HR-S2902U Issue - Keeps turning itself off rather than work
 

Hello, I was hoping I could get some help. I just picked up an HR-S2902U for the purpose of digitizing some tapes. It just came in, so I tested it first.

It played, rewound, and ejected fine.

So I hooked it up the next day to capture the tape, and after I put the tape in (it took the tape just fine) that is when the trouble started.

It would begin to play (play icon appeared, no video on screen), then shut itself off, and when I tried to eject the tape, it did the same thing. So now the tape is stuck in the VCR (Wound around the play head) and wont eject.

I don't think it's a power issue as when I say "shut off," the display went from displaying a channel number to "AUX", there was no fluxuation in the display and the power didn't cut out.

I was able to navigate the menu without it shutting down, it is only when I try to do anything involving the tape does it shut off.

I opened the top and took a look, I didn't see any obvious bulging in the capacitors, nor was anything burned out, and there weren't any broken pieces of anything loose in the body.

Any help would be welcomed, as I want this VCR to work, but I need the tape that is stuck inside it and would rather not damage it or the VCR if I can avoid it.

Sounds like a dirty mode switch (is E2 displayed on the Front panel?)

Page 10:
Error E2:
When the mechanism mode cannot be changed to another mode
even when the loading motor has rotated for more than 4 seconds
in the unloading direction, [E:02] is identified and the power
is turned off.

The cause:
2. Without an eject signal being sent from the SYSCON, unloading is attempted (i.e. Ejection
is attempted while the tape is still inside the mechanism.) because the SYSCON
cannot recognize the mechanism mode normally. This is due to a cause such as a
rotary encoder failure. (Mechanism position: UPPER)
------------

to remove the tape, refer to page 5 of the sm

Not that I saw; it just switched from displaying 02 (as in channel 2) to AUX, telling me it had switched off.

I'd have to guess it is a sensor issue. If the machine thinks the hubs should be turning and it doesn't see them doing so, then it'll shut off, same could go for if the audio control head got dirty or something is disconnected. Cleaning the mode switch can't hurt, but does require a fair amount of disassembly and there's risk in damaging the head drum cable which does need to be disconnected to get access to the bottom of the deck. The other sensor that may be involved is the head drum rotation sensor. You should also check that the head drum spins up with the tape since if it doesn't, then it'll shut down for that too.

Okay, so an update:
I took the machine apart and got the tape out, so now I can actually work on the machine. I went looking for the mode switch on the circuit board and the only thing that looked like what I'd seen previously (online) didn't have any contact points under the white wheel that was attached to the top.
Once I had pried it up enough to look under and see that it didn't have the contacts it would have if it was the mode switch (it just had a plastic, half-circle-shaped pad), I put it back in place and left it alone. This thing was in the syscon area.

The only thing of note was that the plastic bar that I think is connected to the operation of the pole base assembly (and runs the length of the underside of the mechanism assembly) wouldn't move when I tried to move it with my fingers, and in turn when I put it all back together and turned the VCR back on the pole arms seemed hesitant to move.

Do you have pics of the underside of the mech ?

Here are some photos I took while disassembling it. The white disc on the black base is what I thought was the mode switch.

Yes this is the white disk but this kind of mode switch is fragile with the four tabs, tabs will break in a blink of an eye and if they're all broken it's game over. Best solution just spray deoxit or similar in it from the outside it should penetrate

Okay, thank you for your help.

Okay, so an update.
I was trying to pry the plastic disc on the mode switch up over two of the catches so that I could put a few drops of the deoxit in when the disc popped off. Nothing broke (thankfully), so I took the opportunity to clean it. I couldn't really get under the tines that well as I didn't have the proper applicator on hand to do so, but I did what I could.
I put the VCR back together and then tested it. At first, it turned onand then off, so I took it apart again and moved the mode switch to a different position. After a few different times with the same result I moved the post to align with the circle to the right side of the mode switch (printed on the board). It then began doing something different; rather than turning off immediately, it started cycling through a routine and making a grinding sound.
It just keeps repeating this pattern, so I am wondering if the mode switch is still the issue, or if I fixed the mode switch but am now running into a mechanical issue (such as something not being in the right starting position) or it is some combination of both.

You must have missed the alignment of the mode switch. There should be a little arrow on the white disk it must point at the arrow on the black part. There are some variants like arrow drawn on the board. The service manual should help you