UPDATE: So I’m running a 3-part LIVE workshop that takes us on… A Time Travel Through Vintage Electronics. We’ll rewind the clock, dive into the tech of the times… (and study the very history of how things were broken and repaired has evolved) The workshop is coming soon, but if you're reading this then you're in luck (or not)... And there's still time for you to sign up using the link below: www.menditmark.com/mend-mark-workshop The workshop dates are mentioned in the link above too.
This guy does not have enough subscribers, for this kind of high-level repair of all kinds of audio equipment. When a part is broken and can't be bought anymore, No problem; he makes it himself. Even all his explaining during the repair is very detailed and spot-on, and he knows what he is talking about. You won't find many of these kinds of technicians. I take my hat off to you, sir. Keep up the good work.
Not only is he a mechanical genius, he’s also honest. He admits to mistakes that most creators would edit out to improve their public perception. I would rather meet Mark than most of today’s so-called celebrities. He’s a tip-top chap!
Indeed, Mark is a legend and how many repair technicians can just make a part like this. A true expert and fantastic to prove how we used to repair items all the time but now uts a throw away culture. Mark keep up the fantastic work keeping old kit running
Never ceases to amaze me with his depth of knowledge & ability to seemingly turn his hand to anything. There are other technicians making content fixing electronic items but none that I’ve seen that can do all the mechanical stuff that mark does.
I am just in awe of the number of camera angles, close-ups and work that goes into filming this.. not to mention the skills and narration of repairs. The quality of this channel is under-appreciated, it's always so enjoyable and absorbing to watch your videos Mark. Hope you hit 100K subs soon!
I'm an 80 year old in Australia and I've spent most of my life fault finding and fixing things. I'd just like to say that Mark's electrical and engineering skill levels, always amaze me.
Does anyone else get that unsettling panicked feeling in their stomach when Mark starts dismantling, knowing damn well you would never be able to put that thing together again?
100% Every time! Had to replace the CMOS battery in my laptop once. Had no idea what I was doing. To make matters worse, the battery was in the most inaccessible place. Had to remove everything to get to it. Took photos every step of the way to make sure I reassembled everything properly. Did it! BUT I had at least six screws left over and now the touchpad doesn't work. Reassured myself that they always put extra screws in these things that you don't really need. And as for the touchpad, I use a mouse anyway, so as far as I'm concerned it's fixed! 😁😁
a lot of technicians would not give up, it is all about economics, nothing else - no way is that a viable repair, those decks can be obtained in immaculate working condition for less than £50 so who on earth would pay to have that deck repaired unless he charges a 1950s hourly rate, but his mechanical skills are without question
Yea the guy has an amazing amount of skills, but can't imagine anyone wanting a £400 repair bill for a at best £50 old tape deck. I'm thinking these videos are more about how to repair than someone actually taking these items for repair. I watched one with an old late 80s all in one Sony stereo that was busted and new labels were also printed for where the old ones were worn out, busted record deck and cassette deck, the repair bill would be ridiculous for something that's pretty much given away today
Mark I'm 63 and have spent a lifetime in broadcast studio repair, but I'm always blown away with your ability and methods to fault find, love your channel ❤ and keep up the fantastic uploads and superb editing that must take you hours 👏 I echo all the positive comments here, and just to say you encourage me to keep repairing vintage technology as a hobby in my retirement, God Bless from a follower in Dublin.
Hola Joseph tenemos profesiones similares, tengo 66, jubilado, técnico de mantenimiento de estaciones de radiodifusión profesional y técnico operador de estudios de radio y tv. He pasado 44 años de mi vida reparando aparatos. Abrazo desde Buenos Aires, Argentina.
@@torugonza Gracias por tu mensaje, tendríamos mucho en común, comencé a arreglar cosas a los 12 años, en aquel entonces todo se podía arreglar, ahora es casi imposible conseguir piezas, ¡quieren que compres nuevas! Les envío mucha buena suerte irlandesa y saludos desde Irlanda.
40 year old TV engineer here also, seeing MANY changes from the analog world, replacing heads on VTRs in my early days and such, but YIKES! I personally would have wrote that nightmare off like I do with most B&O gear, referencing the old "engineering flow chart" joke. Mark keeping composure and mastering this with great skill, logic AND with great video production.....YOU THE MAN!! With love from Minnesota!
I cannot believe the complexity of your fixes. The persons sending you their old high quality devices should know their only chance for a correct fix is you Mark. I have never seen such high quality work, what we used to get back in the 60's. From lifelong masters who are now gone. Your enjoyment is to be applauded. Thank you Mark.
This is an insane amount of dedication to a repair I don't know of another person who would do this detailed of a job and look ecstatic while doing it honestly you deserve so many more subscribers than you have
@@spookisghostly4619 it's a little over-engineered but honestly not as much as you'd think. For the features and the audio fidelity it gave (and actually delivered rather than it being "audiphile" snake oil) it really did benefit from about 95% of the choices in there.
@@spookisghostly4619 Bang & Olufsen were really a cut above the rest back then, I remember my parents had a B&O Hi-Fi back in the '70s. It was eye-wateringly expensive, but it looked truly futuristic, like something out of Star Trek, and delivered excellent sound, at least to my young ears. Then again, I was only a child, so I didn't know any better, it is only much later I've come to appreciate that quality. I don't know if their modern kit still maintains that level of quality.
Casually makes a pulley from nylon like it's something he does every day - Watching these videos always reminds me that I really shouldn't give up as easily when attempting to fix my own equipment. Didn't realise auto-reverse was around in the 70's. Such a gorgeous mechanism.
