Hi B&O fans, this is a little guide how to test and repair this magnificent VX5000 video and audio deck. I think, it was besides the VX7000 the most advanced and highest evolution of all video recorders. 12kg high tech in a small cabinet, very stylish ... and very complicated. The VX5000 is a pretty old machine today, most of them are over 20 years

OK!

I think, in around 2 weeks, i will get some more VX recorders for repair. Shall i make a workshop how to repair and improve this recorder? Martin

Hi Mark, the Workbench is the right place :) This behaviour is a beginning fault, defect capacitors in the power supply and mainboard. Maybe next week there is a workshop power supply MX3500/5500. Martin

Very nice is this defect, almost every VX with the shutdown symptom has killed this part: it's the 7812 12V regulator. It becomes soooo hot, that the connectors and the tin/copper of the board corrode... either it will shut down or the 12V are open to 18-22Volts and grills the chips.... Repace the 7812 and clean the board http://img172.imageshack

The next part should be a close look to the power supply. This board has several caps with problems... look at the dirt on the board, it's an exploded caps which has lost the electrolyt all over the board... The caps are already removed. http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/4595/p3040024ep7.jpg and the same board cleaned and repaired http://img143

Try the capstan first... probably this small fix will last for several years. Then try the tuner unit. The tuner has also some caps inside and becomes pretty warm in standby.... and hot if defect. The sysmptom is a noisy black picture. The repair itself is easy... but the tuner unit has to be unsoldered from the upper mainboard. That's very difficult

Die Platine ist erstaunlich biegsam und überlebt das Ablösen. Mach Platine und Blende gut warm, etwas mehr als handwarm und schäle sie vorsichtig ab. Nützlich ist ein hauchdünner Schaber/Klinge. Hast du noch eine Blende bekommen? Gut aufpassen, das war dann die letzte... es gibt nix mehr.

Overheating? Yes and No! If the VX is technically ok then there is no problem. But if the capstan motor has problems it causes a very high current and lot's of heat in the power supply. Then people think, the power supply is defect, but the real reason is the capstan. A bad picture is not a problem with the cylinder head, it's the motor! Test

If the VX is still running a little bit, then it's easy to fix. The capstan motor needs to much current and becomes veeeeeery hot... that's the reason for the shutdown and also for the noisy picture Repair the capstan motor, it's an easy fix, just 3 capacitors. There is no need for smd parts, good 105 degree standard types last for years