Question about Evil Dead reel-to-reel tape player's "record" function

[bigbisont]

So I picked up this bad boy on the right there recently. I figured it would go great with my recently completed saw (still playing with display combos).


I even picked up screen accurate 7" reels (not pictured), one of which I believe to actually be blank. Naturally, the next step is to record Prof. Knowby's voice on to one, so that I might have the full effect on-demand in my home. But I am having some issues.

I can 'line in' with either a receiver or a microphone easy enough, but the actual "RECORD" button appears to do nothing. It engages and stays down, but nothing turns. If I try to set the dial to any other function to set the reels in motion, the "record" button pops out. Is there supposed to be some combination of buttons that I am missing or is my record function broken?

If it's broken, I may be able to fix it (I have the 'repair manual' that is floating around out there), but I have no user's guide to know for sure if the record button alone is supposed to set the reels into motion. Is anyone familiar with recording on this (or possibly other Panasonic) models?

Thanks for any help.

 

[bigbisont]

Never mind. Looks like I am boned.

This video shows operation. It actually is a nice video if someone owns one of these. The fact his is missing the cover on the heads during operation and then he even takes the face plate off really shows you a lot about how these things work internally.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eaUc27K420

He does not include the act of pushing the record button (edited out for some reason) but you do see wheels spinning in corner of screen and you do see flaps (not sure correct name for them) at heads engage when the record button is depressed (they were laying down before button pushed, then up against the heads same as when in play. Mine does neither. My record function is broken. Dammit. Guess I'll crack it open and see what is what.

 

[Wolfdagon]

I don't know about the one that you have, but when I was growing up I had a cassette recorder that I had to push record and play at the same time.

 

[bigbisont]

I don't know about the one that you have, but when I was growing up I had a cassette recorder that I had to push record and play at the same time.

Well, if I hit record, then set it to play, the record button pops out. That had me thinking the two could not function together. But...now that you mention it, I never tried setting it to play first, then hitting record. And in fact, its a very brief frame, but it does look like he has it in play when the record button is depressed in the above video. Hmm, guess I havent played around with it enough.

 

[robn1]

Try pressing record and play simultaneously, most recorders I remember worked like that.

 

[Malphas]

Ah yes, tape players are a mystic and mysterious technology.

Just poking fun, no idea on your age but tech back then was confusing for newer kids.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk_vV-JRZ6E

 

[Wolfdagon]

Try pressing record and play simultaneously, most recorders I remember worked like that.

That's the way the one that I mentioned worked.

 

[bigbisont]

Yup, Im a *******. Cant just hit one then the other. Cant even do it in the wrong order. But the gist of it is indeed "HOLD" the record button down while you set it to play. If you just push it and let go, it pops out when you move it to play. But if you hold it down during the switchover, it does stay down and records.

Now just the tediousness of running the 2 key reading scenes over and over about 25 times each to fill up the tape! (then repeating again about 5 more times to fill up 5 tapes!)