Beocord 5000 is made 100% by B&O, it is the only machine that they have made from scratch, the mechanism is with a double capstan and very nice of the time, it is NOT an easy machine to service but you do it fine I must say, I have made a number of them myself over time and know them quite well, but again nice work .. Many greetings from Denmark and an old B&O employee.
Likely not, @@DrLoverLover, but I reckon they meant designed, engineered and assembled from parts made in house or by specialised companies to their specifications.
This is no 31 of the simplified (two head) type 4715 version. Remember, all shafts need lubrication when this old. A lot of extra (double) work to no use when the electrolytic caps should have been changed.
Yet again, I bow to a MASTER!!! I'm inspired and awed every time. Making your own replacement pulley? WHO DOES THAT? Who has the skills, tools and materials to do so? WOW WOW WOW...
I would watch every over 1 hour video if he releases it. This is such an amazing job, this guy is one of the reasons I do not waste my time watching TV.
I love this guy. What a gentle and nice personality. Getting to purpose of fixing vintage Hi-Fi gear these qualities are especially appreciated. I mean the man ground his own plastic pulley for goodness sakes which is a bit of a Herculean task. He did it all just basically saying "it's all part of a journey"...without any cussing that typically goes with repairing anything that is both mechanical and electrical. Mark, you're a real jewel of a person and a cracker-jack electronics repair technician. This was a somewhat daunting repair job. B&O did build stuff in this era like a tank. I'd venture to guess mechanically, after witnessing this, even more solid (less plastic for instance) than Nakamichi decks. Yet it definitely has some idiosyncrasies making it harder to troubleshoot and repair. With Mark's already keen knowledge of B&O, along with his almost paranormal trouble-shooting detective work, this unique deck is, perhaps, as good or better than the day it was shipped. Excellent video that despite it's involved lengthy repair was a joy to watch.
The best electronics technician on UA-cam. 💯 I can't see enough of your repairs. I love your videos and this one is extra long. The evening is saved. 😁
B&O in design is 70 years ahead of it's time , it was extremely well made and very expensive taking into consideration of it's futuristic design well engineered and high quality parts.
Another sterling repair Mark, love your patience and the fact you are not afraid to show your cockups whilst delving deeper into the repair and service.
Hello Mark! I dropped by to witness your latest repair and as per usual, you have blown my socks off yet again. I have commented several times, over the years on your previous repair videos and at this point, I truly am afraid of sounding (reading) like a broken record, however, I must clear my mind of the praise that you so rightfully deserve from me. You are simply AMAZING to me fine sir. You clearly have a skillset that is far beyond what is needed to perform these consumer electronics repairs in my opinion. I just cannot tell you enough of how awesome I think you are at what you do and generously show us all on these videos Mark. Once again, Thank You for sharing yourself with all of us. You are admired by myself and I honestly would not be surprised if other viewers felt the same way that I do. Please keep on posting these videos and also, please keep on smiling smiley! I walk away enriched from your videos with a smile every time. Thanks Mark! Fred
What a fantastic example of over-engineering and industrial design. That tape transport is a thing of beauty - double capstan and massive flywheels for maximum speed stability and audio fidelity. Coincidentally, I read about this channel on the BBC website the other day and stumbled on this video when looking for a demo of a vintage Beocord. Thank you for helping to preserve and restore these marvels of 20th century technology.
I’ve watched quite a few of your videos in the last couple of weeks, and the fact that you leave mistakes is something I admire. I am an IT engineer, and the number of times I’d closed something up, then noticed I’d left something out are innumerable. Oh! BTW, I found your channel because some fool got one of your videos taken down.
So I’m watching you pick apart that little motor and I’m thinking that goes in the bin and you find a replacement. Nope, you actually go and do a rewind job AND you have a gadget to do it. Mind boggling thoroughness. I`ve done a few fixes in my time but this is sensei level - and also a tad inspirational.
That's 1:18:50 of my life I'll never get back. I enjoyed every second of it immensely! Your level of patience is something to behold. My heart sank when you had to pull the carriage out for the second time. Then my anxiety hit the roof when you forgot the belt. Thank you Mark for such riveting, educational and satisfying videos.
this is surprisingly currently being sold cheap for parts. I assume because most people do not have this level of expertise when it comes to fixing this model. Beautiful work Mark
@@stopthebus It's mainly the fact that those who do fix tape decks try to avoid needlessly complex PITA ones like this with parts made of unobtanium (those PIHER potentiometers used for the record level control with the spring around the housing have been out of production since the 90s, and there's no modern drop-in replacement as their physical dimensions are all kinds of weird... just as one example of many)
@@KnaeckebrotsaegeYes, I know. I am one of only a few techs in my country who will touch cassette decks now. It's not just those however. I did a B & O Beogram unit last year and it took me hours to get it working properly. The slide faders are all starting to fall apart (I have done these machines previously and they had the same issue) and you can't get those any more either. I had to remove each one from the board, dismantle it, repair it (essentially brain surgery) and reinstall it. That was just to get them working right, not to mention all the other issues the unit had.
Unbelievable knowledge and technical understanding. Not only is Mark an electrician, he’s a mechanic, engineer and a master of vintage audio equipment of days gone by in my opinion. Keep up the good work Mark, always entertaining and informative, nothing too much trouble and always gets the equipment going with perseverance
He could have been a great clockworker too .. remarkable skills shown in this repair. It's obvious he enjoys every challenge in these videos more than the possible revenue 🧐😎 Most of us would have run screaming away and thrown the thing in the dumbster🤯
Having fixed B&O systems before I am amazed by your patience in repairing this nasty piece of hardware without one single cursing. All my respect goes to you. ❤
When the engineering staff at Bang & Olufsen saw this they cheered Mark, then rose in a thunderous standing ovation, sent (overnight!) flowers/chocolates/meat pies, and then made Mark a fatty job contract offer to move his shop and oscilloscope farm east by north!
