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| CED Player Repair Solutions | ||||||||||||||
This page provides a series of listings that contain symptoms, causes, and solutions to a number of CED player failures that may occur. Failures that can happen with any CED player appear first, followed by listings specific to particular CED player chassis designs and models. There are seven categories of CED players used in the repair listings, as detailed in the following repair category table:
Table of CED Player Repair Categories |
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Player Category |
Model Numbers of Players Included |
| Hitachi Chassis | V5000H VIP1000 VIP2000 VIP2000R VIP201P VIP202P 16-301 934.54780150 934.54800250 934.54810350 934.54811350 |
| F/G Chassis | SFT100 SGT075 SGT100 SGT101 SGT200 SGT250 274.54740150 VP2000 |
| J/K Chassis | 686-5705 SJT090 SJT100 SJT101 SJT200 SJT300 SJT400 SJT400X SKT090 SKT100 SKT200 SKT265 SKT300 SKT400 |
| Sanyo Chassis | VDR3000 |
| Toshiba Chassis | VEC-200 VP100 VP500 VP550 GEN10301 |
| Stereo Players | V5000H VIP2000 VIP2000R VIP201P VIP202P 686-5705 V5000H SGT200 SGT250 SJT200 SJT300 SJT400 SJT400X SKT200 SKT265 SKT300 SKT400 934.54800250 934.54810350 934.54811350 VP500 VP550 |
| Interactive 400 Players | SJT400 SJT400X SKT400 |
To use the listings that follow, first find your player in the table above, then look for any entries that match your player category or model number and the symptoms the player is exhibiting.
CAUTION: Some of the repair solutions below require working on players at the circuit level. Unless you know what you're doing, performing these repair procedures could leave the player in an even worse state than it was to start with. In particular, follow these guidelines:
| Player Category: ALL | Fault: Worn Out Stylus Tip |
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Symptom(s):
Every disc loaded into the machine exhibits extensive skipping, possibly taking only a few minutes to play an hour-long side. The discs play fine when tested in a different player. |
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Solution(s):
This indicates a stylus cartridge that has lived its useful life, with the stylus tip too worn down to be able to properly track the groove. Install a known good stylus cartridge into the player. |
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| Player Category: ALL EXCEPT Hitachi Chassis | Fault: Defective or Missing Stylus Cartridge (Non-Hitachi) |
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Symptom(s):
Turntable spins up after a disc is loaded, but no video appears on the screen and the digital counter (if present) never displays the numeral 0 indicating start of play. |
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Solution(s):
The most common cause of this condition is a defective stylus cartridge, or the cartridge could be missing entirely, as they often are from players found in thrift stores. Install a known good stylus cartridge (preferably one that has been tested in another machine) into the player. |
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| Player Category: F/G and J/K Chassis | Fault: Defective Player Control Microcomputer IC |
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Symptom(s):
When turned on the player displays random garbage on the digital display rather than the normal flashing letter L. In some instances a steady "00" may be displayed. |
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Solution(s):
The most likely cause is a Player Control Microcomputer in which the masked ROM programming has become corrupt. This is an integral part of the IC, so there's no choice but to replace the entire chip. Check for availability on the CED Parts page. If unavailable, it will have to be scavenged from a parts machine. See RCA Player Integrated Circuits by Player Model Number. |
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| Player Category: F/G and Toshiba Chassis | Fault: Worn Out Servo Drive Belt |
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Symptom(s):
The player will play a minute or so of video and then jump back and play that same short video segment over and over. |
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Solution(s):
The servo drive mechanism periodically advances the pickup arm across the disc surface so the stylus can track the groove. If the servo drive belt is worn out or broken, the pickup arm remains in the same spot and the stylus can track only a narrow width of grooves before the stylus arm snaps back to the central position in the cartridge. Obtain a replacement belt and install it on the servo motor at the right rear (F/G) or right front (Toshiba) of the player. |
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| Player Category: Hitachi Chassis | Fault: Defective or Missing Stylus Cartridge (Hitachi) |
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Symptom(s):
Turntable spins up after a disc is loaded, and time indicator moves to the start-of-play position, but no video is seen and the indicator moves back to the standby position after about a minute. |
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Solution(s):
The most common cause of this condition is a defective stylus cartridge, or the cartridge could be missing entirely, as they often are from players found in thrift stores. Install a known good stylus cartridge (preferably one that has been tested in another machine) into the player. |
