American audio MCD 510 will not read Cds

[Hubert Aubin]

Hello all..my American audio MCD 510 will not read Cds
Will not read Cds therefore not play...on both CD player..the CDs turn ...also when remote is connected the eject buttons on base will not work but it does when the remote is not connected. Could it be a faulty remote cable?

[Peter W.]

On Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 7:08:08 AM UTC-4, huberta...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello all..my American audio MCD 510 will not read Cds
> Will not read Cds therefore not play...on both CD player..the CDs turn ...also when remote is connected the eject buttons on base will not work but it does when the remote is not connected. Could it be a faulty remote cable?

Are both decks not working?
Did this happen all at once?

[Charles Lucas]

On Saturday, July 23, 2022 at 6:08:08 AM UTC-5, huberta...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello all..my American audio MCD 510 will not read Cds
> Will not read Cds therefore not play...on both CD player..the CDs turn ...also when remote is connected the eject buttons on base will not work but it does when the remote is not connected. Could it be a faulty remote cable?

Clarification question- Is the remote a "wired" remote? Does it read any TOC (number of tracks or time) before attempting to play? Have you checked to see
if the laser (or the CD's themselves) are clean? Do the CD's have smudges, scratches, dirt, fingerprints? What is the overall condition of the CD's? Has the
player ever been cleaned and maintained? Any of these things can cause the system not to play, as it has to due with the laser pickup establishing correct
focus. Not ruling out the possibility of the remote have a problem with a connection or something- if it is indeed a "wired" remote. Based upon the info.
so far, you may have two different problems that need to be addressed with the system.

[Hubert Aubin]

Long story LOL...bough the unit on Facebook far from my place but close to my son, so my son pick it up for me and i got it about 3 weeks after. The previous owner told me at the time all worked....so after so long he said something must happened during transportation.....is that the case, i don't know.
Yes the remote is wired.
Does not show TOC....just stays at READ.
I cleaned the laser with alcohol .
Tried with different CDs, store bought and home burned.
BOTH deck are not working.
As mentioned before, when remote is connected the eject buttons on base will not work but it does not work when the remote is not connected,
which may be a sign of either bad connecting cable (but i tried with another cable and have the same problem), or remote problem?
Thanks for your help

[Hubert Aubin]

CORRECTION: As mentioned before, when remote is connected to the base, the eject buttons on base WILL NOT WORK but it WORKS when the remote is not connected,

[Charles Lucas]

I am guessing here, but your device seems to be stuck in "flip-flop" mode, and requires a Q mixer.
You somehow need to get it out of flip-flop mode, as stated in the manual, or disengage the flip-flop.
Also, the remote is engaging and reacting to the opposite of normal condition by being in flip-flop
mode. Page 18 of the manual goes into more detail on the device indicated here.

I found a link that has the user manual and instructions here:

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/390980/American-Audio-Mcd-510.html?page=18#manual

Note, you need a mixer to help the device get out of that mode. (Or you have to clear
the commands somehow to go back to normal operation). This is a problem with the
mode it is in.

Hope this helps. while you are at, clean the lasers on both drives, check drive belts, and
run through the general maintenance procedures as well. This info. should be in the manual too.

Hope this is helpful.

Sincerely,

Charles Lucas

[Hubert Aubin]

I don't have a mixer but tried by connecting direct to speakers but nothing happened.
Also noticed that when a CD is loaded, the CD seems to speed up and slow down.
Thanks,
Hubert

[Charles Lucas]

For the purpose of clarification:

These can take speakers as well, but it has to be done differently. The mixer allows you
to obtain all of the functions or modes. These devices usually require a mixer for that
type of flip flop mode. If you cannot
reset the device without the aid of a mixer (nor are able to obtain a mixer), you
may have to clear the main microprocessor controller by depressing the relay
button, or you may have to replace the relay. In extreme cases, replace the
main micro. By pressing the relay button, it may mean to hold the button down
until relay shuts off. There are few occasions when the momentary push is ok.
I am just saying that to get out of that mode you may have to hold the relay
button for a few seconds. People get confused on button presses as these
things are generalized in user manuals.

Click on this link below and then read and follow the instructions. It says
deactivate "flip-flop" by pushing the relay button. Make sure you are in single
mode and not continuous mode when connected to speakers.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/390980/American-Audio-Mcd-510.html?page=18

Good luck and hope this helps.

Sincerely,


Charles Lucas.

[Hubert Aubin]

Tried again as per your instructions and still same.
When i press RELAY it shut off immediately......also tried holding the RELAY button for up to 20 seconds.

