carefully read sticky thread

Servicing a SONY DAT machine (Pictorial)

As discussed in a previous thread, I now have two Sony DAT decks that need repair. One DTC 59ES that loads tape but doesn't move it in any fashion and a DTC670 that doesn't even load the tape. Although I suspect what is wrong with both machines, I haven't yet repaired them or know what...
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Not a big problem if you do no see your model, there are similar

Sony DAT DTC-790 "Caution"

So my Sony Dat deck has stopped working ... surprise, surprise !! :D I got the "Caution" display and all functions stopped working, including the eject. So I manually opened the door by rotating the pulley, and carefully removed the tape. Right before it stopped working I noticed that the...
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These models have several micro switches in the mechanism that get dirty. Clean with Deoxit. I think you have to remove the loading mechanism to get to them. They are in the front of the mechanism and are actuated by a sliding rack.
 
dr*audio said:
Also remove the foam head cleaner. The foam decomposed and gets stuck in the head.
Click to expand...

Yes, if it has foam cleaner it should be removed. My DTC-ZA5ES has plastic strip as dust remover what do not degrades. But proper head cleaning is necessary anyway.
 
From what I can see on the (very small) video, there's a gap in the tape on the right-hand side of the drum.

This is usually linked to a faulty coil motor.

You can try giving it a little more power by turning the potentiometer located on the motherboard, to the right of the transport (remember the initial setting).
 
hdrobien said:
From what I can see on the (very small) video, there's a gap in the tape on the right-hand side of the drum.

This is usually linked to a faulty coil motor.

You can try giving it a little more power by turning the potentiometer located on the motherboard, to the right of the transport (remember the initial setting).
Click to expand...
Yes, the take up isn't working.
 
radiokom said:
Yes, but why it does not unload tape automatically but stuck in this position? Gear on the rotary encoder?
Click to expand...
If this one has a rotary encoder then that is probably the reason the take up isn't working, and also why it stalls like that instead of ejecting. It's been a few years since I've worked on one of these Sonys and I can't remember if they have an encoder or just the micro switches.
 
I did notice two opposite facing micro switches on the left (if I recall correctly) side of the transport array. These determine the travel length of the load/eject phase.
They appear to be in order, but only visually. Are you referring to other micro switches? I did remove the transport section from the main unit but didn't further dismantle it.
 
hdrobien said:
From what I can see on the (very small) video, there's a gap in the tape on the right-hand side of the drum.

This is usually linked to a faulty coil motor.

You can try giving it a little more power by turning the potentiometer located on the motherboard, to the right of the transport (remember the initial setting).
Click to expand...
I apologise for the video being so small - but it is possible to enlarge it using the controls on the player and dragging the video boundaries outward. I should have filmed in landscape mode too, but I was using one hand to operate the machine and the other to hold the phone and should have thought it through. if there is something in particular you would like more detail on, please let me know and I will film a new one.
 
radiokom said:
Yes, if it has foam cleaner it should be removed. My DTC-ZA5ES has plastic strip as dust remover what do not degrades. But proper head cleaning is necessary anyway.
Click to expand...
it does not have the foam cleaner. This unit is from 1996, when the plastic spade type cleaner had been introduced.
 
dr*audio said:
If this one has a rotary encoder then that is probably the reason the take up isn't working, and also why it stalls like that instead of ejecting. It's been a few years since I've worked on one of these Sonys and I can't remember if they have an encoder or just the micro switches.
Click to expand...
Can you elaborate on this, so I can pinpoint the location of the encoder/microswitches. Thanks.
 
I will rephrase my previous message :

From what I can see on the (very small) video, there's a tape slack on the right-hand side of the drum.

This is usually linked to a faulty reel motor.

You can try giving it a little more power by turning the potentiometer located on the motherboard, to the right of the transport (remember the initial setting).

Btw there is no rotary encoder on this model.
 
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