datasette not getting power

[malcontent]

Hello. I have a cassette player, actually not a datasette but a third party thing called "data master". It works fine on my c64, but does not on my VIC.
It detects when play is pressed but the motor does not go.

The only other thread I read about a similar problem suggested the power supply was to blame, so I'm wondering if it might be dangerous to use my VIC. It is a two-prong, ntsc vic. I currently don't own a multimeter, but that's next if it will help me diagnose this problem.

[English Invader]

Is your third party datasette a turbo one? If that's the case, it won't work with the VIC.

I'm not sure if there are any mods or adaptions that can be done, but there are plenty of others here who are more tech-savvy than yours truly.

[Leeeeee]

With a two-prong VIC it's all or nothing with the power supply. If any part fails the VIC won't work at all so it's unlikely to be the supply.

More likely is something in the cassette motor drive circuit around Q3, Q4 and Q5.

Lee.

[malcontent]

these transistors look pretty generic, I'm guessing they're not hard to find?

My power supply is ever so slightly bulging at the sides. Is this just cause it's old and the plastic warms up?

[GreyGhost]

If you haven't already looked at the connector, I'd try that first. Make sure the contacts are making a good connection. I had this problem before.

[ral-clan]

Errrg....trying to remember something deep in my memory about this....is the filament inside the (tubular glass) fuse inside the VIC-20 still intact?

[Leeeeee]

If it wasn't the whole VIC would be dead.

This is the thing with a two prong VIC, there is no fault in the PSU section that will break just the cassette motor power.

Lee.

[malcontent]

Cleaning the connector didn't work. Going to try an replace those transistors. What type are they?

[Exin]

I have the same problem. Tested 3 Tape drives, none of them speed up but all are detectead. 2 generic white ones and a C16 one.

I have only 1 Vic so i cant try another one. This one is fed with 5V directly to the board (PC Power suppy) Since a 9V power supply or let alone just a 9V transformer. I sitched the Via's and the fuse, nothing helped.

Is the Tape powered seperately to the motherboard?

-Exin

[OBSysteme]

Hello. I have a cassette player, actually not a datasette but a third party thing called "data master". It works fine on my c64, but does not on my VIC.
It detects when play is pressed but the motor does not go.

The only other thread I read about a similar problem suggested the power supply was to blame, so I'm wondering if it might be dangerous to use my VIC. It is a two-prong, ntsc vic. I currently don't own a multimeter, but that's next if it will help me diagnose this problem.

I don't have a two-prong vic, but I did have that problem with my dataset and can confirm that the problem in my case was indeed the power supply brick.

[Exin]

I have the same problem. Tested 3 Tape drives, none of them speed up but all are detectead. 2 generic white ones and a C16 one.

I have only 1 Vic so i cant try another one. This one is fed with 5V directly to the board (PC Power suppy) Since a 9V power supply or let alone just a 9V transformer. I sitched the Via's and the fuse, nothing helped.

Is the Tape powered seperately to the motherboard?

-Exin

I mean, i don't have the money for such a power supply

[Exin]

Since nobody of you guys actually thought of it, i asked a friend and he suggested sending 5v directly to the motor pin. I did this by simply bridging two of the holes in the board near the datasette port. (the traces for the 5V power of the port and the motor pin)

Now the drive constantly drives the motor and the tapes work.

But this can't be the best solution. Maybe some driver transistor often fails in vic 20's.....