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| Player Category: Hitachi Chassis | Fault: Worn Out Arm Drive Belt, No Playback |
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Symptom(s):
Upon loading a disc the player makes a squealing sound and the minutes counter remains at the standby position. Upon hearing this squealing sound, immediately pressing the RETURN (or RESET) button and then the PAUSE/PLAY button without unloading the disc will sometimes correct the condition and result in normal playback. |
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Solution(s):
The squealing sound is produced by the arm drive belt spinning on its pulley but being unable to move the pickup arm to the play position. This could be caused by a worn-out belt or excessive friction when the pickup arm is in the standby position. Sometimes pressing the buttons as described above jostles the pickup arm enough to overcome the binding. Another way to accomplish this is to remove the stylus cartridge access lid and gently push the pickup arm towards the play position while the player is making the squealing noise. To correct this condition, the first solution is to obtain a replacement belt and install it on the arm drive motor at the left rear of the player. If the squealing sound and no playback persist, it will be necessary to locate the source of the pickup arm binding and correct it. |
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| Player Category: Hitachi Chassis | Fault: Worn Out Arm Drive Belt, Partial Playback |
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Symptom(s):
The player will play a minute or less of video and then simply stop in what looks like page mode playing the same groove over and over. |
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Solution(s):
The arm drive mechanism periodically advances the pickup arm across the disc surface so the stylus can track the groove. If the arm drive belt is worn out or broken, the pickup arm remains in the same spot and the stylus can track only a narrow width of grooves. Obtain a replacement belt and install it on the arm drive motor at the left rear of the player. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Improper Turntable Speed |
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Symptom(s):
Image on TV exhibits intermittent color fade wherein it changes from being in color to being in black-and-white to being color again. |
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Solution(s):
The turntable in CED players must spin at exactly 450 RPM for proper playback. The chrominance portion of the recovered video signal is most susceptible to loss if the speed varies, resulting in a loss of color in the video image. The F/G players derive their turntable speed from the AC line frequency and a ring of sixteen magnetic poles around the circumference of the turntable. A turntable speed check strobe can be used to verify proper speed. If the speed is off or varies there could be a number of causes:
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Unlubricated Turntable Shaft |
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Symptom(s):
The player makes a squeaking noise as the turntable spins up, although the noise may go away when the turntable approaches full speed. The turntable may also squeak when spun by hand with the player cover off and the function lever in the OFF or PLAY position (excluding the SGT250). The turntable when given a hand spin may also spin down to an abrupt stop rather than a gradual stop. |
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Solution(s):
The turntable shaft needs to be re-lubricated, which ideally is accomplished by removing it from the player. But this is a difficult procedure on F/G units, as the threads on the two screws securing the yoke immediately above the center of the turntable may already be stripped or could easily be stripped if an attempt is made to remove them with an improper size screwdriver. The alternative procedure below lubricates the turntable from the bottom of the player and only requires removal of the top and bottom player covers. The turntable shaft should be lubricated with a high-quality machine oil. My preference is Phil Wood Tenacious Oil which has a strong tendency to stay in place. Follow these steps to lubricate the turntable shaft: (1) With the player unplugged from the AC outlet, remove the eleven screws securing the player cover and lift the cover off the player. On SGT250 only, plug player into AC outlet, turn the player on, and then unplug the power cord. This properly positions the loading mechanism for lubrication on this model. (2) On models other than the SGT250, position the player upside down and remove the four screws securing the bottom plate from inside four rubber feet on the bottom of the player. With the SGT250, the bottom plate will simply lift off after the player has been positioned upside down. (3) Locate the black bearing housing at the bottom center of the player. When moving the function lever between the PLAY and LOAD positions, an opening appears on the side of the bearing housing through which the turntable shaft can be seen. (4) With the player sitting upside down and the function lever in the LOAD