If I had a complaint and it’s the only one I wish that all Marks videos were this length :) this was an absolutely fantastic repair. Thank you for letting us look over your shoulder while you work :)
I'm always looking forward to seeing another episode of "Mend It Mark" because of his positive attitude towards things, his skills and his determination to get things fixed, no matter what might get in the way. And also because of the joy to see old/er electronics and how well they were made, with being serviced in mind. Thank You Mark! ^_^
i can't even begin to guess what this type of restoration must cost in labour alone. the attention to detail and expertise involved.. so very impressive.
My late father was a super electronics technician and he was the only authorized repairman for the B&O company and I salut you for your excellent expertise. I still have the B&O bottle opener connected to my keychain as a reminder of that ‘70’s era. 💎
Dont know what you mean by authorized repairman, and they must have had lots of electronic guys/engineers. Are you talking about the B-O headquarter itself or something else, another workshop not in Denmark or so?
I've been hearing people say that no one wants to service cassette decks any more in the country where I am, but I am still taking them on. However, I have never done a B & O cassette deck like this and I appreciate the insight into what is involved in working on one of these. I have done quite a few B & O Beogram units before and they are a time-sap. Easily 4 or 5 hours to go through and get one back on track by the time I replace all the leaking capacitors, repair the mechanical issues and replace the dead lamps, and it looks like their cassette decks require a similar time investment. People watching this need to realize just how much work is involved in getting these units running properly again - it is no simple 5 minute repair.
They were quite well made and sturdy for the time as long as they worked, but everyone that have repaired B&O gear will know it usually was a knightmare to disasemble, access and repair if something went wrong, especially with their somewhat awkward solutions to make the units look smart on the outside. Just hope you'll never need to repair it 🙃
the B&O way. Design the casing as smart as possible send it to the engineers "Make something that fits in the case !!" don't think of if it's able to be fixed if it breaks. We just sell the custommer a new machine.
What's really impressive here isnt just the electrical nous, its the understanding of complex mechanical engineering that impacts on the electricals. Respect!
Your repair videos are one of the best on YT, always a pleasure to watch a real craftsman at work. I'm absolutely not a B&O fanboy but this drive is build like a tank and last forever with a little love sometimes 😂
I probably would have lost it, putting all that stuff back together then realizing I missed a belt, but Mark just smiles and does what needs to be done. Patience of a saint!
There is always a ton of work with these B&O tape recorders. I have been working on a few of them. They are rather complicated and labour heavy to repair. Great work Mark.
Beautiful repair Mark. These old B&O things mean a lot to me because my father worked there in the late 70s here in Denmark. He had some of them in my childhood home and I have some of this at home with me now.
Jeeeesus man! Admitting when he makes an error, lots of explanations then makes the fekkin part from scratch. My dad would love Marks channel if he was still here. A true engineer. Cheers Mark. Lee
When we reach the part in your videos Mark where you say _"I'll have to make one!"_ I know we're in for some fun - and by your look to the camera, you love it too mate ! Nice one as usual :)
A B&O component was the only piece of stereo equipment I've ever been afraid I wouldn't be able to reassemble. I did eventually get it all put back together and working, but it was a harrowing experience.
Brilliant! But boy is it over-engineered in some places, and under-engineered in others! I must admit, I would like to have done an LED replacement, as those indicator lights are awful. Also the level meters did not look setup, with one channel more than 5dB over the other. But man, you are patient! Love your work, and the extra mile you always go!
That was insane mate. "I broke this part? No problem, I'll make a new one!" Fantastic work!!!! Next level skills displayed throughout the whole video. I loved it.
Manufacturing that nylon pulley was next level. If it wasn't a Bang and Olufsen it wouldn't have been worth repairing. I was glued to my monitor watching this one. Your perseverance is amazing.
Cuando un cliente cree que el aparato tiene un alambre suelto y por eso la reparación es grátis, hay que hacerle ver este video. Muchas gracias por compartirlo, generando conciencia del sacrificio que es ser Sérvice.
I have been following all his posts with great attention and pleasure for a long time, I don't understand where this super man has so much patience, so much perfection and so much knowledge!!!! I have never seen anything like this!!!! It's something extraordinary to see!!! And the best thing is that he knows everything!!!!
B & O did a lot of work refining Dolby HX and eventually sold the patent back to Dolby Labs where it was branded Dolby HX Pro. Very clever single ended way to squeeze more signal onto a tape.
@@maxfactor4209Other makers have done similar things to avoid paying Dolby license fees. Technics had an in house anti-saturation network that worked when Dolby C was engaged. I had a 196 Pioneer With HX Pro and Pioneer's own BLE XD. BLE is auto tape tuning. XD is the anti-saturation. To be honest I could not tell the difference between HX Pro and XD.
B & O invented HX (just a thing that adjust the bias based on the amount of high frequency in the recorded signal) and then they sold the patent to Dolby, and Dolby made one or more integrated circuits that did all the magic in a simple way.
I am a total layman in electronics. But I was both highly entertained and in awe watching this video. I watched the whole video and it was a great joy.
In the early 1980's I used to sell B&O systems. They were mainly bought by middle aged men who thought they knew stuff about hifi, but didn't. The systems looked nice, but you couldn't say the same thing about the sound quality.
