Otari MX-5050 QXHD

[VonFon]

Bought today. Had to disassemble a couple of lever arms and re-lube. Works great!
I was told this machine ran 3-3/4 - 7-1/2 - wrong! It's 7-1/2 - 15!! Any chance of flipping some hidden switch somewhere? I need 3-3/4. RATS.
I have both the maintenance and parts list schematic books. Nothing I can see there.

[docb]

If it's like most 5050s you pull off the center panel on the back and you will find big vertical mount PC board. On that board is a hole with H (high speed) on one side and L (low sped) on the other side. Through the hole you will see the switch that sets the speed range.

[VonFon]

Can't find it. This is an original MX-5050. Is it on the capstan motor PCB?

[docb]

The switch may only be on the BII and later, I'm not sure. The capstan motor PCB on the later machines has three trimpots for adjusting the three speeds, but the HL selector is on the big control PCB on the back.

[VonFon]

Thanks to you I got it! You gave me the right direction to look. The schematic showed a "switch" and the letters HI / LO. The clever engineers at Otari provided the changeover via jumpers on the "power supply board" PA-377. They just got cheap and never installed the switch on this early model. I will dig out a mini toggle switch from my parts drawers and wire one in.
Will reply one more time with the results. Wish me luck and thanks again, Sir.
I am sure I will be back on this great Forum.

[VonFon]

Sucess! DPDT toggle did it.

[VonFon]

This is the ORIGINAL Otari MX-5050. The Internet has very little info about this machine.

I have BOTH the schematic AND the maintenance manuals for this old timer. If the copyright is not an issue, I could scan and post these if there is any interest.

The above manuals do NOT tell you a thing about how to run this deck.

I would love it if anyone has an Users Manual for this fellow as I don't have a clue what half the switches and plugs do on this deck!

Analog Rocks.

[ironbut]

Hi Chris, glad to hear you've that speed issue figured out. Here's a site where you can download a manual for the 5050's in general and it has operating instruction included. It's free so even if it hasn't got all the particulars for your deck no biggie right?
http://www.analogrules.com/manual_list.html

[VonFon]

A link! Thanks. The Internet is great. But it is only great because of people like the Iron But and others on this site.

BTW; The big tape speed issue with me was because I have a bunch of Chuck E Cheese Pizza Time Theatre animation tapes that run at 3-3/4 IPS. These tapes were recorded with one track containing the the audio (soundtrack of Chuck and his guests) on one channel and digital beeps and squeeks on the other. The beeps and squecks controled air valves that moved the critters arms and heads.

Every time I play these, back the years melt away, and I fell like like a young adult. They are very unique.

I was there at the beginnning of the CEC empire and was there at it's fall (~1987).

Last I got a look at their control system they were using U-matic (Sony) video cassetes.

[Ben]

And you thought Reel to reel was only for music. :)

[ironbut]

Yikes! Chuck E Cheese! Didn't the Atari guy start that one? That's really interesting that they used reel to reel. Do you remember what kind of machines they used?
I remember reading an article how Douglas Trumbull the special effects maven, was going to introduce a 3D process that was supposed to rival IMAX  in the Pizza Time Theaters (Douglas won an Oscar for 2001 but also did some of my all time favorites, Blade Runner, Silent Running, Close Encounters etc.. He doesn't just do special effects, he does special environments!). I wonder what ever happened with that (I think the article was in Sight and Sound magazine).

[VonFon]

You are correct - Nolan Bushnell was the gentleman's name. Invented "Pong", started Atari, sold Atari to Warner Brothers for $40M and used that money to startup and develop CEC.
They originally used TEAC 3450's (I think that is the correct # - they were four channel units) with three channels of audio / one for air valve commands. The multitrack audio was found to not be noticeable to the audience, hence the transfer to TEAC X7's about the time I came on board.


I also heard about the 3D. Supposedly in VA somewhere. This must have happened after my employment. The entire CEC store group in MD/VA was bought by Showbiz Pizza (CEC's arch rival). They may have tried the 3D thing.

[docb]

Wow, flashback. The first Chuckie Cheese was out in the east bay, right? I can't recall who, but someone I knew had a boyfriend or brother who worked for Nolan Bushnell and helped open it. I remember being amazed at seeing so many video games in one place.

[ironbut]

The first one I remember was in east San Jose off of 101. It was huge! I lived in an old mansion in Los Gatos for a while and we had an early "Pong"  machine (it was a model where the two players sat at a horizontal screen. All those guys used to hang out at a bar in town called "Carrie Nations" ,.. the "pong" guy, the Pet Rock guy, that Woz guy,.. me, I was always more interested in the waitresses!

[Ross.shlucker]

I also own an otari mx-5050 of the first desgin. Everything looks good except the capstan belt is shot. Anybody know when I can get one or atleast know the proper size???