Small Format Film Forum

Hello, when re-recording my GS1200 will not erase the old sound track, only record the new recording over the top.
For the time being I have been running film through a Goko sound editor to erase the sound before the re-recording can be done on the GS1200.
Any ideas as to why it no longer will erase would be most appreciated.

Hi!.
Perhaps an idle question but... Have you checked the "Double/Normal Rec" switches are set to "normal" and/or the "Sound-On-Sound" knob is turned all the way clockwise?

Other than that, the erase head might need some deep cleaning or, more likely, there is some electronic failure on the sound record board.

Thanks for the reply, I have just tried all maner of recording switch settings to no avail.
Recorded the 20th century Fox fanfare on a length of blank leader, and as always a good recording.
Ran it back through to erase, but even after nearly one dozen passes it is still slightly audiable.

Hi Mark
J'am agree with Maurizio, in additional (if all action failure) try to clean, using a dry contact cleaner for electronic circuit (plastic compatible) the following connectors (orange color) :
106, 102 and 103 .Disconect it and clean the metallic contact.
The 106 connector is easily reaching; it lies under the second toothed wheel by opening the main front cover , instead the 102 and 103 are in the audio board and to reach it need (about) 10 minutes to disassemble all.

Mark,

Have you tried de-magnetising the head, I've had one for donkey years, they were readily available in the late 70's and early 80's, it's like a wand, and you slowly move it towards the head, then slowly move it away, I'm not sure what you are technically doing, but it works, especially on machines that get a lot of use. I bet if you googled for a magnetic head de-magnetiser they are still being made somewhere. It may not help, as I've only ever used my projectors for playback and not record, but it could be helpful, and I doubt one would be too dear, so it may be worth a go.

Many thanks to all for the advise.
I have taken apart and cleaned the orange connector 106 and removed the audio board cover to get better access to squirt contact cleaner in to the back of the Double Record / Normal Record switches 102 / 103.
It's 90% better with only the faintest trace of the old recording after recording on a blank leader and then erasing the sound.
I'll also look to getting a head de-magnetiser to try as it seems like a worthwhile investment.

hello Mark, you have to do the same light job Salvo made. You have to change the 172 capacitor.

Hello Ugo, this machine came from Kevin Falkner and I know he had changed the capacitor, allthough this was some years back.

Just re-recorded from the DVD in to stereo on to the last two reels of the feature "Cocoon" and I am very pleased with the result, the sound recordings are as good as when I first used this machine.

The problem has been with the erase which meant that I had an echo of the old recording. Now, allthough there is a very faint trace of the old recording when test recording on a blank leader and erasing, in practice it hasn't caused a problem this time. I'll obviously monitor the problem and if it gets worse maybe look in to changing the capacitor again.

Hello Mark,
I don't think now you have to change the capacitor. Now I know this is a "Mr.ElmoUk machine": he always changes the capacitor C172.
Probably the defect is for a different azimuth between the heads used to record the old track, and the erase heads now.