position, squirt several drops of tenacious oil into this opening until it is nearly full. Note that tenacious oil is slow flowing and will take some time to flow down around the turntable shaft. If a less-desirable thin oil is employed, use moderation when squirting it into the opening, as thin oil may flow down around the shaft as fast as it is applied. (5) Leave the player sitting upside down until the tenacious oil has flowed out of the opening and down around the turntable shaft. Then with the player still sitting upside down, rotate the turntable and move it up and down to evenly distribute the lubricant. (6) Place a rag over the bearing housing, and holding it in place, position the player upright. Leave the rag in place to catch any excess oil that may drip out. (7) Place a single drop of tenacious oil on the top of the turntable shaft at the top center of the turntable. (8) Give the turntable a few good hand spins in both directions to further distribute the lubricant and to confirm the squeaking noise has gone away. (9) Leave the player sitting upright overnight with the rag underneath and the function lever in the LOAD position to allow any excess lubricant to leak out. (10) The following day, wipe any excess lubricant off the bottom bearing housing, then put the bottom and top covers back on the player. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Worn Out or Missing Turntable Drive Belt |
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Symptom(s):
The turntable fails to spin up after a disc is loaded into the machine and the function motor is moved to PLAY. |
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Solution(s):
The turntable drive motor is located at the left front of the player. The belt may still be in place but worn out and loose to the extent that it's slipping on the motor pulley. The motor pulley should be spinning with the function lever in the play position after a disc is loaded. Obtain a replacement belt and install it on the motor pulley and turntable hub. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Misaligned Function Lever Cams |
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Symptom(s):
The player will not turn off with the function lever in the OFF position and may actually play discs with the lever at OFF but not at PLAY. |
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Solution(s):
Sometimes F/G players found in thrift stores will play with the function lever in the OFF position, but not in the PLAY position. This is due to a cam misalignment. The way this usually happens is someone unfamiliar with CED loads a caddy into the player leaving the caddy pushed all the way into the player in the mistaken belief that the player works that way. When the function lever is then forcefully switched from LOAD/UNLOAD to PLAY the cams on the function shaft become misaligned. When CED was first introduced, dealers quickly learned they had to avoid unsupervised customer use of the players to prevent this problem from happening. To fix this you need to remove the player cover and use a 0.050" hex key to loosen and realign the two cams, which are located under the turntable to the left of the function lever (don't confuse these with the cams right next to the function lever that are not under the turntable. The left cam controls switch S4 (AC Play) and the right cam switch S2 (AC Power). Adjust the S2 cam so S2 is "off" in OFF and "on" in PLAY. Adjust the S4 cam so S4 is "on" in PLAY and "off" in LOAD/UNLOAD. The function lever elbow behind the function lever should also be inspected for damage. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Misaligned Pickup Arm |
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Symptom(s):
The player operates normally until about 50 to 55 minutes into play and then develops a locked groove condition (frozen video image) or repeats the same minute or so of video over and over. |
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Solution(s):
This indicates a misaligned pickup arm that is actually hitting the player chassis and being prevented from further travel. This usually happens if the player has been dropped or was subjected to rough handling while being shipped. The screws along the right side of the pickup arm that determine horizontal arm alignment need to be loosened and the alignment reset. Note the it is normal for an F/G player to stop playback at about 61 minutes, and it's best to live with this limitation on the relatively few disc titles that have sides 61 to 63 minutes in length. There is also a special case of this condition that only affects the SGT200 and SGT250 players. These players would exhibit the 50 minute cutoff with the cover on, but it would go away with the player cover removed. These players have a redesigned cartridge access door that can interfere with pickup arm motion. Not placing objects on top of the player may be enough to correct the condition, or the right-angle tongue of the access door cover can be beveled to a 45 degree angle to correct the problem. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Landing Latch Misalignment |
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Symptom(s):
At the beginning of play the pickup arm remains stationary and the video repeats or jumps like a locked groove condition. Manually advancing the pickup arm a ways into the groove band results in normal playback. |
