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Wednesday 5 December 2018

Philips Digital Compact Cassette recorder repair DCC 951

I missed out on the whole DCC thing. I was a big fan of minidisc...

Anyway, this found it's way into my possession....


It's a DCC 951, dating from 1994. It doesn't work. It's totally dead.


Off with the lid ...












Poking around with a multimeter proves there's AC on the output of the transformer. Time to examine those "wickman" fuses on the rear PCB...











Which involves removal of the back panel, which is easy enough... a few torx screws, and bending these little tabs out of the way ...











One on each side...



















.. and lifting the panel off. The mounting screws can now be removed from the PCB, and it can be hinged up without disconnecting anything...










Sadly the wickman fuses are all intact ... but the regulators on the heatsink are horribly dry-jointed, and a quick solder up on these, and the mains input socket and switch (which are also looking poor) , solves the problem!











Great front loading mech... really smooth!

A conventional analogue tape can be used (analogue only, sadly), and goes in with the exposed side forward. Sadly I don't posses a DCC casette to see what the digital bit's like.

I clean up the tape path, and change the loading belt (it was OK, but I had a new one to hand!)
DON'T DEMAGNETISE THE HEADS!




Here's a few other shots...




















... now to find a cassette ... anyone?

7 comments:

  1. Sorry, can't help with the digital cassette, but why "DON'T DEMAGNETISE THE HEADS!"?

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    Replies
    1. That's what it says on the drawer... must be something to do with the construction of the head, or maybe something sensitive in the front end of the head amp.

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  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Compact_Cassette says:

    Magneto-resistive heads do not use iron so they do not build up residual magnetism. They never need to be demagnetized, and if a cassette demagnetizer is used on MR heads, they are easily damaged or destroyed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi, I have a Marantz Dcc and wondered if you would give it a go at fixing it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, too many projects , too little time ....

      Delete
  4. Hi, do you still have problems with your DCC? what's wrong with it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I take it this is a reply to the post above... sadly they posted as anonymous... Mine's still good. I've even got a cassette now!

      Delete