12-02-2017, 08:57 PM
My newly acquired HP 85B will need repair of its tape drive.
Unfortunately I have no experience in that, nor do I have the tools and skills to create my own capstan replacement.
Now I found a source on TAS - a guy from Hongkong offers a replacement capstan, rubber-coated, for $ 50.-. The assembly seems to be very easy. I asked whether the new capstan is compatible with QIC tapes, but didn't get an answer. Installing a new capstan that is not QIC compatible wouldn't make much sense, since the old tapes aren't reliable any more at all, right?
So can I assume that the offered item is what I need, because otherwise it would be an almost useless part?
( By the way, I know that another small modifcation (additional resistor) would be necessary to complete the QIC tape modification. But that seems to be done relatively easy).
Maybe anyone knows a better (cheaper?) source for this replacement part?
I'd also be happy to find a repair partner in Europe ( because of shipping costs).
By the way: Once the modification is done, which exact type of tape (DC200 ? manufacturer? ) would you recommend for use (easy to get, reliable )?
Unfortunately I have no experience in that, nor do I have the tools and skills to create my own capstan replacement.
Now I found a source on TAS - a guy from Hongkong offers a replacement capstan, rubber-coated, for $ 50.-. The assembly seems to be very easy. I asked whether the new capstan is compatible with QIC tapes, but didn't get an answer. Installing a new capstan that is not QIC compatible wouldn't make much sense, since the old tapes aren't reliable any more at all, right?
So can I assume that the offered item is what I need, because otherwise it would be an almost useless part?
( By the way, I know that another small modifcation (additional resistor) would be necessary to complete the QIC tape modification. But that seems to be done relatively easy).
Maybe anyone knows a better (cheaper?) source for this replacement part?
I'd also be happy to find a repair partner in Europe ( because of shipping costs).
By the way: Once the modification is done, which exact type of tape (DC200 ? manufacturer? ) would you recommend for use (easy to get, reliable )?