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Solution(s):
This condition is caused by the failure of the servo motor to pull the pickup arm free of the landing latch due to clutch slippage. The teeth of the servo gear rack (attached to the right side of the pickup arm) should engage the round landing latch gear, but not with excessive force. If necessary, loosen the two screws securing the servo gear rack and adjust its position. If repositioning the rack fails to correct the condition, check the operation of the gear assembly clutch that links the servo gear rack to the servo motor reduction gear assembly. With the function lever at LOAD/UNLOAD the clutch should be free and the cam to the right of the clutch spring should be engaged. With the function lever at PLAY and OFF the clutch should be engaged and the cam should be free. If these conditions are not met, it will be necessary to disassemble the clutch mechanism (follow the service manual procedure) and add, one at a time, 0.01" thick shim washers to the left end of the clutch shaft to achieve proper operation. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Reduction Gear Assembly Looseness |
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Symptom(s):
About 10 to 15 minutes into a disc the stylus skips over a minute or two of programming. |
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Solution(s):
This indicates there is excessive end play at the worm gear shaft in the servo motor reduction gear assembly. Remove the "C" clamp rings at the ends of the worm gear shaft and add enough 0.01" shim washers to eliminate the end play. |
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| Player Category: F/G chassis | Fault: Broken Pivot On Left Receiver Pad Assembly |
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Symptom(s):
A caddy can only be inserted about one third of the way into the player at which point it hits an impediment and will go no further. |
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Solution(s):
This indicates that the pivot at the end of the plastic body of the left receiver pad assembly has broken. This pivot is rather thin, and can break if a caddy is forcefully shoved into the player. When this happens, the broken end of the receiver pad assembly extends up into and blocks the caddy insertion path. A caddy can still be inserted and the disc played normally if the broken end of the receiver pad assembly is held down out of the way as the caddy is moved past. This can be accomplished through the stylus cartridge access cover, but the first time you may want to do it with the player cover off to be able to see where to press down. Care must be taken not to get fingerprints on the disc when holding down the broken end to remove the disc from the player. To repair the receiver pad assembly, it may be possible to retrieve the broken piece from the bottom well of the player and superglue it back into place on the plastic body. Another possibility is to take a thick nylon washer with a 1/8" hole and glue it onto the broken end of the plastic body after filing it down to achieve a smooth fit. Or a good receiver pad assembly can be obtained from a parts machine. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Caddy Latch Fails To Engage |
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Symptom(s):
The caddy latch mechanism fails so that a caddy w/disc when fully inserted still contains the disc and spine when it is pulled out. |
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Solution(s):
The most common cause is the failure of the caddy lock defeat rod to pivot and engage the caddy spine. This rod was lightly waxed at the factory to prevent corrosion, and the wax may have hardened over time thus preventing pivoting. Remove the rod (extending from left to right across the back of the player) and clean the rod contact points and the rod wells with isopropyl alcohol to remove the wax. Next check the defeat tabs and the latch follower tabs for burrs. Remove any burrs with a sharp knife to provide smooth surface contact with the latch assembly. Use synthetic grease (NOT petroleum-based grease) to sparingly lubricate the wells, the rod pivot points, and the latch assembly at the point of the follower tab contact. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Improper Stylus Set Down Adjustment |
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Symptom(s):
The player never enters play mode when a disc is inserted, but the unit will play normally if with the power off, the pickup arm is moved by hand to the center of the disc grooves with the power then being switched on. Conversely, the player may consistently start at the same point when playing discs, for example 10 seconds into the program material on each disc. |
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Solution(s):
