CED VideoDisc and Player Discussion

[CEDatum]

You have probably noticed that new ( NOS - New Old Stock ) 149000 and 154100 stylus cartridges are now in very short supply. These cartridges are used in the RCA F and G line models, also in Zenith Sears and Sanyo players. This supply problem has been anticipated since the last of these cartridges were made in the 1980's and we have been using up what is available from aging stock.
CEDatum has been working with the original RCA Stylus design engineers to remanufacture cartridges. We can now offer a stylus rebuild service. Your existing non-working cartridge can be rebuilt to RCA performance specs and will come with a guarantee. So don't discard that old stylus.

Details on the rebuild service are available via e-mail to : cedatum@ccrtc.com

John at CEDatum.

[cbertra2]

This is great news.

[Wester]

Yes, great news! I was wondering what would happen to the hobby once all the NOS parts dried up. What is the projected cost for a refurb?

Thanks CEDatum!
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Also a video game collector.

[cbertra2]

Will they replace just the tip or the entire cantilever.
Would not the tip geometry on a RCA stylus be the same as a Hitachi.

[stdjsb25]

[mandfmangham]

Best news in ages.
Go CEDatum!!.

[CEDatum]

Answers on several questions regarding the Stylus Rebuild service.

Cost - In respect of the Forum guidelines I ask you to contact me directly on the Rebuild Service costs, handling, etc. I can say that using current parts already acquired, a rebuild is less expensive than a NOS stylus. The diamond tip is the key item of parts cost.

Manufacturing process. We spent several months of "hobby time" designing the process, fixtures and testing. Since we believe there are inventive devices in our work, we will have a Patent expert examine our work note books. At soon as we are advised that the information can be circulated in the public domain, I will be happy to write up a description of the process for CED hobbyists.

Rebuild Hitachi stylus cartridges. I am sure this can be done. I need to start with Hitachi engineering design drawings of their stylus cartridge. Does anyone have copies of these ? Or can help me get them ?

Remember - Dont' discard that old stylus !!

John at CEDatum ( cedatum@ccrtc.com )

[mnallard]

I wish I would have known this sooner. My stylus for my F unit just lost its tip and I pitched it thinking I could order a NOS replacement. Just a little too late on my part. Two questions...does the rebuild perform better than the original specs and do you expect playtime to be the same or longer than the original?

[CEDatum]

mnallard - To answer your two questions. The rebuild should perform as least as well as the original RCA spec and we offer a Guarantee which an NOS stylus does not. Playtime. The stylus tip is diamond so the playtime ( stylus life) should be the same as the original stylus that was also a diamond. JOhn at CEDatum.

[Jesse Skeen]

That's very cool- I think I have enough spare styluses to last me quite some time but when I started collecting I was worried that I'd wear down the stylus and not be able to get a new one. I've got two of the 154100 cartridges that no longer work, if you would like me to send them to you to do any research with you're certainly welcome to them.

One thing I'd like to see done is modifying the 149000 cartridges to work better in stereo- while they do work, there is a bit of noise during stereo playback. The 154100 cartridges have some sort of insulation that solves that problem, I'm wondering if it could be added to the older ones?
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Videodisc and stereo sound- there's no better value around!

[CEDatum]

Jesse - to answer your timely question on the 149000 and stereo. The 154100 cartridge has a stereo balancer located just behind the stylus tip. The balancer is a very small red or black rubber tube. A stylus tip with the balancer can be fitted to the 149000 and gives improved stereo sound. A new stylus tip on a 149000 installed during our rebuild service will include the stereo balancer. John at CEDatum.