gen 1 cassette deck question... sorta

[Gunny]

The previous owner mentioned that the cassette deck did not work but that's no big deal the stereo works fine even the auto volume adjuster (side note the volume goes up sitting at a light with a guy on a Harley idling in front of me) the thing is for longer rides I simply plug in headphones into my GPS which also has an MP3 player allowing me to listen to all my favorite songs but its a lot of hassle to go through for short rides so I went over to Best Buy and picked up one of those cassette adaptor to plug in to the GPS and hopefully play through the stereo... well it works but only plays out oh the right speaker? the radio plays through both and I don't see any balance adjustment so I pulled the cassette deck out and using this write up http://www.venturerider.org/tapedeck/ I took it apart and cleaned the head put it back together but same result right side only.

I cleaned all the connectors with electrical cleaner and blew out everything with compressed air before putting it back together.

honestly I have no knowledge of how these thing work so I'm looking for advice on what else to check

[Freebird]

I know you probably have tried but just to make sure, have you made sure that your headset is actually working properly through both speakers? Otherwise, I have to wonder if there is a problem with the head on the tape player.

[syscrusher]

Here is some good information about the cassette player or rather getting rid of it.

You'll never get the audio quality with that cassette adapter like you should.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?84328-Audio-I-have-an-idea-what-s-wrong-how-do-I-fix-it

[Gunny]

well I remembered my parents car still has a cassette player so I hooked the adaptor and GPS up in their car and it all work fine so the problem is not with either of them put it back on the bike and still right speaker only there is a hissing sound coming from the left but no music. I'll check the connector at the tape deck again and see if 1 is bent

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/sh...ow-do-I-fix-it good info:happy34:

in the future I'd like to hook up a USB port but I'm kinda funny about keeping things original too so I'll have to put some thought into it

[videoarizona]

Gunny,

 

Good idea to check the pins to make sure all is well on both the output cable from the cassette and the pins the radio assembly plugs into. I would also pull the radio amp out and check those pins as well...wiggle the wires. You can run the system with the radio/tape unit out as long as you take out the frame with the multipin connectors as well so it can stay plugged in. Lots of work there...kind of like open heart surgery!

 

But by simply checking the connections then playing the deck...you can find loose pins in the multi-connector (they get pushed in. Simply reach under and push them back.

 

If that doesn't find any problems then: Kinda long post follows - sorry.

 

The hiss tells me the tape head amp is working...somewhat. It's just not getting the music signal from the head would be my guess. It's like an open amplifier circuit. I would take the cassette deck out. Take the top off and take a close look at the circuit board. On the bottom center of the board are the wires from the head...and you can follow them to where they attach to the board. In the other end...top right corner...are the solder joints where the output of the board goes to the pin outputs. I found a number of bad solder joints there after I dropped my cassette deck (don't ask) and was able to fix them.

 

Once you are somewhat familiar with the basic layout...walk the cassette deck back to the bike. Plug in the mount the radio sits in...running the cable that goes to the deck out ... up on top. Now plug the deck in. There isn't any high voltage there so you can hold the deck in your hand. Turn on the bike and put a cassette in. Play it. Now reach over and touch your finger on the solder connections near where the head. You may or may not hear a buzz. You shouldn't if the coating is still intact covering the solder joints. But you can wiggle the wires just a touch...and go ahead and touch the solder points on the board with finger...especially near the output pins for the connector. If you do hear a buzz coming from a touch on the dead channel...that will tell you that at that point anyway...the circuit is good. You can do a lot of tracing with a finger on a tape deck!

 

These decks are extremely durable. takes a drop on concrete (my bad) or some serious corrosion before they stop.

 

What you are looking for is a broken wire or connection some where near the head. Maybe even at the head. If the PO got a bit aggressive in cleaning..and somehow got behind the head, he could have damaged a wire there. But my first thoughts are a bent or loose pin...or one that is pushed in at the multi-connectors.

 

Last resort is to contact Clarion. They probably still repair these things! Although it might take you a while to find a repair ship that remembers them and has the schematics.

 

Hope this helps...

david

[syscrusher]

Heres the advanced course, if you decide modifications are alright sometime:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?88766-PRV175-Install-Keeping-Built-in-Amp-and-Controls

 

There are probably better units available than the PRV175, but it gives you an idea of what might be possible.

[Gunny]

It's working

took it all apart and cleaned all the connectors put it back in and it plays out of both side not sure what the problem was didn't see any loose connections, just glad it's working

It is doing something new though if I turn off the power and then back on I have to eject the tape then put it back in to get it to work where before it would just work but I can live with that

the sound quality isn't to bad either (better than the radio) so over all I'm quite happy with it.

Thanks for all the replies.

Lot of good info on here

[stilako]

You have three pieces of equipment involved: GPS, Adapter, Cassette player. If you can, try eliminating one at a time by using other equipment. E.g., if you can put the adapter in a household cassette player, and play the GPS through it, get stereo, it's your cassette player. If you still get mono, the problem isn't with the cassette player, but with either the adapter or the GPS. Isolate the unit causing the fault, and go from there.

[Pegasus1300]

If you would like to quit using the adapter,cheap way get an FM adapter for the GPS to broadcast to an empty channel in your stereo. Best way send your radio to Sierra Electronics and have them put an aux wire and switch in your stock radio so you can hook it up and have it play thru the unit as if li were made that way.

 

http://www.sierra-mc.com/