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Tape Project Machines / Re: Technics RS-1500US servo issues newbie post

« on: January 19, 2009, 10:48:18 PM »

A related question is the idler which the tape wraps around at the bottom seems to have an inner and outer ring with 2 little dots on them that turn separately, then the flat spanner nut in the middle. What is that all about? I guess because of the red LED on the outer edge that this is part of the speed strobe sevo mechanism.
Thanks - Steve

Steve, I'm new to this forum but not Technics RS-1500s. The marks are for tape editing. When you slide the cue switch to the left, the arms that keep the tape off the heads (on either side of the head block) allow the tape to contact the heads. You can now roll the reels from side to side, moving the tape across the playback head manually to locate by sound a specific spot on the tape, which will be right on the head. Once you do this, turn the inner ring on the reversing idler to line it up with a dot. Now turn the reels manually so that the tape moves forward (left to right) so that the other dot lines up with the inner ring. The spot that was on the playback head is now at the small ridge (indexing mark on the illustration on the top of the cabinet) You can press it against the ridge with your finger to make a mark for cutting and splicing. This only works for forward (left to right) play as there is only one indexing mark.

Hope this helps.

Scott