[[email protected]]

Hello everyone! I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

Thanks. Trockstudio

[Mike Rivers[_2_]]

On 5/19/2014 4:58 AM, wrote:
I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

If that's the best way you can describe your problem, I think you
probably need more than the service manual, you need a better
understanding of tape recorders before you go to work on it. Bias
adjustment on this machine is very time consuming because it doesn't
have a separate playback head. You have to record a test tone (most
likely 10 kHz), check the playback level, make a slight change to the
bias, record the tone again, play it back, and see if the level changes.
If it doesn't, make a further adjustment of the bias, and test again.
Repeat until you find the peak level, then increase the bias a bit at a
time so that the level drops to 3 dB below the peak.

Then, after adjusting the playback level and equalization using a
calibration ("alignment") tape,, you need to go through a similar
procedure as the bias adjustment only this time adjusting the record level.

On a recorder with separate record and playback heads, the electronic
adjustment is a pretty simple operation, but since the E-16 shares the
same head for recording and playback, you can't observer what's
happening with the playback in real time while making a recording
adjustment.

Was there really a 30 ips model of the R-16? I though it was only 15
ips. Conversion would be a pretty extensive job.

--
"Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without
a passing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be
operated without a passing knowledge of audio" - John Watkinson

Drop by http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com now and then

[Scott Dorsey]

In article ,
wrote:
Hello everyone! I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

What do you mean by "blown out?" Meters peg or don't move at all? Is it
going into record mode with all the red lights coming on? Does sel-sync
playback work?

Give Fostex a call, they still have service manuals for the things and
still a lot of spare parts (or they did as of a year ago when I worked
on a B16 for someone).

Odds are if it's failed in storage, it's apt to be connectors and contacts
going bad.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[William Sommerwerck]

Mike, I don't think your description of analog open-reel tape recorder setup
is correct.

[PStamler]

On Monday, May 19, 2014 7:54:18 AM UTC-6, William Sommerwerck wrote:
Mike, I don't think your description of analog open-reel tape recorder setup
is correct.

It's pretty much right as far as bias adjustment is concerned, and he tells you how to deal with the single record/playback head, which is a screaming PITA.

15 ips and 30ips have completely different EQ curves; 15 (on American NAB machines) has corners at 50Hz and 3150Hz, while 30 uses the AES curve, with a single corner at 9000Hz. So that need to be changed; the bias and pre-emphasis do too.

Me, I'd sell the thing.

Peace,
Paul

[Rick Ruskin]

On Mon, 19 May 2014 01:58:46 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Hello everyone! I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

Thanks. Trockstudio

Is this a 30 ips machine or are you attempting to convert it to that
speed. What the hell does "all tracks was blown out" mean?

[Rick Ruskin]

On Mon, 19 May 2014 06:40:50 -0400, Mike Rivers
wrote:

On 5/19/2014 4:58 AM, wrote:
I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some problems.
When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

If that's the best way you can describe your problem, I think you
probably need more than the service manual, you need a better
understanding of tape recorders before you go to work on it. Bias
adjustment on this machine is very time consuming because it doesn't
have a separate playback head. You have to record a test tone (most
likely 10 kHz), check the playback level, make a slight change to the
bias, record the tone again, play it back, and see if the level changes.
If it doesn't, make a further adjustment of the bias, and test again.
Repeat until you find the peak level, then increase the bias a bit at a
time so that the level drops to 3 dB below the peak.

Then, after adjusting the playback level and equalization using a
calibration ("alignment") tape,, you need to go through a similar
procedure as the bias adjustment only this time adjusting the record level.

On a recorder with separate record and playback heads, the electronic
adjustment is a pretty simple operation, but since the E-16 shares the
same head for recording and playback, you can't observer what's
happening with the playback in real time while making a recording
adjustment.

Was there really a 30 ips model of the R-16? I though it was only 15
ips. Conversion would be a pretty extensive job.


Fostex did make a 30 ips version of the E-16. I have one. I would
completely align the playback on all tracks before doing anything on
the record side. It is a pain to set up properly.

[Trevor]

"Rick Ruskin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 19 May 2014 06:40:50 -0400, Mike Rivers
wrote:
On 5/19/2014 4:58 AM, wrote:
I have just started up my Fostex E16 after some years but got some
problems.
When I adjust the bias all tracks was blown out.
I wonder if anybody got good copy of Fostex E16's service manual.

If that's the best way you can describe your problem, I think you
probably need more than the service manual, you need a better
understanding of tape recorders before you go to work on it. Bias
adjustment on this machine is very time consuming because it doesn't
have a separate playback head. You have to record a test tone (most
likely 10 kHz), check the playback level, make a slight change to the
bias, record the tone again, play it back, and see if the level changes.
If it doesn't, make a further adjustment of the bias, and test again.
Repeat until you find the peak level, then increase the bias a bit at a
time so that the level drops to 3 dB below the peak.

Then, after adjusting the playback level and equalization using a
calibration ("alignment") tape,, you need to go through a similar
procedure as the bias adjustment only this time adjusting the record
level.

On a recorder with separate record and playback heads, the electronic
adjustment is a pretty simple operation, but since the E-16 shares the
same head for recording and playback, you can't observer what's
happening with the playback in real time while making a recording
adjustment.

Was there really a 30 ips model of the R-16? I though it was only 15
ips. Conversion would be a pretty extensive job.


Fostex did make a 30 ips version of the E-16. I have one. I would
completely align the playback on all tracks before doing anything on
the record side. It is a pain to set up properly.

Since I can't see any point in ever recording with it again, I'd just align
it for the tapes you are trying to play back and be done with it.

Trevor.

[James Perrett[_4_]]

I've no idea what you mean by blown out but it is extremely easy to make
these machines run at 30ips (or 7.5ips for that matter). Of course, the
equalisation will be wrong but, as the 30ips version was available from
the factory, it shouldn't be too hard to change with a little soldering.
The service manual is out there on the net if you look hard enough...

James.
--
JRP Music - http://www.jrpmusic.co.uk