F/G CED players have a landing screw adjustment that determines the point on the disc surface where the stylus sets down when play is initiated. If this adjustment is too far out, the disc will never start to play because the player system control is unable to locate the first modulated groove on the disc. If the adjustment is too far in, the stylus will miss the initial grooves on the disc and usually start playback several seconds into the program material of all discs inserted. On F/G players the pickup arm is pushed to the back of the player each time an empty caddy is inserted, and the landing screw simply stops this backward motion at a predetermined point that ideally is directly above the first modulated groove on the disc. The landing screw adjustment requires a 5/64" hex key, and the screw is directly accessible on the back panel of the player. Looking at the back of the player, locate the hole on the housing about 3 inches from the left side and 1 inch from the player top. RCA has a service manual procedure where the Service Test/Alignment Discs can be used to adjust this, but each disc must have the diameter of the first modulated groove printed on the caddy label, and most of the later service discs lack this number. In practice, the proper adjustment can be made via trial-and-error. If the adjustment is too far out, rotate the landing screw a half turn clockwise (looking at the back of the player), and check for playback upon disc insertion. If no playback occurs, rotate the screw clockwise another half turn, or if playback now occurs a few seconds into play, rotate the screw counterclockwise a quarter turn. Continue decreasing how far the screw is rotated with each disc insertion until playback begins near the start of the modulated grooves on the disc, which is usually just a few seconds before the first graphics appear on screen. The landing screw is an 8-32 by 5/8" socket head set screw, so each full turn of the screw spans about 40 seconds of disc play (1/32 inch x 9541 grooves/inch x 60/450 seconds/groove). Test the final adjustment with several different disc titles. |
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| Player Category: F/G Chassis | Fault: Defective 15 Volt Regulator |
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Symptom(s):
Loading indicator "L" flashes slower than normal and the display indicator may stay in "--" mode permanently after a disc is loaded and the player attempts to initiate play. Pickup arm may suddenly run forward without any buttons being pushed. |
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Solution(s):
This indicates a weak 15 Volt regulator inside the player. The regulator is designated U3801 and is a 3-pin integrated circuit attached to a large heat sink at the corner of the PW3000 circuit board just behind the ventilation duct on the back of the player. The voltage between the center ground pin and the right V_out pin should measure 15V +/- 0.6V. If less, replace the regulator with industry standard equivalents LM7815CT, NTE968, ECG968, or SK3593. |
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| Player Category: J/K Chassis | Fault: Worn Out Function Motor Drive Belt or Dirty Rollers |
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Symptom(s):
When caddy is loaded into player, it is returned with the disc still inside, the caddy latch mechanism having failed to engage. |
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Solution(s):
The most common cause of this is a function motor drive belt that is still partially functional, but slips somewhat so the mechanism doesn't draw the caddy far enough into the player. Replace the function motor drive belt and use isopropyl alcohol to clean the rubber rollers inside the player that engage the edges of the caddy. An illustration of this is provided on the inside top cover of the player. |
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| Player Category: J/K Chassis | Fault: Worn Out or Seized Up Function Motor |
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Symptom(s):
The player has a known-good function motor drive belt (see previous solution), but it may not be able to draw the disc inside or eject the empty caddy, although the function motor may be able to open the caddy insertion door on the front of the player. The function motor may also make no sound or movement, but becomes warm to the touch after the player has been left on for a few minutes. |
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Solution(s):
This indicates the function motor itself is defective, or possibly the circuitry that controls it has become defective. A motor that gets warm to the touch but does nothing else is probably internally seized up. These motors were not designed for repair, so it's better to replace the entire motor. The specific steps to accomplish this are detailed on the J/K CED Player Function Motor Replacement page. |
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| Player Category: J/K Chassis | Fault: Missing Receiver Spindle |
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Symptom(s):
Sometimes when a disc is loaded it fails to drop flat onto the turntable for playback. The elevated and cantered position of the disc may cause it to be damaged when the turntable spins up and the pickup arm moves to the play position. This damage may manifest itself as a concentric ring scrapped into the groove surface, ruining that portion of the disc for playback purposes. |
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Solution(s):