That's a wee bit fancier than the tape decks I had back in the day. Fantastic, fascinating upload Mark, cheers for this. You should have your own TV show on the BBC. Subbed.
Oh i ruined the pulley, I just make a new one. "Normal" people would have cried and might have used a 3D printer if they had one - real men use a lathe - This is sooooo cool
My dude, you are everything that is right in this world, I have a long career of IT and systems troubleshooting and I couldn't fathom having your patience and endurance, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for making this video. 38 years old.
Another amazing repair Mark. I repaired audio equipment from being a hobbyist at 12 years old to present day, age 71 now. You are the best I've ever seen. I had a contract with a local shop to deliver and repair their audio equipment, they were the main B & O dealer in our area, so I was forced to have to repair the stuff. I absolutely detested it, particularly the cassette decks. I must admit, I did like the look of the B & O TV's back in the day, but all of it was way over-priced and overrated.
Just came across your channel very recently, thanks to Louis Rossman and that stupid copyright strike thing. One thing I can say, I AM IN AWE !! You sir, are way beyond good, you are a magician !
As a veteran service technician, I observed that you're not replacing the screws in their original positions within the slotted holes. In the video, you can see the wear marks indicating the screws' initial placement, but you're securing them at the end of the slots instead. This is evident when reassembling the eject mechanism arm and when fixing the tape mechanism into the chassis. This can cause alignment problems later, as seen in the eject mechanism.
Man there is something that is so soothing about these videos...puts me right to sleep at night. I also dream about transistors now. Really though, wonderfully relaxing content 👍
Epic. When you found that you had drilled the white plastic pulley out of true and knackered the part, I thought ‘Noooooo, game over’ and then you said ‘So… I’m going to have to make one’. Total mike drop moment. Superb.
pulling the spindle out of the tape deck with the frewheel mech etc, everything falls apart. I would absolutely cack myself yet you remain entirely undaunted and press on with positivity! Bravo!
Thoroughly convinced I have multiplied my knowledge 10 fold with this one single video. Unexpected inspiration can be found here by all who apply the time very well spent. Im impressed beyond........!
UPDATE:
So I’m running a 3-part LIVE workshop that takes us on…
A Time Travel Through Vintage Electronics.
We’ll rewind the clock, dive into the tech of the times…
(and study the very history of how things were broken and repaired has evolved)
The workshop is coming soon, but if you're reading this then you're in luck (or not)...
And there's still time for you to sign up using the link below:
www.menditmark.com/mend-mark-workshop
The workshop dates are mentioned in the link above too.
Love to join you Mark. However is your website down?
You get taken to a marketing website too I'm guessing?😕
Have you ever smashed anything with a hammer, I admire your patience
Website is redirecting to "clickfunnels" goes nowhere unfortunately
B&O used to be sooo expensive (and good compared to anything else).
This guy does not have enough subscribers, for this kind of high-level repair of all kinds of audio equipment. When a part is broken and can't be bought anymore, No problem; he makes it himself. Even all his explaining during the repair is very detailed and spot-on, and he knows what he is talking about. You won't find many of these kinds of technicians. I take my hat off to you, sir. Keep up the good work.
Yes a proper electro-mechanical engineer 👍.
Not only is he a mechanical genius, he’s also honest. He admits to mistakes that most creators would edit out to improve their public perception. I would rather meet Mark than most of today’s so-called celebrities. He’s a tip-top chap!
Indeed, Mark is a legend and how many repair technicians can just make a part like this. A true expert and fantastic to prove how we used to repair items all the time but now uts a throw away culture. Mark keep up the fantastic work keeping old kit running
Never ceases to amaze me with his depth of knowledge & ability to seemingly turn his hand to anything. There are other technicians making content fixing electronic items but none that I’ve seen that can do all the mechanical stuff that mark does.
@@tomeasterbrook9486 I used to hold Big Clive in such high esteem, Mark has definitely taken pole-position though!
I am just in awe of the number of camera angles, close-ups and work that goes into filming this.. not to mention the skills and narration of repairs. The quality of this channel is under-appreciated, it's always so enjoyable and absorbing to watch your videos Mark. Hope you hit 100K subs soon!
Exactly, on top of the work, the filming and editing is as good as I’ve ever seen. Concise with no gimmicks
yeah I really wonder how he films everything, bonkers.
I'm an 80 year old in Australia and I've spent most of my life fault finding and fixing things. I'd just like to say that Mark's electrical and engineering skill levels, always amaze me.
And the camera work and editing.....
Mark is the David Attenborough of vintage restoration.
Best analogy (and mutually complimentary comment) today!
Does anyone else get that unsettling panicked feeling in their stomach when Mark starts dismantling, knowing damn well you would never be able to put that thing together again?
100% Every time!
Had to replace the CMOS battery in my laptop once. Had no idea what I was doing. To make matters worse, the battery was in the most inaccessible place. Had to remove everything to get to it. Took photos every step of the way to make sure I reassembled everything properly. Did it! BUT I had at least six screws left over and now the touchpad doesn't work. Reassured myself that they always put extra screws in these things that you don't really need. And as for the touchpad, I use a mouse anyway, so as far as I'm concerned it's fixed! 😁😁
😆
Yes 🤦🏼♂️
I'd never remember where all those springs went
Yes! But having made a video of the disassembly would be a big help... right?
It continues to amaze me, how well put together these old B&O units are. Love the design too. Great video!
Mark you have skills in abundance, I bet most technicians would have given up & called it scrap.
