On 11/24/2012 4:35 PM, Robert Macy wrote:
On Nov 24, 3:27 pm, "hr(bob)
wrote:
My car (built-in) tape player seems to be getting strange in its
volume. Associated radio is fine, tape volume is down. I thought
that I should demag the tale head. But, the opening is only barely
big enough to insert a tape, and my 120V 60Hz demagger has a 1/2" long
tip at 1/3" diameter, affixed on the end of a tube that is at least 1"
diameter so there is no way to get the demagger tip anywhere near the
tape head. I could maybe tape a large nail to the end of the existing
tip, and reach the vicinity of the head, but I don't think that will
so anything. I don't know what the magnetic structure is under/inside
the head, but assume it is shaped to deliberately have flux going
outside the head. It's not worth it to make a coil small enough to
fit into the opening. I understand there are demagnetizing tapes
available, but I am cheap and don't want to spring for the $$ unless I
am reasonably (66+%) sure it will work.

Thoughts, ideas, polite suggestions.

loss of volume? doesn't that mean gunk building up that keeps the tape
too far away form the head? Or, mean some component is lost? like a
coupling cap that has seen better days? Or, something as simple as
one of the wiring connections in the cabling has gone high resistance.

Sadly, my favorite tapes were made during the era of poor mylar
coating and have all turned 'squeaky' and unplayable! I wish I could
have transferred them before they died, but hindsight.

I'd give up on head demagnetizing. It's not likely the problem.
And you're more likely to magnetize it with the demagnetizer
unless you disassemble the thing so you can get at it.

Tape players don't last in cars.
I've only had two CD players and they were worse.
The heat, outgassing of plastics, dirt, etc. get all over the optical
and mechanical stuff.
Luckily, my last player has a USB slot and a Flash Card slot.
It won't play a CD any more, but the SD card works fine.

As for old tapes...
If you have rare music, you're pretty much screwed.
If you have popular stuff, there's an option.
Go to the library, check out a CD. Copy it back to the tape.
If you bought the tape, you own the license to play it.
The nitpickers will argue about it, but I think you're
on solid moral and legal ground to refresh the media.