CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

iTroy · Joined: 17 Dec 2011 Posts: 21 Location: Mass

So I have a place close to my house that I drive by every day that has been in business for YEARS that is an appliance store. My mom knows about my CED obsession, i mean collection Cool

and she suggested I stop in this place since she used to purchase her CEDs there in the early 80s.

I went in and looked around and honestly, everything was modern but I did see some old RCA signs. After being in the store for about 5 min, the owner named Dick came up to me and asked if I needed help with anything. I figured he would just look at me and laugh but i asked "So random shot but you wouldn't happen to have any RCA Selectavision pieces still here?" Dick kinda looked at me for a minute funny then smiled real big and said "Follow me young man" (I'm 27 and he is in his 80s)

He took me to the back room and bam! a Zenith VP2000 sitting there collecting dust. "I haven't heard anyone ask about these for over 20 years!" he said. We ended up talking about the lost format for about an hour and you know, it felt great for a lot of reasons. He said that he actually remembered my mom and dad which was awesome (they've had all their electronics fixed there forever). He talked about being a retailer during the "format war" and how betamax, CEDs and VHSs all were going against each other. He also stated that he had over 2000 new discs back at his place!
After we talked about many things, he ended up selling me the player for $50. We did test that it turned on and it looked clean so i bought it. I did get it home and for some reason it won't play. (Loads discs, stays on "0" and won't play) I tested the stylus on my other player it works fine. In some cases, i'd be bummed but I have numerous players so i'm glad to at least get a great conversation, a stylus and a contact for discs.

Sorry if this reads like a book but it was amazing to talk to someone who sold and dealt with CEDs in their heyday. It really made my day!

PS: Please feel free to email me to get Dick's contact information (he was very happy to know that collectors exist!) or if you have any idea if the player is a quick fix? Thanks!
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blindfury420 · Joined: 26 Jan 2011 Posts: 1036

That's definitely cool!!! Always fun to talk to someone who actually got to experience the format when it was actually on the shelves of stores!!!! I'm 27 too, so I have seen that look of how and why do you know of ced? or just the ced? huh? hahaha

Also if you can send me the contact info that'd be sweet! Your email button is not active, so feel free to email me at blind.fury420@yahoo.com or click my email button!
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iTroy · Joined: 17 Dec 2011 Posts: 21 Location: Mass

Beetlescott · Joined: 03 Oct 2010 Posts: 2085

That is so cool!!! I would very much like to have Dicks email. I bought my first player in 1982 from someone very much like you describe him. I would very much like to share emails with him. Thanks for sharing your story!!!

scott
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Rixrex · Joined: 28 May 2004 Posts: 1222

Your player that is stuck at zero probably needs one of two things done to it, or maybe both:

1. Adjust the stylus landing screw set-down function as per:

http://www.cedmagic.com/tech-info/repair-solutions.html#improper-stylus-set-down-adjustment

If not that, then:

2. Replace the servo drive belt:

http://www.cedmagic.com/tech-info/repair-solutions.html#worn-out-servo-drive-belt

Or possibly perhaps:

3 Landing latch misalignmentL

http://www.cedmagic.com/tech-info/repair-solutions.html#landing-latch-misalignment

But I suspect number 1 most likely as I find this to be common for players not used in a while, and maybe number 2, and probably also a good lube as well is needed.