My CC48 has run quite well for almost 24 years. I have successfully replaced the CDM12/VAM1201 transport twice over this period. The latest transport is ~7 years old.
(Slightly off-topic: In 2022, the gear-pulley combo that moves the tray in and out broke some teeth. A few months later, its twin gear-pulley that rotates the carousel seized up. I had no time then to fix these, so the unit remained unused for over a year. Recently I 3d-printed these gear-pulleys as a trial, meaning to CNC them later. The 3d prints work quite well — tray ejects and retracts, carousel rotates. However...)
When I insert a CD and play, the laser detector is duly blocked as the CD passes the transport, and so it does detect and register a CD in the correct slot.
It rotates the carousel to position the (only) CD present into the VAM transport, which duly locks and rises. The laser lens moves up and down, and then it just ignores the CD and moves on. The spindle (turntable) motor never spins up. The laser diode is nominally working, I can see the red glow. After a few carousel moves, I get "insert disc" or "nodiSc" on the front panel.
Switching to test mode, I can successfully spin the turntable motor, move the focus servo up and down, move the sledge in and out, and even conduct the radial test (although I do not understand what that does). No error message is printed.
Power supply voltage readings are all normal (+10V a little lower than -10V in magnitude). Both flex cables continuity check out ok. I have access to the service manual. Test point voltages that need only a multimeter check out ok. Spindle motor resistance and voltage look normal. I don't have access to an oscilloscope yet, will soon organize one, but, without the spindle spinning up, don't know what to check. HF eye pattern won't happen until spin-up, will it?
I tried replacing the VAM1201 (full mechanism, not just the laser) with another (used) one of questionable origin. Same problem. I don't have access to a working new VAM1201 but I can order an unbranded knock-off from ebay. (The last one that was working fine for many years was a knock-off from ebay, anyway.)
I am looking for advice on whether spending ~13 USD on a knock-off VAM1201 is worth it, or should I suspect something else. (In particular, might the 3d prints be deficient in some way that is not obvious. Or, what could I have damaged during the manipulations needed to replace those gear-pulleys.)
I can post further info as needed. Many thanks for any advice in this matter.
(Slightly off-topic: In 2022, the gear-pulley combo that moves the tray in and out broke some teeth. A few months later, its twin gear-pulley that rotates the carousel seized up. I had no time then to fix these, so the unit remained unused for over a year. Recently I 3d-printed these gear-pulleys as a trial, meaning to CNC them later. The 3d prints work quite well — tray ejects and retracts, carousel rotates. However...)
When I insert a CD and play, the laser detector is duly blocked as the CD passes the transport, and so it does detect and register a CD in the correct slot.
It rotates the carousel to position the (only) CD present into the VAM transport, which duly locks and rises. The laser lens moves up and down, and then it just ignores the CD and moves on. The spindle (turntable) motor never spins up. The laser diode is nominally working, I can see the red glow. After a few carousel moves, I get "insert disc" or "nodiSc" on the front panel.
Switching to test mode, I can successfully spin the turntable motor, move the focus servo up and down, move the sledge in and out, and even conduct the radial test (although I do not understand what that does). No error message is printed.
Power supply voltage readings are all normal (+10V a little lower than -10V in magnitude). Both flex cables continuity check out ok. I have access to the service manual. Test point voltages that need only a multimeter check out ok. Spindle motor resistance and voltage look normal. I don't have access to an oscilloscope yet, will soon organize one, but, without the spindle spinning up, don't know what to check. HF eye pattern won't happen until spin-up, will it?
I tried replacing the VAM1201 (full mechanism, not just the laser) with another (used) one of questionable origin. Same problem. I don't have access to a working new VAM1201 but I can order an unbranded knock-off from ebay. (The last one that was working fine for many years was a knock-off from ebay, anyway.)
I am looking for advice on whether spending ~13 USD on a knock-off VAM1201 is worth it, or should I suspect something else. (In particular, might the 3d prints be deficient in some way that is not obvious. Or, what could I have damaged during the manipulations needed to replace those gear-pulleys.)
I can post further info as needed. Many thanks for any advice in this matter.