Restored A 1996 ONKYO 6-CD Player Model DX-C330 To Working Condition
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This belonged to a good friend, a regular customer and an antique collector. He told me that this was not used for a long time and when he took it up for checking, it was getting on, but no functions worked. As this was working on 120V AC, he provided me a step-down adaptor, picture of which is what you see at the last above.
Since this was the first time a CD player of this kind came to me, I got interested and opened the cover. There was no dust inside, which was a surprise to me! Probably he would have kept it wrapped in cloth while storing. In order to look at the motors and mechanism, we need to remove the loading tray first. Without removing the rear cover, removing the screws holding the extended arm from behind that holds the tray in place, and tilting it outside, we cannot see the motor mechanisms. Let us have a look at the interesting inside of this 28 year old CD player.
As you might perhaps have observed, the belts were rigid at the point where it was around the capstan of the motor and looked slacking at the rest of the places. I combed my stock of belts and replaced these three belts one by one. I also cleaned the eye unit very carefully using IPA on a fresh and clean cotton swab. Then kept the tray back, fixed the arm and applied power. The set started working very well with its round movement of the tray, eye unit coming up each time for searching the CD and its starting point.
I pressed the eject button and the tray moved out. Then pressed it again to load it. I did this a few times so that any hard grease on the wheels got loosened. I kept a CD that came with the player on one slot and used the skip button in the front and loaded it. It played very well, which I checked connecting it to my Table Top 4” CRT TV that I always use for checking DVD/CD Players. Let us have a look at the following pictures:
You can have a clear look at the belts in the last picture above, which shows how the elasticity of the belts was affected.
Mission accomplished with a hexagon shaped satisfaction gaining entry to the collection bag! (LOL)
This article was prepared for you by Parasuraman Subramanian from India. He is 74 years old and has more than 30 years’ experience in handling antique equipment like Valve Radio, Amps, Reel Tape Recorders and currently studying latest tech-classes conducted by Kerala State Electronics Technicians’ Association. He has done graduation in BBA degree, private diploma in Radio Engineering and retired as MD of a USA company. Presently working as Consultant to Hospital and other institutions.
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You may check on his previous article on Third Visit Of PHILIPS PRESTIGE 556 Radio With Complaint Of Low Gain
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Waleed Rishmawi
November 16, 2024 at 3:42 pm
well done my friend spotting the problem right away..I could feel your discomfort for not replacing any capacitors or even do any kind of cleaning..LOL because I know you love to do these things. any way, good repair, thanks for sharing and have a blessed day
Parasuraman S
November 16, 2024 at 10:51 pm
Ha! Ha! I enjoyed your humour! Thanks, dear friend!
Imoudu
November 16, 2024 at 4:16 pm
It's not surprising for the belts to have gone bad after 28yrs.No dazzle of caps!Thanks for sharing.
Parasuraman S
November 16, 2024 at 10:52 pm
Yes, it is true! Thanks, dear Imoudu!
Yogesh Panchal
November 16, 2024 at 4:39 pm
Good job! Sir
sadly i discard my old Philips Cassette player because of degraded plastic because of hot & dry environment in our native.
Parasuraman S
November 16, 2024 at 10:54 pm
Very unfortunate! Even though Philips always claim 'tropicalized' I have noticed that the plastic indeed become bad over a time. Even their wire of the adaptor which is being regularly used peel off in pieces on its own! Thanks for your comments, dear Yogesh!
Albert van Bemmelen
November 16, 2024 at 11:17 pm
Philips is known for its fast degrading plastics Yogesh!
Previously I wanted to fix an older rechargeable Philips shaver of which the electronic parts were saveable but its housing just kept falling apart! That probably has little to do with the environment but likely more in the way they used to produce new plastics. They normally were mixed with 50% recycled old plastics. At least that was the way in how new black tv housing plastics were produced. That is the best way to safe the environment but does not always make the best products. And everything depends on good quality control.
Parasuraman S
November 17, 2024 at 8:32 pm
Very true! Factories are forced to do recycling, which unfortunately affects the quality of products and the consumers! We, technicians, too have to bear the brunt due to such poor quality plastics. Thanks for point it out.
Albert van Bemmelen
November 16, 2024 at 8:32 pm
From experience I know that these turntable cd players are hard to service. After finding and fixing such a defect thrown away player, a model Sony CDP-CE305 cd player, it sadly stopped working again about 2 years later. And the hardest part is not the laser head or the electronic board but the mechanism that exists out all hard plastic parts that are difficult to disassemble and put together again afterwards. Which takes a lot of service time.
Parasuraman S
November 16, 2024 at 10:55 pm
Very true, deal Albert! Many thanks for your expert comments!
Mark J
November 17, 2024 at 4:21 am
Parasuraman some of these can be hard to fix. Great job.
Parasuraman S
November 17, 2024 at 8:25 pm
Many thanks, dear Mark!
Lee
November 17, 2024 at 6:36 pm
I wish they were all the easy. As I have one were the rotating mech isn't working all that good.
Parasuraman S
November 18, 2024 at 8:49 pm
Check belt and motor. If the rotating CD holder has got misaligned due to manual intervention, you may have to correct it. Thanks for your comments!