Yep, I'd of thrown in the towel in a while ago!
a lot of technicians would not give up, it is all about economics, nothing else - no way is that a viable repair, those decks can be obtained in immaculate working condition for less than £50 so who on earth would pay to have that deck repaired unless he charges a 1950s hourly rate, but his mechanical skills are without question
@@Paul-qp5xs "those decks can be obtained in immaculate working condition for less than £50" Where? Not on ebay where I see one in good nick for £237.
50 quid will get you a scruffy looking non working unit.
Yea the guy has an amazing amount of skills, but can't imagine anyone wanting a £400 repair bill for a at best £50 old tape deck.
I'm thinking these videos are more about how to repair than someone actually taking these items for repair.
I watched one with an old late 80s all in one Sony stereo that was busted and new labels were also printed for where the old ones were worn out, busted record deck and cassette deck, the repair bill would be ridiculous for something that's pretty much given away today
You are a brilliant electronic technician, engineer, and mechanic. Your patience is incredible. Thank you for allowing us to watch your craftsmanship.
Mark I'm 63 and have spent a lifetime in broadcast studio repair, but I'm always blown away with your ability and methods to fault find, love your channel ❤ and keep up the fantastic uploads and superb editing that must take you hours 👏 I echo all the positive comments here, and just to say you encourage me to keep repairing vintage technology as a hobby in my retirement, God Bless from a follower in Dublin.
Hola Joseph tenemos profesiones similares, tengo 66, jubilado, técnico de mantenimiento de estaciones de radiodifusión profesional y técnico operador de estudios de radio y tv. He pasado 44 años de mi vida reparando aparatos. Abrazo desde Buenos Aires, Argentina.
@@torugonza Gracias por tu mensaje, tendríamos mucho en común, comencé a arreglar cosas a los 12 años, en aquel entonces todo se podía arreglar, ahora es casi imposible conseguir piezas, ¡quieren que compres nuevas! Les envío mucha buena suerte irlandesa y saludos desde Irlanda.
I've also done a lot of tape work, but those mechanisms drive me mad. Great repair.
40 year old TV engineer here also, seeing MANY changes from the analog world, replacing heads on VTRs in my early days and such, but YIKES! I personally would have wrote that nightmare off like I do with most B&O gear, referencing the old "engineering flow chart" joke. Mark keeping composure and mastering this with great skill, logic AND with great video production.....YOU THE MAN!!
With love from Minnesota!
Damn, almost everyone in the world would say "not possible to repair" or at least "very much not worth it". Glad you did. Brilliant!
I cannot believe the complexity of your fixes. The persons sending you their old high quality devices should know their only chance for a correct fix is you Mark. I have never seen such high quality work, what we used to get back in the 60's. From lifelong masters who are now gone. Your enjoyment is to be applauded. Thank you Mark.
And this is exactly why I'm SOL, since he's not accepting new devices to be repaired and hasn't for ages due to his backlog 🥲
KUDOS to Mark!!!!
This is an insane amount of dedication to a repair I don't know of another person who would do this detailed of a job and look ecstatic while doing it honestly you deserve so many more subscribers than you have
Also I can't believe how over engineered this unit is but I guess 75 was a different time
@@spookisghostly4619 it's a little over-engineered but honestly not as much as you'd think. For the features and the audio fidelity it gave (and actually delivered rather than it being "audiphile" snake oil) it really did benefit from about 95% of the choices in there.
@@spookisghostly4619 Bang & Olufsen were really a cut above the rest back then, I remember my parents had a B&O Hi-Fi back in the '70s. It was eye-wateringly expensive, but it looked truly futuristic, like something out of Star Trek, and delivered excellent sound, at least to my young ears. Then again, I was only a child, so I didn't know any better, it is only much later I've come to appreciate that quality. I don't know if their modern kit still maintains that level of quality.
Casually makes a pulley from nylon like it's something he does every day - Watching these videos always reminds me that I really shouldn't give up as easily when attempting to fix my own equipment. Didn't realise auto-reverse was around in the 70's. Such a gorgeous mechanism.
Making those PRECISION pulleys is beyond awesome!!!
Beocord 5000 is made 100% by B&O, it is the only machine that they have made from scratch, the mechanism is with a double capstan and very nice of the time, it is NOT an easy machine to service but you do it fine I must say, I have made a number of them myself over time and know them quite well, but again nice work .. Many greetings from Denmark and an old B&O employee.
even the motors?
Likely not, @@DrLoverLover, but I reckon they meant designed, engineered and assembled from parts made in house or by specialised companies to their specifications.
This is no 31 of the simplified (two head) type 4715 version. Remember, all shafts need lubrication when this old. A lot of extra (double) work to no use when the electrolytic caps should have been changed.
@@DrLoverLover Matsushita!
The little squeaky one was a swiss Maxon, if that can reassure you. 😂
Mark you have the patience of a saint. Really enjoyed your longer format. A real treat.
I've just taken up woodworking at 75 and every time I run into a problem I think I can't fix, I think of Mark. The man defines inspiration.
Agreed! After watching his videos, I actually get back to my project sitting on the bench 7/10 times
Expensive tape deck in the 70s, but great to see it brought back to life again by the MASTER !
Yet again, I bow to a MASTER!!! I'm inspired and awed every time. Making your own replacement pulley? WHO DOES THAT? Who has the skills, tools and materials to do so? WOW WOW WOW...
>new Mend it Mark video just dropped
>it's 1:20 hour long
Strap in, lads. We're in for a good time 😎
I would watch every over 1 hour video if he releases it. This is such an amazing job, this guy is one of the reasons I do not waste my time watching TV.
