Fighting with a RCA VHS camcorder - Videokarma.org TV - Video

ESigma25 · #1 12-02-2023, 01:15 PM

I got a RCA CC300 VHS camcorder (made around 1988) and it's currently driving me nuts. I replaced three belts (including the completely gone loading belt) but it still can't eject a tape without manual intervention, it won't play a tape, and it won't fast forward. I can't find a service manual anywhere so I'm at a loss, any ideas? It feels like a mode switch issue but I have no clue where the mode switch even is in this camera.

Blast · #2 12-02-2023, 09:10 PM

This is the guts of a CLR200 and not a CC300 so there's 2 or 3 years difference but I believe the mechanism is essentially the same.

Blast · #3 12-02-2023, 09:15 PM

In Post #2 I circled the location of the mode switch.

In the center of the switch there are two arrows that point to each other when the unit is in STOP position.

There are other timing marks throughout the mechanism that must be together for the rest of the mechanism to be considered in true 'STOP' position. But, you might first look and see if your mechanism will stop in said STOP position (with the two arrows pointing towards each other) when you press the 'STOP' button.

Let us know and then we'll work from there.

Brian

ESigma25 · #4 12-03-2023, 12:54 PM

Thanks, that info helped a lot! I've got it working now!

redk9258 · #5 12-03-2023, 03:27 PM

How did you get it going? Dirty mode switch?

Blast · #6 12-03-2023, 08:43 PM

I worked on a LOT of VHS VCRs and camcorders in the late 80's and throughout the 90s. My data tells me our shop worked on 54 of the subject (RCA CC300) during that time and oodles more of their ilk (including models CLR200, CMR200's and 300's, CPR250, 300's, etc.).

Of course, a few decades of water has gone under the bridge since and while it certainly could be a problem now, dirty mode switches in these units were just not a big issue back in the day.

Belts, on the other hand, were a different story. Hitachi (the subject's manufacturer) has certainly had their share of THOSE problems.

Blast · #7 12-03-2023, 08:59 PM

In these two photos you can see what the belts looked like in this model CLR200. The three belts felt and smeared exactly like grease would do.

centralradio · #8 12-04-2023, 03:27 PM

Black guuuuu.

The idiot engineers who came up with the rubber formula should get tarred and feathered with it.,.

Window cleaner with ammonia in it will clean everything off.Including your hands. Rinse with water will get the soap from the cleaner out of the parts...

Been doing it for years.. Had no problem with ammonia eating plastic up..

Electronic M · #9 12-04-2023, 04:26 PM

I typically clean with rubbing alcohol...

ESigma25 · #10 12-04-2023, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redk9258

How did you get it going? Dirty mode switch?

Misaligned mode switch, moved everything to full stop/eject position, set the mode switch appropriately, and everything started working.

My best guess is that when the belts went, it jumped out of time.

Blast · #11 12-04-2023, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESigma25

Misaligned mode switch, moved everything to full stop/eject position, set the mode switch appropriately, and everything started working.

My best guess is that when the belts went, it jumped out of time.

I wouldn't have considered belt failure a good reason for going out of time... but I'm glad you found the problem.

redk9258 · #12 12-05-2023, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESigma25

Misaligned mode switch, moved everything to full stop/eject position, set the mode switch appropriately, and everything started working.

My best guess is that when the belts went, it jumped out of time.

Nice! Glad you got it working!

centralradio · #13 12-05-2023, 01:11 PM

Congrats in getting it working ESigma25..

ESigma25 · #14 01-01-2024, 12:40 PM

Unfortunately I spoke way too soon...I tried to use it to record on Xmas day and it would not record at all. Even after cleaning the mode switch it still won't record.

At this point I'm completely out of ideas...it won't play a tape in playback mode either.

Blast · #15 01-01-2024, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ESigma25

Unfortunately I spoke way too soon...I tried to use it to record on Xmas day and it would not record at all. Even after cleaning the mode switch it still won't record.

At this point I'm completely out of ideas...it won't play a tape in playback mode either.

Ok, let's walk it back a step so I can try to keep up. When you press STOP will the two arrows on the mode switch point to each other?

If you can't get it all the way into play or record to do the above test, try pressing EJECT, wait for the lid to pop open, then see if the two arrows align.