Topic: Help with Panasonic sv3700

[memphiskat]

I used to do a lot of live taping but haven't in a long time.  I now want to get
my DAT masters onto my MAC for archiving.  So I purchased a used Panasonic sv3700.
I don't have the manual.  Here's my probelm.   The deck came on Friday.  I can't get it to play
any of my tapes.  I can't figure it out.  It appears to be working
fine.  It powers up. It will fastfoward and rewind tapes.  It won't show any abs time though.  The only
counter mode that works is the four digit PNO mode.  When I hit play that counter shows the tape advancing
but the meters show no music.  I plugged in headphones to see if it's just the meters but no sound.
I've tried 60m, 90m, audio, data, every type of tape I have and none will play.  It's as if the machine just
can't read the tapes. 

Anyone have any ideas?

[Roving Sign]

Try recording and playing back something on the 3700

Im guessing you mastered with a deck that was aligned differently that this one...

[datbrad]

Does the orange cleaning light start flashing? These decks are known for being unforgiving when in comes to head condition. If you have a cleaning tape, run it for 20 seconds. If you tapes still won't play, you probably have one with a bad head. I paid about $400 for a replacement head on mine back in 1999, but I don't know what they would charge now. You should send it to a Panasonic service center for a checkup.

[memphiskat]

Thanks for the responses.  The clean light is not on.  I emailed the person I purchased
it from and he said he checked it just prior to shipping and it worked fine.  The seller
is someone I know and trust so that's not an issue.  It was packed VERY well too.

I tried tapes recorded on several decks so I can't see it being the alignment problem.

I'm stumped.

[memphiskat]

just tried recording something with analog in.  got levels.  could hear the music while
recording.  the abs time advanced.  rewound the tape and the abs time won't advance, it
just goes to dashes like when I play my tapes.  no levels and no sound on playback.

oh boy...

[memphiskat]

OK, now a tape plays but drops out and gives static, and the CLEANING light is flashing.
I don't have a manual.  Does this mean it needs cleaning?  Is it somehow self cleaning?

[H₂O]

It's not self cleaning.  Try using a new cleaning tape - the Sony's pop on ebay all the time

[memphiskat]

Problem seems to be solved.  I took the top of the deck and manual cleaned the
drum/head.   I used Qtips and some Intraclean S-711 that I used to use to clean
my cassette deck heads and it seems to have solved the problem.  The (well one
so far :-) plays without drops or static and the deck displays abs time.   WHEW!

Thanks for all the replies.

[Ozpeter]

Funny things, DAT machines.  Only one of my machines (HHB Portadat) now seems to play my old tapes, regardless of which machine they were recorded on.  In theory I'd like to archive them to DVD but I'd be an old man by the time the job was done!

[flipp]

A highly underutilized section of TS has many manuals in .pdf format. You can get there by going to:
Taperssection.com  |  TS Knowledge Base  |  The Archive  |  User Manuals  which has the following scan:

http://www.taperssection.com/reference/pdf/Manual_PanasonicSV3700.pdf

[memphiskat]

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!
I couldn't find that manual anywhere and was going to purchase
one off ebay.  And it was right here all the time! 
This place truly is a great resource!