Thing is it didn’t feel like 1:20
And it’s real , mistakes and all
I DID NOT miss ONE second of this presentation. It was like the "cliff hanger" in a Hollywood movie!
yawn
I love this guy. What a gentle and nice personality. Getting to purpose of fixing vintage Hi-Fi gear these qualities are especially appreciated. I mean the man ground his own plastic pulley for goodness sakes which is a bit of a Herculean task. He did it all just basically saying "it's all part of a journey"...without any cussing that typically goes with repairing anything that is both mechanical and electrical. Mark, you're a real jewel of a person and a cracker-jack electronics repair technician. This was a somewhat daunting repair job. B&O did build stuff in this era like a tank. I'd venture to guess mechanically, after witnessing this, even more solid (less plastic for instance) than Nakamichi decks. Yet it definitely has some idiosyncrasies making it harder to troubleshoot and repair. With Mark's already keen knowledge of B&O, along with his almost paranormal trouble-shooting detective work, this unique deck is, perhaps, as good or better than the day it was shipped. Excellent video that despite it's involved lengthy repair was a joy to watch.
The best electronics technician on UA-cam. 💯 I can't see enough of your repairs.
I love your videos and this one is extra long. The evening is saved. 😁
This bloke is an Engineer.
@@andymouse This Bloke is both an excellent mechanical Engineer and thee best electronics technician in the UK, period!
Agreed :)@@JCWise-sf9ww
Totally agree... wonderfully paced and fascinating to see the logic and the mechanics of older equipment being repaired. Awesome...
B&O in design is 70 years ahead of it's time , it was extremely well made and very expensive taking into consideration of it's futuristic design well engineered and high quality parts.
"Some people use nail varnish here, but I ain't got any", yeah Mark we believe you!! Thanks for another brilliant upload!
We'll have to send him some. 😁
I can't believe he has a tool for EVERYTHING..even the tiniest fidliest part..Mark's fabricating skills are awesome..just a marvel to watch.
Another sterling repair Mark, love your patience and the fact you are not afraid to show your cockups whilst delving deeper into the repair and service.
Not only repair process is amazing, but the editing is very clever. It should have taken a lot of time to put everything into smooth video!
Hello Mark! I dropped by to witness your latest repair and as per usual, you have blown my socks off yet again. I have commented several times, over the years on your previous repair videos and at this point, I truly am afraid of sounding (reading) like a broken record, however, I must clear my mind of the praise that you so rightfully deserve from me. You are simply AMAZING to me fine sir. You clearly have a skillset that is far beyond what is needed to perform these consumer electronics repairs in my opinion. I just cannot tell you enough of how awesome I think you are at what you do and generously show us all on these videos Mark. Once again, Thank You for sharing yourself with all of us. You are admired by myself and I honestly would not be surprised if other viewers felt the same way that I do. Please keep on posting these videos and also, please keep on smiling smiley! I walk away enriched from your videos with a smile every time. Thanks Mark! Fred
❤❤❤
What a fantastic example of over-engineering and industrial design. That tape transport is a thing of beauty - double capstan and massive flywheels for maximum speed stability and audio fidelity.
Coincidentally, I read about this channel on the BBC website the other day and stumbled on this video when looking for a demo of a vintage Beocord. Thank you for helping to preserve and restore these marvels of 20th century technology.
Amazing work, the mechanics, the electronics, the filming, editing - a deep bow for you Mark.
I’ve watched quite a few of your videos in the last couple of weeks, and the fact that you leave mistakes is something I admire. I am an IT engineer, and the number of times I’d closed something up, then noticed I’d left something out are innumerable.
Oh! BTW, I found your channel because some fool got one of your videos taken down.
… so I’ll need to make a new one. Always my favorite line. Great video, Marc. Please keep making them.
Very therapeutic watching you work Mark thanks...
Another marathon repair, always a joy to watch. Keep up the great work👍👍👍
So I’m watching you pick apart that little motor and I’m thinking that goes in the bin and you find a replacement. Nope, you actually go and do a rewind job AND you have a gadget to do it. Mind boggling thoroughness. I`ve done a few fixes in my time but this is sensei level - and also a tad inspirational.
That's 1:18:50 of my life I'll never get back. I enjoyed every second of it immensely! Your level of patience is something to behold. My heart sank when you had to pull the carriage out for the second time. Then my anxiety hit the roof when you forgot the belt. Thank you Mark for such riveting, educational and satisfying videos.
calm down
Did you just cum?
It's always good to make photos, and Mark has the good sense to record a video. That way he can play it in reverse to get the thing back together.
this is surprisingly currently being sold cheap for parts. I assume because most people do not have this level of expertise when it comes to fixing this model. Beautiful work Mark
Most technicians don't want to touch cassette decks. The number of people who will (and who have the skills to do it properly) are few.
@@stopthebus It's mainly the fact that those who do fix tape decks try to avoid needlessly complex PITA ones like this with parts made of unobtanium
(those PIHER potentiometers used for the record level control with the spring around the housing have been out of production since the 90s, and there's no modern drop-in replacement as their physical dimensions are all kinds of weird... just as one example of many)
@@KnaeckebrotsaegeYes, I know. I am one of only a few techs in my country who will touch cassette decks now. It's not just those however. I did a B & O Beogram unit last year and it took me hours to get it working properly. The slide faders are all starting to fall apart (I have done these machines previously and they had the same issue) and you can't get those any more either. I had to remove each one from the board, dismantle it, repair it (essentially brain surgery) and reinstall it. That was just to get them working right, not to mention all the other issues the unit had.
Mark, I applaud you for documenting your mistake, fixing it, then saying move on with life and forget that happened. Great outlook! Learn and move on!
