I am going to put some of the more common questions I get here and answer them. If you feel something should be added please email me at videodiscjunkie@gmail.com thank you.
Q: Do you have a replacement stylus available?
A: Unfortunately no, styli are no longer manufactured and cannot be rebuilt. All the styli that currently exist is all there will ever be. About the only place to get one is on eBay, although they can be quite spendy.
Q: Can I send you my player and you fix it for me?
A: Again, no. These players are going on 40 plus years old and are very fragile. They should not be shipped and when they are, they typically arrive more broken then they were in the first place. I have videos available for most any service or repair procedure, and I host a yearly workshop that you can attend with your player and learn how to repair and maintain it. Or if you are close to Minnesota feel free to bring it by and I will take a look at it.
Q: My player was working fine but now I get a blank screen and – – on the display?
A: More than likely a bad disc has damaged your stylus and it will need to be replaced. You can try cleaning it as it may just be clogged, but usually a bad scratch or damaged disc will rip the diamond tip off the stylus and it’s toast. See first question.
Q: Why do I get so many skips?
A: The discs are coated with a layer of silicone to protect them and the stylus from wear. Over time this silicone will settle down into the grooves of the disc and then when you play the disc, the stylus has to redistribute that silicone back to the surface of the disc. This will cause skipping, but you can usually rewind or play over the same part again and the skipping will be gone, or less than before. Sometimes it can take a couple passes to clear up completely. If the skips to not clear up then the disc is damaged, either from stacking and crushing the grooves, or scratches. There is no cure for a damaged disc, it would need to be replaced.
Q: Can I clean the discs?
A: No. As stated above, the discs are coated with silicone. Any attempt to clean them will damage this silicone protectant and cause wear to your stylus. If you have a particularly dusty disc, you can rinse it with distilled water, but do not rub, scrub, or touch the surface of the disc. Allow the disc to air-dry before placing it back in the caddy.
Q: I am trying to sell, what is my collection worth?
A: That’s tough to say, there are a lot of variables there. The price will vary depending on the model of player, condition of the discs, and even your location. Please feel free to email me at videodiscjunkie@gmail.com and I can get you a ballpark estimate.