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From: ben@moncol.UUCP (Bennett Broder)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Re: VCR service contracts
Message-ID: <306@moncol.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 20-May-85 10:05:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: moncol.306
Posted: Mon May 20 10:05:09 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 20-May-85 19:14:33 EDT
References: <1406@mtx5b.UUCP> <726@ssc-vax.UUCP>, <1961@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Organization: Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Lines: 20

>                (There's this little light bulb which is lit when the
>machine is on.  The VCR uses it to decide it's got power.  If it burns out,
>nothing works.  Nothing!  And it's very non-trivial to replace.  Among
>other things it gets soldered in.)

I just had this lamp (the end of tape sensing lamp) burn out too, and
it seems to me incredibly poor design to make a part with a high
failure rate (like an ordinary filimant light bulb) so difficult to
replace.  Someone ought to tell the engineers about LEDs and bayonet
mount light bulbs.  However, if you know how to use a soldering iron,
you can change the bulb yourself.  The little piece of circuit board
that holds the lamp comes off with one screw, then you just un-solder
the old bulb and solder on the new.  Under 15 minutes work and $6.20
for the new bulb (RCA parts are overpriced) and you are back in
business, vs $35 labor and $6.20 parts.  Or more, if you bought
the service contract. 

Ben Broder
..ihnp4!princeton!moncol!ben
..vax135!petsd!moncol!ben