Unbelievable knowledge and technical understanding. Not only is Mark an electrician, he’s a mechanic, engineer and a master of vintage audio equipment of days gone by in my opinion. Keep up the good work Mark, always entertaining and informative, nothing too much trouble and always gets the equipment going with perseverance
He could have been a great clockworker too .. remarkable skills shown in this repair. It's obvious he enjoys every challenge in these videos more than the possible revenue 🧐😎 Most of us would have run screaming away and thrown the thing in the dumbster🤯
Blown away Mark!!! Brilliant repair. I’d love that unit!
Having fixed B&O systems before I am amazed by your patience in repairing this nasty piece of hardware without one single cursing. All my respect goes to you. ❤
When the engineering staff at Bang & Olufsen saw this they cheered Mark, then rose in a thunderous standing ovation, sent (overnight!) flowers/chocolates/meat pies, and then made Mark a fatty job contract offer to move his shop and oscilloscope farm east by north!
If I had a complaint and it’s the only one I wish that all Marks videos were this length :) this was an absolutely fantastic repair. Thank you for letting us look over your shoulder while you work :)
This was a treat. The editing of the feature movie must have taken as long as the repair. Great job!
I'm always looking forward to seeing another episode of "Mend It Mark" because of his positive attitude towards things, his skills and his determination to get things fixed, no matter what might get in the way. And also because of the joy to see old/er electronics and how well they were made, with being serviced in mind. Thank You Mark! ^_^
Not sure how I’m only finding this channel now. This is the channel i needed in my life.
Mark, every video you post, is an electronics repairing class, you are awesome!!!
i can't even begin to guess what this type of restoration must cost in labour alone. the attention to detail and expertise involved.. so very impressive.
I reckon somewhere there's secret outtakes - hours of Mark just screaming expletives and slamming things on the worktop
I loved and I love '70 '80 decks: this is your most beautiful video. Thank you a lot dear Mark !!
I just thought I'd check if you have any new videos...1 minute ago! That's my entertainment for the night
1 hour, 18 minutes and 51 seconds. Perfect.
One of the best channels on UA-cam for this type of stuff .Talk of Knowing your stuff .Must of hrs and hrs on this one one
My late father was a super electronics technician and he was the only authorized repairman for the B&O company and I salut you for your excellent expertise. I still have the B&O bottle opener connected to my keychain as a reminder of that ‘70’s era. 💎
Dont know what you mean by authorized repairman, and they must have had lots of electronic guys/engineers. Are you talking about the B-O headquarter itself or something else, another workshop not in Denmark or so?
@ I was talking about B&O in my home country Iran in the ‘70’s.
I've been hearing people say that no one wants to service cassette decks any more in the country where I am, but I am still taking them on. However, I have never done a B & O cassette deck like this and I appreciate the insight into what is involved in working on one of these. I have done quite a few B & O Beogram units before and they are a time-sap. Easily 4 or 5 hours to go through and get one back on track by the time I replace all the leaking capacitors, repair the mechanical issues and replace the dead lamps, and it looks like their cassette decks require a similar time investment.
People watching this need to realize just how much work is involved in getting these units running properly again - it is no simple 5 minute repair.
Tiene que ser una tarea titánica.
B & O decks are rather weak as for the sound.
@@pearlvision7156 Yes. They look much better than they sound, and they often have operating procedures unique to B & O.
They were quite well made and sturdy for the time as long as they worked, but everyone that have repaired B&O gear will know it usually was a knightmare to disasemble, access and repair if something went wrong, especially with their somewhat awkward solutions to make the units look smart on the outside. Just hope you'll never need to repair it 🙃
the B&O way. Design the casing as smart as possible send it to the engineers "Make something that fits in the case !!" don't think of if it's able to be fixed if it breaks. We just sell the custommer a new machine.
What's really impressive here isnt just the electrical nous, its the understanding of complex mechanical engineering that impacts on the electricals. Respect!
What a cool device, great repair, and excellent video. Thanks again and great work, Mark!
What's amazing is that someone designed this, that person never gets a shout out so we'll done that person 👍
Your repair videos are one of the best on YT, always a pleasure to watch a real craftsman at work. I'm absolutely not a B&O fanboy but this drive is build like a tank and last forever with a little love sometimes 😂
I probably would have lost it, putting all that stuff back together then realizing I missed a belt, but Mark just smiles and does what needs to be done. Patience of a saint!
The best electronics technician on UA-cam
There is always a ton of work with these B&O tape recorders. I have been working on a few of them. They are rather complicated and labour heavy to repair. Great work Mark.
Beautiful repair Mark. These old B&O things mean a lot to me because my father worked there in the late 70s here in Denmark. He had some of them in my childhood home and I have some of this at home with me now.
Jeeeesus man! Admitting when he makes an error, lots of explanations then makes the fekkin part from scratch. My dad would love Marks channel if he was still here. A true engineer. Cheers Mark. Lee
When we reach the part in your videos Mark where you say _"I'll have to make one!"_ I know we're in for some fun - and by your look to the camera, you love it too mate ! Nice one as usual :)
Beautiful piece of vintage cassette player. Brilliant repair! :)
This has to be among the best repair videos ever, really nicely done Mark! When you lathed that new plastic piece, bloody inspirational sir.
must be so satisfying knowing you have an array of the right tools. I enjoyed watching that. Beats any reality crap on TV that they force upon us.
A B&O component was the only piece of stereo equipment I've ever been afraid I wouldn't be able to reassemble. I did eventually get it all put back together and working, but it was a harrowing experience.
