8mm Forum: No Sound - Bell & Howell Filmosonic DCT Projector

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Posted by Dominique Belanger (Member # 6437) on April 28, 2018, 04:40 PM:

Hi Everyone!
(my first post)

My son has shown interest in film/movie making. I've pulled what I have from my father. It's a Bell & Howell Filmosonic DCT. We acquired it in the early 80s when we lived in Switzerland. The projector works, but there is no sound. I've cleaned the sound magnets/heads. I took off the cover (the one I could) and could see anything amiss. However, I don't know a whole lot about electronics.

Has anyone come across this issue? Is there anything else that I can look at?

I'm a bit at a loss and could use any help and/or suggestions.
Thank you!

Posted by Mike Spice (Member # 5957) on April 28, 2018, 05:04 PM:

is there anything, a hum? or a buzz?

Volume up really loud, no film. Anything in the speaker?

Internal speaker or external speaker? Try both?

Try the headphone socket, if there is one.

is there a line input you could plug in an ipod and play music through it so see if the amplifier is alive in record mode? (no film in)

Is there a line out, you could try an external amplifer.

That would narrow things down.

[ April 29, 2018, 02:19 AM: Message edited by: Mike Spice ]

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on April 28, 2018, 05:47 PM:

Dominique - You say you have taken off the cover? Do you mean the back one? If that is so and you have removed it a short distance from the projector, it will mean that the speaker was not connected. Look at the loudspeaker. There should be a couple of metal prongs sticking out somewhere. Now look in the projector in the same area. You should see a couple of spare loose wires (could be black) with a connector on them not connected to anything. These connectors slide onto the prongs of the loudspeaker. Fingers crossed, you will have sound. Good luck!

Posted by Dominique Belanger (Member # 6437) on April 28, 2018, 06:48 PM:

@Mike Spice -
"is there anything, a hum? or a buzz? Volume up really loud, no film. Anything in the speaker?"
- No, nothing at all.

"Internal speaker or external speaker? Try both?"
- internal. I didn't have the right plug size to try all three jacks. There are two jacks labeled "Mon1 and Mon2" that I plugged a head set in separately. No sound. The third had a bigger jack (and I only had smaller plugs) and I think it was a combined output (track 1 and 2).

"Try the headphone socket, if there is one."
- There is one headset jack that I didn't have the correct plug for. I will track one down for that.

"is there a line input you could plug in an ipod and play music through it so see if the amplifier is alive in record mode? (no film in)."
- I think there is. Because you can add music to one of the tracks. I didn't think of trying an ipod. I'll see if I can hook it up. (I need to make sure i have the right jack size.)

"Is there a line out, you could try an external amplifer."
- I don't know. I didn't think so, but I'll check the manual. There are some older jacks that i don't have plugs for.

"3.5mm jack lead, set the projector in record (with no film in) and try to monitor the input..."
- this I don't understand. How would you monitor the input?

********************************************

@Melvin England
It was the lower cover where all the knobs were. I couldn't get the back cover off - it was sticking and I didn't want to force it, for fear of breaking it. There's probably a trick to it. Is there another way to get in there?

quote:
Dominique - You say you have taken off the cover? Do you mean the back one? If that is so and you have removed it a short distance from the projector, it will mean that the speaker was not connected. Look at the loudspeaker. There should be a couple of metal prongs sticking out somewhere. Now look in the projector in the same area. You should see a couple of spare loose wires (could be black) with a connector on them not connected to anything. These connectors slide onto the prongs of the loudspeaker. Fingers crossed, you will have sound. Good luck!

Posted by Lance Alspaugh (Member # 27) on April 29, 2018, 03:30 AM:

Hello All,

We also have this projector and occasionally the bottom pressure plate sticks and does not make contact with the head. We are usually able to remedy the problem with a small shot of oil in the strategic area and by gently pushing the plate up during Sound Playback.

Hope this helps.

LA

Posted by Dominique Belanger (Member # 6437) on May 07, 2018, 07:16 AM:

Thank you, @Lance Alspaugh. I was at a loss and found someone local who is looking at it right now. I don't know if he'll be successful - I hope he will. If he's not, I have someone else, through a colleague at work (who works in the media/communications office on video) who could look at it. Wish me luck!

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