Aubrey TBC-1 (AVT-8710 rebadge) artifacts
 

My Aubrey TBC-1 works a champ keeping poor tapes in sync when problems occur.

I am capturing a few really well recorded tapes though and it appears to be introducing a full screen (boxes) artifact.

I'm attaching a clip showing the artifact with the TBC and the same clip without the TBC in the chain.

As these full frame TBCs MUST digitize the signal at some point, is this an artifact of the reconstructed signal being made analog again?

Anyone ever seen this weird "screen door" effect from their TBC output?

I have an Ambery TBC-1 which after some years started displaying artefacts (I dont recall what they looked like now). Being a tech I opened it up and found two of the seven electrolytic surface mount capacitors had failed so I replaced them. It was a quick, inexpensive fix. I havent had any problems since so repairing it was a no brainer. Yours may have the same problem.

Tim

Were they visually swollen? Leaking?

As I recall, no visible clues. They just measured weak using an ESR meter.

Just to add, these seven relevent capacitors are generic electronic components. They can be found in all manner of electronic appliances and devices, from computers to cars to kids' toys. Over the years they eventually weaken and fail, even when not in use, and probably more than any other electronic component, and would often be the first components a technician would check. These parts cost cents. An electronics technician or skilled hobbyist could test them for you for a small fee.

I worked on an older model and its capacitors were fine even though it was an older model. So it's possible the particular capacitors, or in a particular batch used in the later Ambery TBC-1 were substandard and had a shorter working life. Possibly this has given these units a bad reputation amongst those who dont understand how relatively easy it is to test the capacitors and, if needed, replace the faulty ones. As I mentioned, out of the seven, I only replaced the two caps which measured weak. That was some years ago and the remaining five capacitors are still fine and the unit still works as good as new. Even so, I occasionally check all seven caps.

I'm not saying these caps are the cause of the crosshatch pattern in your case but as a technician and given my experience with my own unit, testing or having tested these relevent capacitors would the first thing I would do. If any measured weak I would replace them, even if the unit was still performing well as it would be just a matter of time before the failing caps started to affect performance.

Nobody else on this or the other forum has even mentioned these capacitors which surprises me as I believe there are people on both forums with electronics experience who know how commonly electrolytic capacitors can fail in older electronic equipment.

Thanks for the advice.

I'm used to bad electrolytics from fixing pinballs and the PC motherboard issues a few years back.

Turns out in this case it was just a badly shielded S-Video cable.

Good to hear: an even easier fix.