Excellent teflon -replacement! Well done! Greetings from Germany
Brilliant! But boy is it over-engineered in some places, and under-engineered in others! I must admit, I would like to have done an LED replacement, as those indicator lights are awful. Also the level meters did not look setup, with one channel more than 5dB over the other. But man, you are patient! Love your work, and the extra mile you always go!
That was insane mate. "I broke this part? No problem, I'll make a new one!" Fantastic work!!!! Next level skills displayed throughout the whole video. I loved it.
Feeling a bit sorry for myself today and then boom a new vid from mark, day changed.
Same here. Hope tomorrow is better for you. 👍
I get the same feeling when Mustie1 posts a video. Check him out, he's got the same positive never-say-die mindset at Mark but with ENGINES!!
Manufacturing that nylon pulley was next level. If it wasn't a Bang and Olufsen it wouldn't have been worth repairing. I was glued to my monitor watching this one. Your perseverance is amazing.
Cuando un cliente cree que el aparato tiene un alambre suelto y por eso la reparación es grátis, hay que hacerle ver este video. Muchas gracias por compartirlo, generando conciencia del sacrificio que es ser Sérvice.
Absolutely amazing, not just being able to do it, fail fix, machine replacement parts. The machine spirit is strong with this one.
The look on his face when he gets a jolt in the title sequence always make me laugh. Sorry Mark!
Capacitor got him
I have been following all his posts with great attention and pleasure for a long time, I don't understand where this super man has so much patience, so much perfection and so much knowledge!!!! I have never seen anything like this!!!! It's something extraordinary to see!!! And the best thing is that he knows everything!!!!
Love your videos Mark, pre-thumbs up before watching every video 👍Keep 'em coming!
You have incredible skills Mark - from someone who thought they had great skills - you're a super master - thank you1
@UCCJza9PAfxlJ0S8F4WNVGVA - so sorry, I'm not too sure what to do with these - I think there is an app for these @s?
B & O did a lot of work refining Dolby HX and eventually sold the patent back to Dolby Labs where it was branded Dolby HX Pro. Very clever single ended way to squeeze more signal onto a tape.
@@maxfactor4209Other makers have done similar things to avoid paying Dolby license fees. Technics had an in house anti-saturation network that worked when Dolby C was engaged.
I had a 196 Pioneer With HX Pro and Pioneer's own BLE XD. BLE is auto tape tuning. XD is the anti-saturation. To be honest I could not tell the difference between HX Pro and XD.
B & O invented HX (just a thing that adjust the bias based on the amount of high frequency in the recorded signal) and then they sold the patent to Dolby, and Dolby made one or more integrated circuits that did all the magic in a simple way.
I am a total layman in electronics. But I was both highly entertained and in awe watching this video. I watched the whole video and it was a great joy.
In the early 1980's I used to sell B&O systems. They were mainly bought by middle aged men who thought they knew stuff about hifi, but didn't. The systems looked nice, but you couldn't say the same thing about the sound quality.
It’s good to see you’re not afraid to show your mistakes but also show how you find a solution. BRILLIANT!
That's a wee bit fancier than the tape decks I had back in the day. Fantastic, fascinating upload Mark, cheers for this. You should have your own TV show on the BBC. Subbed.
Oh i ruined the pulley, I just make a new one. "Normal" people would have cried and might have used a 3D printer if they had one - real men use a lathe - This is sooooo cool
Just terrific. I don't know which I admire more, your fearlessness or your unflappable good cheer. You're a model for us all!
It's disgusting, but scammers are using your channel to send spam on your behalf (
Blame UA-cam
My dude, you are everything that is right in this world, I have a long career of IT and systems troubleshooting and I couldn't fathom having your patience and endurance, thank you, from the bottom of my heart for making this video. 38 years old.
Service with a smile (as always) and infinite patience!
Another amazing repair Mark. I repaired audio equipment from being a hobbyist at 12 years old to present day, age 71 now. You are the best I've ever seen. I had a contract with a local shop to deliver and repair their audio equipment, they were the main B & O dealer in our area, so I was forced to have to repair the stuff. I absolutely detested it, particularly the cassette decks. I must admit, I did like the look of the B & O TV's back in the day, but all of it was way over-priced and overrated.
Just came across your channel very recently, thanks to Louis Rossman and that stupid copyright strike thing. One thing I can say, I AM IN AWE !! You sir, are way beyond good, you are a magician !
You're a genius Mark, and with all your tools and machines, you have a perfect shop.
As a veteran service technician, I observed that you're not replacing the screws in their original positions within the slotted holes. In the video, you can see the wear marks indicating the screws' initial placement, but you're securing them at the end of the slots instead. This is evident when reassembling the eject mechanism arm and when fixing the tape mechanism into the chassis. This can cause alignment problems later, as seen in the eject mechanism.
Man there is something that is so soothing about these videos...puts me right to sleep at night. I also dream about transistors now. Really though, wonderfully relaxing content 👍
Epic. When you found that you had drilled the white plastic pulley out of true and knackered the part, I thought ‘Noooooo, game over’ and then you said ‘So… I’m going to have to make one’. Total mike drop moment. Superb.
Well I goosed that one, I'll have to make one !! Wow, just wow. Wasn't expecting that. Superb
pulling the spindle out of the tape deck with the frewheel mech etc, everything falls apart. I would absolutely cack myself yet you remain entirely undaunted and press on with positivity! Bravo!
Thoroughly convinced I have multiplied my knowledge 10 fold with this one single video. Unexpected inspiration can be found here by all who apply the time very well spent. Im impressed beyond........!
You're patience and thorough attention to detail is off the charts Sir- You da Man!