CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[lynx]

Yesterday, I tried to watch a CED on my RCA model SFT 100 W, which is my only player, and the disc failed to play. It turned on normally, and it had the usual dark screen on my television. When I tried to play the disc, I heard the servo & turntable motors running normally, but the turntable was not spinning at all, and the player just stayed in the standby mode.



From my research on here, the turntable drive belt has gone bad. The belt replacement guide recommends a new old stock RCA turntable drive belt from CEDATUM, but their web site doesn't work any more. It also recommends a substitute belt with the part number FR21.5. I also read thru the old archives on here, and I found a CED Digest message from 20 years ago where a collector called Paul Campbell used a different belt with the part number FRX22.4.



Here is my question: Has any one else tried an FRX22.4 belt on the model SFT 100 W, and is it better than the FR21.5 belt? The belt replacement guide also mentions some problems the player could have with a new FR21.5 belt, so I'm unsure about what I should do now.



Any suggestions are much appreciated! Thank you!
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Let RCA turn your television into Selectavision!

[jsdspif]

I would start by opening it up. I played around with a new belt and found they have to be stretched for a while before use or the truntable spins too slow. CEDatum had told me the belts are pretty robust so unless it has some visible signs of damage and it's working properly just continue to use it. I suppose it's possible it somehow slipped off. I bought some flatbelts to try but haven't got working on a player to check them out but I'm going with the notion the belt isn't the problem by itself (as in the belt didn't just break). You've got to open it up anywayso I'd just open it up and check it out. If you have an email address for someone from CEDatum you could try emailing them. I don't like the thought of them no longer being in business,but it may be the cost of the website really wasn't justified or maybe they're getting a new site and just haven't got it setup yet? You may try looking thru old posts if you don't have an email for someone,it's possible some one may have posted an email adress

[lynx]

Thanks again for the advice! Yesterday, I finally had some time to open up my RCA SFT 100 W CED player, and the turntable drive belt is weak & worn out; I don't know how old it is, but I can tell that it clearly has had a lot of use. A few days ago, I found an old E mail address from CEDATUM, so I E mailed them to ask about the original RCA 152751 belt, but I never heard back from them.



Last night, I ordered a PRB FR21.5 belt manufactured by Russell Industries, which should arrive in a few days. I still have two questions about the belt, if any one can help me out:



1. The belt replacement guide says that the FR21.5 belt needs to be stretched prior to installation in the player, but the instructions are vague to me. How long should I stretch the belt, and is there something that I should use to stretch it on?



2. The turntable is apparently difficult to remove, so how is the best way to remove it to install the belt?



Thanks again!
_________________
Let RCA turn your television into Selectavision!

[jsdspif]

not sure what's up with CEDatum but I hope that's only temporary. They may not have that belt for sale,they told me a couple years ago that the stock ones were getting scarce. I think the best way to stretch it would be find something about 8 " diameter that you could put the belt on. I was thinking a large coffee can but I don't know if that's big enough. A gallon paint can?? just something to put the belt on so it's stretched. Maybe leave it there a couple days and then try it. I just put a belt on my 100 without taking the turntable off,you can lift the table slightly you just make sure it doesn't twist. I think I got mine on correctly,but this is my non working player I use to examine my discs.
The problem with removing the table is those 2 small screws have to be removed and they I guess are most of the time stubborn. The first thing is get a screwdriver bit that fits perfectly and try to get them loose,you may try to tighten them ever so slightly and then loosen. I'm not going to get up and look again but applying a very small amount of heat may be helpful. Perhaps touch a soldering iron to it for just a few seconds? I had stubborn ones and I had to apply so much downward pressure it pushed the turntable down the shaft. I think you can do the belt without removing it. You might go ahead and lube the shaft using the turn the player upside down and applying a little oil at the shaft and let it sit for a day or so for the oil to get to the other bearing,if you haven't ever lubed it.
Back to the belt after a couple days install on the player and try it. I've got a cheap handheld tachometer I use . It was like $10 and I stuck one of the reflective stickers you aim the tach at onto a onesided disc to check speed,which is handy so you know if it's correct. Just playing a disc you can also see if it's playing correctly but maybe there is a differnet problem that causes it to not play correctly. If it isn't spinning fast enough remove the belt and place it back on whatever for a few more days. I stretched mine over a couple nails with copper pipe over them to give a little bit of a curve but giving that more thought it would be better to stretch it in a true circular shape or as close as a true circle shape. I don't know if that's a true fact but it just seems better to have it unifomally stretched.
If you haven't lubed the shaft you could do that while you wait for the belt and are stretching the belt. I would think good old 3 in 1 oil that you can buy anywhere would be just fine. I know there are technical specs for some special lube but anything would be better than nothing. The "bearings" aren't really bearings,they're just a bronze type bushing and originally they probably were oil impregnated which made them somewhat self lubricating,but over 45 years (or what ever) that substance has dried up. I tend to think the oil soaks back into the bushing material somewhat. If someone else has suggestions on that they can chime in. I personally dis-assemble mine to clean the bushing and I use a very ,very small amount of synthetic grease placed only where the shaft needs it(lube the bottom bushing and lube top of shaft where it contacts top bushing) that way there isn't lube along the shaft,I just figure I don't want it to attract dust.