Problems with Goko RM-5000 sound editor

[Gary Sayers]

I have two problems with this editor and they may be related.

I used it a few weeks ago for the first time in years. I was testing whether it would be useful to adapt into a telecine device and I was using a package movie that had magnetic sound. I realised that I was not getting any sound through the editor and knowing the package movie's sound was fine on my projector, I figured that the editor's sound head had bit the dust (I also checked with headphones, just in case the speaker was kaput).

I was surprised to find the sound head appeared to be dead, as the machine had not had a massive amount of use.

Anyway, I wasn't worried, as my editing film days are long gone now but a couple of days ago, I had another mess around to see if it would still record and found that the red 'rec' tab will not move down at all. The white 'lock' tab doesn't move either. I don't recall if I ever recorded anything on this machine in over 40 years since I bought it brand new, so I don't know if it's always had a stuck 'rec' tab.

Has anyone had experience of this and are the two problems related?

Thanks.

[Winbert Hutahaean]

I cannot answer your question but your original intention to use it as a telecine device will not work since the screen will be too blurry. This is as a result of multi-facet prism mechanism used by this machine to create smooth interlaps during frame by frame checking. Plus of course it is also the low wattage bulb as the culprit.

Btw do you know that as a company Goko is still alive? In fact they still offer FREE SERVICE for their top of the line editors. Check here:

https://www.gokocamera.com/english/historical/

😁

[Lee Mannering]

MHi Gary. Goko did a basic home cine transfer machine the TC-20 and 30. It was all built around the non flicker system and the later model of sound editors where you pointed your camera at the back of the unit. It was OK for home use but not over brilliant and you do see these become available from time to time.

My personal favorite for editing was the 5000 but as with all things Goko they suffered from poor quality switches. Its worth carefully removing the back to access them and squirting with some switch cleaner, also cleaning the internal mirrors with some lens wipes.

[Gary Sayers]

Winbert - Yeah, I did some telecine tests with the editor and the results were pretty much useless.

I've actually done some transfers using the most basic of methods, projecting onto a sheet of white paper and filming with a camcorder.

Main difference from when I last tried this method (and was really disappointed with the results) was that I changed the projector (Bolex SM80 Programmatic) from 50Hz to 60 cycles and was then able to adjust the speed to 16.66 fps. Setting my HD camcorder to 1/50 shutter speed gave me 100% flicker free results. Apart from the keystone problem, I am astounded at the results.

The original well exposed footage copies as good as a pro transfer to me. I think I will do a youtube vide about it when I have completed all my film transfers.

Lee - I've occasionally seen the TC-20 or 30 come up on ebay for astronomical prices. As I've said above, I got amazing results using the simplest of all methods with the key being 16.66 fps and 1/50 shutter speed.

Thanks for the tip about the switch cleaner - will give it a try.

[Daniel Bottom]

The stuck record head could be due to a sliver of metal having come off a fixing point in the internals of the editor. It acts like a spring. I fixed mine with an elastic band wrapped around the required sections to do this. Essentially you will have to remove the entire front of the machine to do this. My record button now works perfectly.

[Gary Sayers]

Thanks Daniel. Not sure I am confident about removing the front of the editor (and all it's knobs). I will have a look when I have finished by film transfer project (editor getting a lot of use at the moment).

[Daniel Bottom]

Well the knobs just pull off, and if I remember correctly they have a polarized connection - so realigning them isn't too difficult. It's interesting if you do take the front off you can see how the shell could be adapted to another editor in the RM range. Just a case really of remembering where the screws go. Let me know if you want any help. There is a sliding metal piece that the sliver of metal was meant to keep in a certain position when the record head red button was pressed. If it can't move correctly, then you get the situation I had where neither button shifted downwards.