J/K players have a part called the Receiver Spindle which ensures that the disc drops down to the play position after the caddy is removed. The receiver spindle is easily removed by rotating it 90 degrees up and then moving the rod sideways. Because of this, some players are missing the receiver spindle when it was removed to lift the turntable out of the player or to get more access room when a stylus cartridge was being replaced. The player will still operate without this part, but the likelihood of a disc failing to drop flat on the turntable increases. When this happens, the player spins up the turntable, and the pickup arm moves forward, but the disc gets wedged on the pickup arm, which may cut a wide concentric groove on the disc surface, ruining that portion of the disc for playback purposes. This condition would be recognizable by strange noise coming from the player as the turntable begins to spin up, but by the time you turn off the power switch, the damage will probably already be done. The receiver spindle is RCA Part No. 157522, and if missing it may be obtainable from some RCA parts dealers or from a parts machine. |
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| Player Category: J/K Chassis | Fault: Dragging Turntable |
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Symptom(s):
After loading a disc the player makes a continuous rasping sound as the turntable spins up. There may or may not be video playback on an attached TV. |
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Solution(s):
This sound is made by the turntable rubbing against the panel underneath it. There should be a turntable height adjustment screw inside the adjusting nut on the bottom center of the player. There should also be a lock screw directly below the adjustment screw, but this was an add-on in mid-manufacture, so many players are missing it. With the adjustment screw absent the turntable sits in the lowest possible position and rubs against the lower panel. There is also a thrust plate that sits in the turntable spindle well between the spindle and the adjusting screw. This is just a tiny round holeless washer, and it's common for it to get lost when the turntable is removed and the player is placed upside down. Sometimes it gets drawn to the magnetic ring of the turntable, and can be found clinging there even years later. The player will still operate without the thrust plate, but there will be more friction and wear on the tip of the spindle with it directly contacting the adjustment screw. The adjustment screw is no longer available as an RCA replacement part, but it's an industry standard part that can be obtained at most large hardware stores. The threads inside the adjusting nut are SAE standard 6-32, so the formal description of the part is a 6-32 by 3/8" socket head set screw. The lock screw is the same part, but 1/4" in length. To adjust the turntable height follow these steps. With the player unplugged and the cover off, rotate by hand the large white second reduction gear adjacent to the function motor until the disc transfer rod retracts below the turntable. Elevate the player on a couple of blocks so you can spin the turntable by hand while raising the turntable with the set screw. The socket head accepts a 1/16" hex key, and a good rule of thumb is to slowly raise the turntable until the drag is eliminated, then rotate the set screw another full turn to provide an additional 1/32" of clearance. It is also possible that the turntable drag is due to an out of alignment turntable rather than a height problem. A turntable can easily be knocked out of alignment if the player sustains a substantial impact while it is playing a disc. You'll be able to see the turntable wobbling up and down, even if the height adjustment is sufficient to eliminate the drag. Avoid using a player with an out-of-whack turntable, as disc wear and the possibility of damage increase. The turntable needs to be replaced, as there are no adjustments that will restore its balance. |
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| Player Category: J/K Chassis | Fault: Unlubricated Turntable Shaft |
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Symptom(s):
The player makes a squeaking noise as the turntable spins up, although the noise may go away when the turntable approaches full speed. The turntable may also squeak when spun by hand with the player cover off, and the disc transfer rotated below the turntable. The turntable when given a hand spin may also spin down to an abrupt stop rather than a gradual stop. On J/K players, don't confuse a squeaking turntable with a dragging turntable. |
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Solution(s):
The turntable shaft needs to be re-lubricated, which requires removal of the turntable from the player. J/K players require only a minimum of disassembly to remove the turntable, which should be lubricated with a high-quality machine oil. My preference is Phil Wood Tenacious Oil which has a strong tendency to stay in place. Follow these steps to lubricate the turntable shaft: (1) With the player unplugged from the AC outlet, remove the two screws securing the player cover, and lift the cover off. (2) Remove the receiver spindle, then remove the guide rail bracket extending across the center of the player by lifting straight up. The guide rail bracket can be rotated off to the right side of the player. (3) Use thumb to rotate 2nd Reduction Gear until the disc Transfer Rod Cap descends just below turntable, allowing the turntable to rotate freely. (4) Assuming the back of the player is the 12 O'clock position and the front of the player is the 6 O'clock position, rotate