MZ-N505 Bad recording

[Wacholek]

Hi every one!!

First of all I wont to apologise for my bad English.

I've got a MZ-N505 recorder. It's old but still in a good shape. But recently I started experiencing some worrying symptoms. I recorded the MD. But only half (from the beginning) was rade . The rest of the tracks can't be played. And so on every disc. All tracks are recorded in theory, but only half of them plays well.

Laser head was mounted from another device. Still no change. If anyone would have an idea for the repair of this equipment I was grateful for the assistance.

P.S. Flexible ribbon on both heads are ok. Work fine on my R500.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Wacholek

[Avrin]

Welcome to the forums!

If you are absolutely sure that the laser head and the ribbon cable are OK, then the problem may be in the trajectory of the magnetic overwrite head. The head should be just touching the disc surface during recording. It is possible that dirt accumulated inside the unit, or chassis deformation prevent the head from touching the disc when recording later tracks (which are on the outer part of the disc). Another possible cause may be the change of the laser head distance from the disc during its movement. It may have the correct distance at the beginning of the disc, which then starts to decrease/increase as the head travels towards the outer parts of the disc. This should also cause playback problems with later tracks.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Avrin

[Wacholek]

Everything is clean. The magnetic system is set correctly. Checked all the settings within a radius of 1mm. As now is the best and the same as it was set in R500. I do not think that was the problem with the head. This may be a bad angle between the MD and the optical system but rather it is a problem with the electronics or the settings in the service menu. Unfortunately, the service is a little on the subject.

When connected to a computer can I change the names of tracks, erase the whole plate or individual tracks. Unfortunately, lack of proper record.

[sfbp]

If you PLAY BACK a fully recorded disk with the unit, do you hear some thumping/clicking/banging noises when you get to the end tracks?

My guess is the head is not travelling freely at the extreme of its travel, if so. I have seen this when there was some sticky stuff on the part (90degrees to the head) that the arm is resting on.

[Avrin]

1 mm is a lot for an MD unit.

And no setting in the service menu or electronics can be changed separately for different parts of the disc. All settings are for the entire disc.

The angle problem is still possible, but it is most probably caused by mechanics. And it sure may lead to malfunctions on the outer part of the disc while the inner part is OK.

Erasing/renaming is done completely on the inner part (where the TOC is located), the physical tracks are not changed during this.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Avrin

[Wacholek]

If you PLAY BACK a fully recorded disk with the unit, do you hear some thumping/clicking/banging noises when you get to the end tracks?

My guess is the head is not travelling freely at the extreme of its travel, if so. I have seen this when there was some sticky stuff on the part (90degrees to the head) that the arm is resting on.

No thumping/clicking/banging.

The drive is quiet. Is heard only when the head moves. Everything is clean and washed. There are no jams.

Erasing/renaming is done completely on the inner part (where the TOC is located), the physical tracks are not changed during this.

I did know that.

1mm is a lot but I've wonted to try any possible setting.

MD recorded on R500 are played very good. It's spin down after 5-6 second when it starts a truck(buffor ok).

In r500 the best position of the magnetic head is when the laser beem focus on the black, ferrite core, when it's bend to it's normal, recordnig position. Not working here.

The same head works fine in R500 so it have to be elektronics(possible that this may by a spin controle failure).

How to upload a new firmware to this device?

Still hole disk was recorded. No locks or errors but outer tracks can't be played fluently.

I will attach some photo later.

Edited August 23, 2009 by Wacholek

[Avrin]

Spin control failure is only remotely possible in such devices. All recordable media, including CD and MD blanks, are pre-formatted with wobbling groove at the factory. This groove is pressed onto the disc, and cannot be changed. It is used for both navigation and spin control, so it is impossible for improper spin to go undetected during recording - the unit will show an error, and recording will stop.

Firmware updating is not possible with minidisc units.

[PsychoPimpKiller]

I have an N505 as well and though I don't have the problems that you described, I did have it cut out, while recording (I found out when I listened to the playback), for about a second every now and then when I was recording through the soundboard at a local rock show. It didnt seem like the unit got overloaded with high S.P.L.s so I dont know what happened to it. I only had that problem with the N505 machine and haven't used it to record a show ever since. I did have the same problem again but with a Hi-MD unit but I was recording with a microphone and there is some high S.P.L.s on the recordings so I figured that's what happened there. I don't know what cause my problem either, so a little bit of help or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.