Other symptoms: if i press +10 tracks it will go up to 991 (even when there is only 15 track on the CD)
even when the play button is flashing, if i press eject it will display OPEN but will not open,
to retrieve the CD, i have to shut off the power. When i restart the eject button will work.
When i insert a CD the screen shows: 01 rEAd 0.0
When i first turn the power on, all the light go on for a second then go off (this may be normal?)

[Charles Lucas]

I sent out a copy of the service manual for this manual to your email. The .pdf file (the 43-44 page manual)
is attached to your email. This device has a myriad of logic circuits. I suggest check the circuits that drive
the loop and/or the relay system. I would also make sure that in all formats, the CD's (whatever flavor they
are) actually have correct focus from the laser and that they all in their different formats reading properly.
You might have a laser that had gone partially bad, therefore is rendering it all bad for every other format
as well, for the one format that is truly bad.

You can check laser power, verify the servo motors are ok, and even make sure the loader and unloader
are timed for each deck correctly. However, you have to have correct focus on every format. These devices
are multi-format read during normal operation and can even read 3" cd's (cd singles) and 5" (4.76 cm) cd's
as well. All the formats very for physical reasons or and/or for format reasons (gets into concepts of what
compression type is this?). In trying to chase this down and diagnose the problem, check lasers on both
decks and all formats of cd's, mp3's, etc... according to what the service manual calls for. verify the laser
focus is correct on each format and check laser power. Before you do any work on the logic circuits, you
need to rule out anything mechanical, make sure the relay switch is not dirty or anything. You should get
some sort of a result. While you're at it, make sure the drive belts are working and in good condition too.

Check your relay on and off positions, check single versus continuous, check all of those modes that are
the straight-out play modes. Disengage shuffle, random, or repeat modes. You should have a straight
linear playback of track one, track two, etc... to track 16...or track 22 (some oldies cd's have that many).
You should get some sort of result.

If after checking these things, you need to look into the logic circuits. You'll need a logic probe to test
for an on or off condition.

[Peter W.]

If the remote is wired:
a) are you able to verify continuity in each conductor?
b) is there any evidence - at all - of any visible damage to the connectors at either end?
c) are you able to get 'under the hood' and look at any internal connections on the umbilicus? You might try tapping on each connection with a small wooden dowel and see if anything gets better.

Generally, transportation/shipping-related faults are at stress points, internal or external. So, check those.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Hubert Aubin]

Peter,
Yes the remote is wired....did check for continuity on each conductors....no evidence of damage...will recheck all later, have a busy week .
Thanks,
Hubert

[Hubert Aubin]

Thanks again Charles...will check later ...have a very busy week. Will keep you posted,
Hubert

[Anass Luca]

Charles Lucas <charles...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I sent out a copy of the service manual for this manual to your email.

Something else you **should** do, and esp. if you insist on continuing
to use that absolutely awful google groups interface, is learn how to
trim unnecessary quoted material from your replies.

You had 85 lines of quote in the post to which I replied, most not
relevant to your actual added content, for only 24 lines of material
added by you.

Do note that google's awful interface initially hides from you the
amount of repetitive quoted material you are including, which is but
one of numerous reasons why the google interface is absolutely awful.
This is one of the reasons why very many people have killfiles for
"anything from google groups" (i.e., they would never see your posts)
is the fact that google groupers are likely to do things like leave 85
lines of irrelivant quoted material present, then add a small amount
(you at least added 24 lines). Far too many google groupers will leave
185 or more lines of not relevant quote to add two lines of text.

[Charles Lucas]

On Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 8:31:11 AM UTC-5, Anass Luca wrote:
> Charles Lucas <charles...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I sent out a copy of the service manual for this manual to your email.
> Something else you **should** do, and esp. if you insist on continuing
> to use that absolutely awful google groups interface, is learn how to
> trim unnecessary quoted material from your replies.
>
> You had 85 lines of quote in the post to which I replied, most not
> relevant to your actual added content, for only 24 lines of material
> added by you.

Thank you for pointing that out. My apologies for the
limited time I had and for not trimming the posts.
I will keep that in mind from now on. I noticed that too.
Part of all of that was learning on my part and part of it
was not taking the proper time to do so. I will do my best
to remember for the future.

Have a great day and thanks again.

Sincerely,

Charles Lucas

[ohg...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 9:25:05 PM UTC-4, charles...@gmail.com wrote:

> Thank you for pointing that out. My apologies for the
> limited time I had and for not trimming the posts.

Don't sweat it. Back when usenet was actually breathing regularly, a "proper" newsreader might have been worth the money. It's unfortunate, but usenet and even dedicated web forums have suffered badly because of the dreaded Facebook, which I admit I have gravitated to. Don't sweat using the free Google interface - that's what I use.