kgallen Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 No, I've no idea now why I started doing this, but as I did, I'm writing it down! There are some topics here on this forum regarding adding optical I/O to those decks that had such features cost-reduced away. Narrative seems to be that the required 3V diodes are hard to find these days, and certainly looking at the part specified for my MDS-JE520, it seems indeed that the original Sharp devices are obsolete. Also noted in some posts are a Toshiba part, e.g. TOTX173, but this also seems obsolete. However having a browse around I did end up at some Cliff components that are readily available and so far as Farnell's labelling goes, are a "Best Seller", so let's hope they stay available for a bit longer. So here goes and sorry if you all already knew this... Based on the Sony MDS-JE520 Service Manual, the original parts were Sharp GP1F38 series 3V devices. These used the separate plug-in "dust plug". The newer Sharp series use the inbuilt flap as do the Cliff components parts that seem available at least in the UK. The newer Sharp model and the Cliff model match the original Sharp model on mechanical dimensions and light wavelength. However the newer models have a wider operational voltage range that suit both 3V and 5V designs. Check the Service Manual for your Deck to see if these parts are also suitable for your machine. Note also Cliff seem to number the pins in the reverse order to Sharp, but based on the mechanical drawings the same physical pin position is the same signal/supply as the Sharp part. Transmitter Sharp GP1F38T -> Sharp GP1FAV31TK0F -> Cliff FCR684205T (OTJ-5) CPC (£1.36) Farnell (£2.83 - yes CPC and Farnell are the same company, go figure on the pricing...) Receiver Sharp GP1F38R -> Sharp GP1FAV31RK0F -> Cliff FCR684205R (ORJ-5) CPC - not stocked Farnell (£4.19) Prices as of Dec/2020. These components are also listed by others on eBay (including in the US) at suitably inflated prices. I couldn't find either of the Cliff parts listed on Digikey or Mouser. If you happen to be doing a DIY-job, Cliff also do a neat combined TOSLINK optical RX/RCA(coax) module ORJ-6. The two parts have separate pinout and whilst the TOSLINK is an optical receiver, the RCA jack is just a socket, so you could use for either input or output to suit your needs. This product won't fit into the PCB of any of the Sony decks but you might find it interesting for your own project/design. CPC (£2.36) Farnell (£5.80, yup...) Example thread: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfbp Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 Thank you Kevin This is terrific for those whose machines have parts which simply fail. As i figured out when upgrading the D40 and D5C, the 5V part is actually easier to work with since 5V is already on the main inter-board connector. Check? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgallen Posted December 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 8 minutes ago, sfbp said: Keith :-P That's fine, Simon. Where the PCB is already designed with the various options for optical/coax, then the suitable parts need to be purchased and soldered into the designed-in locations. At most a couple of Rs, Cs are needed plus these hard-to-find optical modules. I'm still scratching my head to understand why my Pro E12s don't have the optical I/O since the E10 has and the PCB is the same. On a £750 machine (as was at new) they've saved a couple of pounds off the BOM by not fitting the RX and TX optical, a couple of Rs, Cs and ferrite beads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfbp Posted December 30, 2020 Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 You've been watching Die Hard 3, I can tell. (calls in a loud voice "J - E - R - E - M - Y"). That woke me up anyway. Stepsimhon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgallen Posted December 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2020 Stephen, I bumped into this thread of yours from way back - actually similar to the reason I was looking at TOSLINK RX/TX several hours ago which lead me to the writing of this thread. I was thinking how to duplicate the TOSLINK out from my PC to both my MDS-JE520 and the MDS-JE480 - the latter that has made it in from the shed to the office since I wanted to record a lengthy radio program in LP4 (beloved 520 being an SP-only machine). I'm thinking I might make a small project of this and address some of the design weaknesses that lead to the demise of your splitter (like a 5V reg as @NGY suggested there). Between @NGY musing an IOP breakout board and myself, seems there might be a little cottage industry in 2021 with some mini MD projects... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfbp Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 I'd forgotten all about this and moved on. It's still sitting in the heap of unfinished projects on my messy den floor. Happy New Year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgallen Posted January 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 3 hours ago, sfbp said: I'd forgotten all about this and moved on. It's still sitting in the heap of unfinished projects on my messy den floor. Happy New Year! I'm on the case. Might have a little gift for you in a few weeks... (months...!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M1JWR Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 might have one or two of these knocking around that you are quite welcome to,they are off scrapped boards,i was on the hunt last spring with that 940 as its was missing, also a coaxial, good luck with those bye the way,scrappers are the only way for them,the orange bodied ones,must be thousands in landfill, new ones are almost impossible to find,in the end i bought a scrap board off a 510 off a guy on fleabay, and when i bought a mdm 7 off another guy on fleabay he sent a scrap 470 board with it,the opticals are the type that use the plugs instead of the flaps like on the 480/980 models,the ones you have pictured,dont think i have spare plugs though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgallen Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 3 hours ago, M1JWR said: also a coaxial, good luck with those by the way, scrappers are the only way for them, the orange bodied ones That's true from my failed searches! Yellow-ringed RCA sockets you can get. I've not found an orange one anywhere - except on that stacked TOSLINK/Coax part I listed above from CPC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgallen Posted January 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2021 On 12/30/2020 at 5:45 PM, kgallen said: I'm thinking I might make a small project of this and address some of the design weaknesses that lead to the demise of your splitter (like a 5V reg as @NGY suggested there). So the PCBs for my little TOSLINK splitter project arrived this morning and I've built a couple up and they are working a treat. One of these is for me and the other for @sfbp to replace his broken one. Hopefully this design is a little more "Stephen proof" :-P . I have a few spare PCBs (unpopulated), so if anyone in the UK wants one, then PM me some details and I can pop you one in the post with the schematic. You'll have to source your own components and do your own soldering, so please don't ask if you're not up to this - giving stuff away for free does imply the recipient won't waste such gifts at the expense of other who have genuine need. If there is a lot of interest I will allocate in preference to regular/active contributors on this Forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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