TI Program Recorder Problems

[ceemill1964]

Hi All,

 

I'm new to the TI 99/4A world and I recently purchased a program recorder off of e-bay. Well, as luck would have it, it's a partial dud. It records and plays but the volume is so low (even with the volume control all the way up) the computer cannot read the data when I try to load it. I tried recording my own voice and its very low volume also. I tried cleaning the playback/record head and replacing some of the electrolytic capacitors on the board but that did no good. Without a schematic I'm really shooting in the dark here.

 

So I guess my question is, has anyone else run into this problem and if so what did you do to resolve it? Anyone have a schematic? Failing that anyone have a TI Program Recorder they'd consider parting with at a reasonable price?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

ceemill

[Retrospect]

Hello there.

 

This URL to click, will send you to evil-bay, and there's vintage recorders on here ... bare in mind they will need the MIC and EAR sockets but im sure most will have them - back when I had my TI-99 as a kid, we didn't have a Texas recorder it was a Realistic one, im certain .... they should work. There are some here for 20 pounds. There will be shipping costs involved but .... good luck!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xcassette+recorder.TRS0&_nkw=cassette+recorder&_sacat=0

[ceemill1964]

Thanks Retrospect for the link. Well, I guess if all else fails I can give e-pay another shot.

[+Ksarul]

You may also have an issue with something partially obstructing the positioning of the tape head to read/write (or a weak felt/spring on the tape itself, especially if it is relatively old). The fact that it records/plays at all eliminates most everything else in the deck except for the amplification circuitry. I'd check the way the head moves and see if there is a problem there, but I'd really look at the tape itself first. . .it may have even lost the rectangular felt pad entirely.

[ceemill1964]

Thanks Ksarul for your assistance. I checked all the things you mentioned but it all seems fine. The head makes good contact with the tape, the tape itself is brand new but I looked it over anyway and its fine. I opened the machine back up and cleaned the switch on the circuit board that is engaged when it is recording but it didn't help. I could check some voltages on the board, but without a schematic I'm pretty much lost. So, I went ahead and bought another recorder off of e-pay. Here's hoping this one isn't a dud too.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies.