Hi. I have a Sony AITe130 tape drive. The unit will not seat a tape. I place a tape cassette into the drive, it takes it in further for a second or two, then ejects it but then takes it back in again and repeats the process over and over until I catch it in mid-eject and remove it. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Main code 2X : Mechanism control system error
574 Failed to detect the T reel FG during search.

This means the take up reel stopped rotating during forward search. It shut down assuming tape was spooling loose into mechanism. Could be just a faulty cassette tape. A common problem is also when labels have been placed in the wrong places on the cassettes, stopping the lid from opening fully and stopping the reel reaching the reel motor drive.Manually eject the tape and try another tape. If the fault continues, have a look for something in the way under the cassette such as post it notes, paper clips, torn labels etc.
Have you had the unit serviced since you got it?
Could be time to get it to a service centre for help.

Unplug the power from the combo unit and give it 30 seconds, now plug back in, sometimes this will eject the tape, if not! take the top off the machine and check to see if the tape is spewed in the mechanical section and around the video head, if yes! get a pair of scissors and cut the tape carefully to avoid damaging the video head and remove all tape deb-ri, now power up and eject the main cassette. But! if you find the cassette has loaded in place and the tape is still in the vhs cassette, this would indicate a loading problem with the main carriage, broken belt, bad idler assembly and possibly sensor issues.

Hi wnwatkins3,

Have the same problem here. Bought my TVR33 in 2003, and its still
a good cam with 1 megapixel. But since 1 month the tape won't load. I can insert any tape in the cassette, but it won't close. Without a tape it closes fine.
My only option is to send it to frsbenelux to fix it for a few hundred euros. Hoping to find a solution on the net, i will share with ya.

greetz Ed

Cassette will not exit,eject nor play and does a clicking sound, one side of cassette door will not close.

It is likely that either the drive belt has broken or is slipping. Because the unit is still in "play" mode, the mechanism won't let the door open up. If you have not opened up these units before, do not attempt it now. This unit should be taken to an experienced tech for repair. Where are you located?

Dan

The more detailed the description of the problem, the better for diagnosing the root cause. Thanks.

It sounds like you have a couple of problems. I'll address them as you have them numbered above.

1. Decks typically have belts to drive the various 'reel' mechanisms. Therefore, they can slip without breaking anything inside the machine or the tape. Your first symptom leads me in that direction.

2. That it migrated is mysterious, unless Sony is using a common motor to handle both decks' reel duties.

3. This symptom may have something to do with the root cause of both sides jamming...

Do the cassette well doors come off, say, for cleaning? Could they be dislodge? If so, they may have something to do with the jamming problems in # 1 and #2 as the doors play a part in positioning the cassette and holding it in place against the reel motor cogs. How do the doors operate with NO tape inserted?

Does it take excessive force to close the door only WITH a tape? make sure the tape is fully seated before closing the door. The capstans (directly below each reel cog) have to engage through the small holes at the lower edge of the cassette. They should be straight and clean. Any dirt or oxide on them will cause problems as these are what move the tape at the precise speed necessary for good playback or recording.
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My hipshot recommendation, otherwise, is to look around inside the cassette wells very carefully for any foreign matter, debris, dust bunnies.

Do you maintain the deck as recommended?

If the beep is immediate when you press the pedal, the unit is not detecting the tape being inserted. One of the switches may be bad. If you are using a HQ music cassette, there are extra notches on the back of the cassette. Cover them with tape.
If the beep is 1 second or more after pressing the pedal, there is a mechanical problem with the deck.

The problem here is that the unit is stuck in a partial position. The "reset" by unplugging and plugging back in usually causes the unit to reset to a known position. If there is no activity (no motor sound), it will need to be opened up and reset manually. If you hear the motor running for a short period, it is attempting to reset, but the belt is most likely worn or broken. These units are relatively simple, but a bit tricky to dis-assemble. This repair should not require anything other than a belt or 2. Figure on $3-$10 for parts plus the local labor rate for the repair.

Dan

Unit probably has bad drive motor

Try pushing the eject button while pusshing the power button. Mine was doing the same and that is how I was able to eject the tape.
Good luck
sam