Hi to any engineers...

VX5000,  skip or repair?

Well,  I currently have a black AVANT 32 VCR, works fine and that's masterlinked so I can access it from an MX7000 in another room. Soooo,  I don't need another VCR, however, I couldn't resist, when offered, a very nice VX5000 in black (to match the MX).  Got it home, but of course, it doesn't work. Sound distorted and no picture (just fuzz).  Since I'd had a VX5000 and MX5500 in the 90s (in white) I though it might be the same fault as I had on my last VX5000 which was the capston motor (same symptoms)?  We'll I've had a look to see, checked the belt condition / tension for the tape pully / spools etc, cleaned the capston and roller etc...  what else?

Cosmetically this VX is very nice, no broken buttons or ususl missing tape door or front flap, A1 I'd say.  It's in black which I though was rare for the 5000, only thought it was in grey or white before the VX5500 took over?

Can anyone fix these other than B&O?  Last VX cost £180 to repair.  Any suggestions...  or should I just bin it and get a life :-)

This is of course up to you, but I would never fix a VX5000 for £180...

I think that any electronic repair shop used to fixing TV's and VCR's can fix the B&O version aswell, since they're not that different from Philips or Sony models. Same components basically.

I used to have a black VX5000 too, sold it very cheap, since it had pretty much the same problems as yours. 

bayerische:

I think that any electronic repair shop used to fixing TV's and VCR's can fix the B&O version aswell, since they're not that different from Philips or Sony models. Same components basically.

Actually the VX5000 has pretty much nothing in common with common (pardon the pun) offerings. I'd bet some repair shop with no special experience on it can spend days and get nothing done... It's immensely complex.

Anyway, been there, done that:

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/thread/76193.aspx

And Martin's excellent workshop:

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/thread/76448.aspx

I agree it's probably not worth it to pay anyone to do the repairs. It will quickly get expensive. Mine is still working happily, sitting under the white MX6000 in all its whiteness  (yes, I've found the shelf for it since that picture...)

Tournedos:

Yeah, I know they look very different inside from other makes, but I've been led to understand the components picking up the video and sound are standard components, and these are the ones making the problems?

If I'm wrong I'm glad to be corrected.  

And reading the links you provided verifies I was wrong about the heads being the problem...

bayerische:

And reading the links you provided verifies I was wrong about the heads being the problem...

So was I at first, until Martin corrected me... easy to make that mistake, since the capstan motor problem looks exactly like clogged / worn out video heads.

Unfortunately the VX5000 isn't the best choice for my late version (Beo4 / one-way) MX6000 - you can't use most of the special functions, and controlling it is a little funky. It also eats a lot of power even in standby, so I mostly have it just plugged off and looking good

Whereabouts in UK are you?

You could try contacting Tim Jarman at Beocentral, he's near Farnborough and maybe able to have a look.

What he doesn't know about inner workings of B&O would fill the back of a postage stamp.

He worked on my VX5000 a few months ago, but I need a VX sensor to get it to work with Beovision 7-40.

Hi again,

Thanks for all the posts. I will have the bottom off it again just to check for the black around the caps, to confirm the capston motor problem as likely cause. The tape does play and wind FF / REW.  If anyone on here would like to quote for a new / used motor (Martin) and I'll have a go at fitting it myself.  Before I do that, I will just make sure the tuner is working as it should.  I can't see / hear anything else machanically wrong with it.  I don't mind paying a few pounds / euros (same difference :-)  to fix it but I guess a NEW capston motor fitted by B&O won't be cheap (even if they had any).  Seems silly, the best tape heads ever used but then only 1000hrs life out of a capston motor!

I'm in Gloucestershire if anyone wants to come and take it away so I don't have to watch when it goes in the skip :0(

I've now checked the VX again. Can confirm that even though there wasn't very much black around the caps on the capston motor board, the chip is running very hot, immediately after switch on, just nursing the blister on the finger, to prove it :-)  The tuner is fine so I'll contact Martin, see if he has any spares, save me having to strip down the motor and change the caps myself (but would make a good project and if this is the main thing that VX suffers from then I'll know for any others I come by).

Thanks for all the help and links, another problem solved by Beoworld, nearly.