Seeking advice on sound not coming out of an ELMO Hi Vision SC-30-otherwise working.

[Charlie Arden]

Hi, I'm hoping some of you experts out there may be able to assist me with why the sound isn't working on my ELMO HI VISION SC-30 Super 8 Sound Projector.

The projector loads and plays Super 8 film perfectly but there's no sound coming out from a film which has sound on it.

Any advice much appreciated.

[Steve Klare]

Has the machine been inactive for a while?

It could be a classic Elmo-Switch case!

http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bi...c;f=1;t=009425

Working the red recording key is most often the major payoff, by the way...

(You gotta LOVE the classics!)

[Charlie Arden]

Thanks so much for replying to me.

It has been inactive for quite a while but we replaced the inner rubber rings and it's working like a dream - apart from the sound.

Just to clarify, I don't mean recording sound, I mean sound playing from the projector.

Can I ask what you mean about 'working the red recording key'?

[Brian Fretwell]

'working the red recording key' usually means pressing and releasing the switch several times to free or clean the contacts on it.

[Steve Klare]

I think the recording key switch has a set of contacts that cut the speaker off during recording. If the contacts become oxidized the sound is cut off even with the key in normal play position.

I got an email from one of our members last week that he pressed and released his recording key easily 20 times before he got sound back.

-this may be a world record!

I got a machine a few years ago that had been in storage since the 1970s. I didn't even bother plugging it in before I worked all the switches and jacks a bunch of times. It was pretty obvious where this was headed!

[Charlie Arden]

Hi Steve, thanks for the reply.

Sorry, but just to clarify- this has nothing to do with recording sound.

I'm meaning purely playing pre-recorded Super 8 Tape through the projector, isn't playing?

Any advice on this?

[Steve Klare]

-but that's actually what this is about: playback.

About 17 years ago, I picked up a used Elmo sound projector at a camera shop (remember those?). I brought it home and ran a sound film, only there was no sound.

That particular time I was trying to figure out what was wrong with it and I plugged in a set of headphones, just to see if the sound was at least getting through the pre-amp. I got sound. Then when I unplugged the phones, I had it in the speaker too. It was the cutoff contacts on the phone jack that time.

Other times when it happened it was fixed by working the recording key. This is the major suspect in these cases.

The classic thing was I would operate on the internal speaker for months and one day notice the volume was too low, but I'd cranked the knob full blast!

-couple of quick taps on that red key and we were all systems normal.

This has been useful: a seller on E-bay had a soundless Elmo ST-800 for sale. He'd replaced the belts. I emailed him and told him I'd help him fix his sound if he told me where he got the belts. My part of the bargain was "work the switches and record key". He got his sound back and I found out where to get belts!

What's going on here is we have all of these switches that may go years between use and never get the contacts scraped. The contacts do what metals often do: build up an oxide. When that happens your switch is "off" even when it's supposed to be "on".

Back in the days when people did projector repair, I have to believe the first thing they did was try switches and jacks. Only when the'd tried this and there was still no sound did the screw drivers and Allen keys come out.

It's a step to try that costs absolutely nothing and just maybe will fix the problem.

[Alan Rik]

it fixed my problem! After 20 times! Thanks Steve!

[Steve Klare]

You're welcome, Alan!

This one has worked so many times it's become kind of an old favorite.

-a little like a familiar song.

The verse is: "My Elmo has no sound", and the refrain is "Work the switches and jacks"!

Those times it hasn't worked for me, I sit back and say "Uh, Ohhhhhh...".

[Alan Rik]

After about 5 times I initially gave up. But then after Steve's suggestion I tried it again. I sat there blankly staring into space like I was sending morse code...1,2,3,4,5...rest..6,7, 8,9,10...rest..kept going like I belonged in a mental institution then when I got to number 19 I heard a crackle and by 20.. the sound was back. Crazy solution but it worked! Better than replacing the Amplifier IC...much better!

[Steve Klare]

I'll give you a lot of credit!

-I think I would have given up by then!

-and I have kind of a reputation for being stubborn! (Seriously: just ask my wife!)

[Dominique De Bast]

Charlie, you have to press the recording button without film in the projector, otherwise you will erase the sound that is on the soundtrack. I used several time that trick (learned here) and it worked. You have nothing to loose if you try...

[Steve Klare]

Really the best way to do it is with the power unplugged: it’s purely a mechanical thing.

[Janice Glesser]

Steve Klare This was the advice you gave me some eight or nine years ago and it worked a champ on my Elmo ST800. The sound is still working great!

[Charlie Arden]

Hi Steve, sorry it's been a while since I replied! I hope you're keeping safe & well under the current situation.

I wanted to say thank you so much for all your help above. Unfortunately, we're still having issues and I'm not sure why.

I've only just found some old Super 8 to try again and we did the process you listed above but it's not worked - do you have any ideas of troubleshooting for the same issue?

Kind regards, Charlotte