CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[Rixrex]

Previously I wrote some tips I had after going through many players to try to get them operative. Here's what I wrote before:

1. To cover small edge & corner scuffs or scratches, I found that a bottle of silver or chrome nail polish works great (black nail polish for black area on cases). It goes on smoothly, dries quick and is very close to the correct shade. Plus has its own small brush.

2. While waiting for a proper function motor drive belt, I found that polypropolene hair bands work great. The come usually 100 to a pack and various sizes, look like rubber bands but are much more durable. I use the 1" diameter band. They are stretchy, and I usually put two on the pulley for added friction, and they will fit well. In fact, I have left one main player this way for months to see how long they last, and it's still going strong.

I now am going to update number two because I discovered a better replacement belt than the bands I was using, and that is oddly enough an o-ring available at you local auto parts store!

The o-ring that matches the PRB SCB3.6 belt closest is one with a 1 3/16" inside diameter and thickness of 3/32". Those translate to 3.7 circumference compared to the PRB's 3.6, and a thickness of 0.09375 campared to PRB's 0.09.

Consequently the o-ring rides up a bit on both beveled sides of the pulleys but then has two surface contacts for excellent gripping, so the extra 0.1 circumference is insignificant here. The 1 3/16 o-ring fits nicely without tension on the pulleys. If you prefer a little snugness in the belt, you can use the 1 1/8" diameter o-ring and that wouldbe a 3.54" ID and a bit snugger fit with a little tension, but not by much.

Plus the o-rings are made of materials designed for long lasting use, and they are slightly flexible but not enough to stretch out. You can get them for less than a dollar each at auto parts stores, or I suppose hardware stores too.

One other tip I have is getting the dust out of the player. I find if you have a good quality soft bristled paint brush of 1 to 2 inches, that works great on surfaces you can get to. Also, a hairdryer with a cool setting is good for blowing dust out of nooks and crannies. I wouldn't use a high pressure air compressor.