the turntable so the four holes in its surface point at the 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, and 10:30 clock positions. In this position the turntable can be removed from the player by lifting straight up and then tilting it to the rear to gain enough removal clearance at the front of the player. (5) Oil the shaft of the removed turntable, then place it back into the player per step (4). Do not squirt oil into the turntable shaft opening, as it's too easy to over lubricate the mechanism by this method. (6) Give the replaced turntable a few spins in both directions to spread the oil in the shaft bearing. If squeaking is still present, remove the turntable and apply another coating of oil to the shaft. Do not abruptly stop the turntable after you give it a hand spin, as this action may be enough to throw off the precision balance of the turntable. (7) Place the turntable back in the player. Then with the fours holes in the turntable pointing at the 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 clock positions, rotate the disc transfer rod back up through the hole at the 12 O'clock position until the cap on the end of the rod reaches its maximum height. Do not plug the player into an AC outlet prior to this step, as the function motor may activate and forcefully press the disc transfer rod against the bottom of the turntable. (8) Replace the guide rail bracket, receiver spindle, and player cover. |
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| Player Category: J/K Chassis | Fault: Audio Gain Set Too Low |
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Symptom(s):
The sound output from the player is too low. It may be so soft that even setting the TV or amplifier to maximum volume will not produce sound of sufficient volume. |
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Solution(s):
A likely cause is the variable resistor that sets the audio level being out of adjustment. This resistor is located at the left rear corner of the master circuit board (when looking towards the front of the player) and is labeled R4127 on the diagram on the inside cover of the player and R27 on the actual circuit board. The player needs to be placed in the service position to adjust this resistor which allows the adjustment to be made while the player is operating. Rotating the knob on the resistor clockwise increases the gain of an operational amplifier inside the audio demodulator integrated circuit and permits the audio output level to be adjusted over a wide range. This adjustment may also be used to match the audio output level of a CED player to other components in an entertainment console like a VCR or DVD player. |
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| Player Category: Sanyo Chassis | Fault: Failure Of Turntable To Spin Up |
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Symptom(s):
The disc loads and the mechanism moves to the playback position, but the turntable does not spin up. But giving the turntable a nudge (with the player cover off) will cause it to start spinning and result in normal playback. |
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Solution(s):
Sanyo players have a rather small direct drive turntable mechanism, and it appears that with age the magnetic field strength in the mechanism has diminished. This means the magnetic field isn't strong enough to overcome the inertia of the stationary turntable, particularly if there's a contributing factor of excess friction in the turntable spindle or braking mechanism. Giving the turntable a nudge overcomes the stationary inertia and gets the turntable spinning. The Sanyo players have a stylus cartridge access door, but unlike all other players with these access doors, the Sanyo player will not work with the door open. If there is no excess friction to eliminate, the easiest way to deal with this condition is to leave the player cover screws off, and nudge the turntable each time a disc is inserted. |
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| Player Category: Toshiba Chassis | Fault: Turntable Belt Falls Off |
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Symptom(s):
The turntable belt falls off the drive pulley, either immediately, or after a few hours of play as the turntable spins up or spins down. |
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Solution(s):
If the belt is the original factory installed item, it is probably stretched out to the extent that there's insufficient tension to keep it in place. Toshiba players use a special belt with an inside and an outside, so make sure the white vertical stripe that marks the outside is in fact facing outward. These Toshiba OEM belts have been unavailable for a long time, and I've been offering a narrower replacement on the CED Player Belt Ordering Form but this belt lacks the width and inside curl of the original Toshiba belt and will periodically fall off. The best solution is to replace the flat drive pulley and belt with a grooved pulley and round belt. The specific steps to accomplish this are detailed on the Toshiba Turntable Motor Pulley Replacement page. |
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| Player Category: Stereo Players | Fault: Missing Audio On One Channel |
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Symptom(s):
The player produces sound on one channel but not the other. |
