Background
As with a number of 'vintage' electronic items i have this one has been in storage since the late 1980's or early 1990's after it stopped working. I was originally given the cassette after it was salvaged from a skip and asked if i could get it going again! I got it going and used it for a number of years particularly while i was decorating my flat when i first moved in. It took a great deal of punishment with all the dust and dirt so when it finally broke down again i put it away with a view to looking at it at a later time. Over 22 years since i last thought about it i decided while i was looking at all those other vintage bits ZX81 & I/O Board and the Hitachi Cassette i should have a look at the Grundig cassette at the same time.
From research i have done the cassette was made in approximately 1976. It was given to me to repair and see if i could get it going in 1986 or 1987. I kept it all this time because it had such a radically different design and construction from the ones made by Far Eastern manufacturers.
From research i have done the cassette was made in approximately 1976. It was given to me to repair and see if i could get it going in 1986 or 1987. I kept it all this time because it had such a radically different design and construction from the ones made by Far Eastern manufacturers.
There are a number of things to fix:
1. The mounting for the microphone has broken which means that as the microphone moves around the exposed terminals could make contact with other parts of the circuit board.
2. There is some sort of oily discharge from the rubber parts around the microphone. This will need to be cleaned up.
3. The fuse on the PCB has blown. I will need to obtain spares and maybe investigate why it has blown. The fuse is a 250V AC, 630mA quick blow type.
4. There is a lot of dust and dirt inside the case which it would be a good idea to clean out before using the cassette for any length of time.
5. One of the wires connecting the PCB to the speaker has broken. This will need to be re-soldered.
1. The mounting for the microphone has broken which means that as the microphone moves around the exposed terminals could make contact with other parts of the circuit board.
2. There is some sort of oily discharge from the rubber parts around the microphone. This will need to be cleaned up.
3. The fuse on the PCB has blown. I will need to obtain spares and maybe investigate why it has blown. The fuse is a 250V AC, 630mA quick blow type.
4. There is a lot of dust and dirt inside the case which it would be a good idea to clean out before using the cassette for any length of time.
5. One of the wires connecting the PCB to the speaker has broken. This will need to be re-soldered.
The layout and construction of the Grundig cassette is totally different from those made in the Far East. There is no mass of interconnecting wires running between the various parts of the device. There is one ribbon cable which is split at various points as cables connect the various parts of the machine. It is all very neat and very well thought out.