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Solution(s):
Stereo players have two Audio FM Demodulator IC's, one for each audio channel, and this condition indicates that one of these chips has failed. If the single IC in monaural players fails there is no sound period. From the player circuit diagrams, it appears that all CED players with 16-pin audio demodulator IC's use the RCA CA3215E FM-IF Amplifier/Detector Limiter chip. Check for availability on the CED Parts page. If unavailable, it will have to be scavenged from a parts machine. |
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| Player Category: Interactive 400 Players | Fault: Defective On Screen Display IC |
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Symptom(s):
Video image has a white washed out appearance with some flicker even when player is in Pause. The screen usually looks normal when the player is first turned on, but this whitish appearance appears after it has been on for a while. |
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Solution(s):
The OSD chip (U6103) which generates the on screen text in the interactive players is known for overheating and heat failure which manifests itself in this washed out appearance to the video. If the condition starts the moment the player is turned on, the chip will probably have to be replaced. Check for availability on the CED Parts page. If unavailable, it will have to be scavenged from a parts machine. If it takes a while for the image to get washed out, it may be possible to avoid further deterioration of the chip by keeping it cool. A first step would be to disassemble the player and use compressed air to thoroughly dust off the circuit boards and thereafter operate the player in an open environment with plenty of air circulation. If that doesn't suffice, a heat sink could be installed on the chip or a cooling fan inside the player. The U6103 chip is located inside the sandwich circuit board assembly consisting of the OSD/PS and FEATURES/RKM/CAV boards, so the heat sink or cooling fan will have to be small. Supercooling will sometimes temporarily resurrect a malfunctioning chip, which can be tested by spraying the chip with a Coolant Spray. If this works, it may be possible to fix the condition by actually refrigerating the OSD chip using a Peltier Junction. |
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| Player Models: SGT200 & SGT250 | Fault: Cabinet Access Door Impeding Pickup Arm Movement |
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Symptom(s):
Player enters a locked groove condition, where it repeatedly plays the same groove and displays a frozen image, about 50 to 55 minutes into the program material. |
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Solution(s):
This condition indicates the pickup arm is hitting the cabinet door that is used to access the stylus cartridge. A simple test is to remove the cabinet door and see if the locked groove condition is fixed. This condition is usually caused by placing objects on top of the player which weigh the cabinet top down in the center, so avoid operating the player with objects on top. It could also be caused by a warped top, possibly caused by storing the player for a period of time with something heavy stacked on top of it. After the first few months of production on the SGT200 and SGT250 players, RCA began shipping these players with a cabinet door modified to prevent this problem, and the company issued a service bulletin explaining how to modify existing cabinet doors to fix the problem. This requires beveling the square corners of the cabinet door tongue to a 45 degree angle with a file or other suitable instrument. If you don't want to do this, partially sliding the cabinet door off and placing a piece of paper over the exposed hole will also fix the problem. |
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| Player Model: SGT250 | Fault: Worn Out or Missing Function Motor Drive Belt |
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Symptom(s):
Player makes a continuous whirring sound when turned on. The caddy entry door fails to open. |
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Solution(s):
The SGT250 is the only model with the F/G chassis that uses a function motor to open/close the entry door and raise/lower the turntable. The whirring sound indicates the function motor is endlessly spinning trying to open the entry door due to a worn out or missing belt. Obtain a replacement belt. |
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| Player Model: SJT400 | Fault: Incorrect Player Control Microcomputer IC |
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Symptom(s):
The front-panel feature controls (Pause/Play, Search, etc.) will not work even though the ribbon cable from the front panel was checked to make sure it was properly plugged in. |
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Solution(s):
The service manual for the SJT400 states the player control microcomputer IC is stock number 155883. This is actually the part for the SJT300/SKT300 players and is not programmed to recognize the auxiliary microcomputer IC's in the SJT400. The IC should be replaced with stock number 155885, which is the correct part for the SJT400/SKT400 units. Check for availability on the CED Parts page. |
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