General Electric M8455A "Duct-Tape-Corder"

[Vinylrecordsneverdie]

Yep this is the same one I have and it's Sanyo made too, but looks like a Panasonic.

[mindfear]

I just found one of these at a thrift store for a few bucks. Wonderful body shape but having the same problem with the rewind. Do you know if the mic port is mono or stereo? It seems the headphone jack is... I'm trying to transfer digital audio to tape using this machine. Is this possible using a wire?

[CassetteMaster]

THe mic and ear jacks are mono, this is completely a mono machine. If you transfer from line-level to mic-in, you need to buy/make and attenuation cable. The rewind should be an easy fix. Some lubrication and cleaning. Take the back off the machine, and the screws that hold down the mechanical section, and once you're to the top of the mechanics where the tape goes, carefully take the tape spindles off, and put oil down the shafts and put the spindles back on so they turn freely. Cont-----

[CassetteMaster]

Then clean the rubber idlers that run the tape rewind with Windex, or CLR (I haven't tried CLR), and dry them. It should be improved after that. Be very careful when working with these!

[wilkes85]

ricky, can you use rye to clean tape heads, if you're out of the proper alchohol?

(rye = Canadian whisky)

Because for some reason tape cleaning alchohol that comes with cleaning tapes always seems to just disappear, even in the containter, sealed, and one of my rape decks has a filthy head on it.

[Brandtalones]

What do you mean by an "AC bias?" "DC bias?"

[CassetteMaster]

It has to do with recording. AC bias uses a high-frequency AC (alternating current) signal on the head while recording to make a good recording. DC (direct current) bias uses a DC signal for recording, but it has more background noise and more likely to distort. AC bias is better quality.

[EclipseWebJS]

Do they have cleaning cassettes for hi-8/DV cameras?

[CassetteMaster]

Probably. THe camera sometimes flashes the words "CLEANING CASSETTE" across the screen while recording.

[vwestlife]

Yes, Radio Shack sells an 8mm cleaning tape, but I'm not sure how well it works. Any 8mm cleaning tape should work equally well for Video8, Hi8, and Digital8, as the physical specs of the tape itself are the same for all.

[retrochad]

Sounds very good...something of this reminds me of a Panasonic cassette recorder, wonder if it was actually made by them for GE?

Yes, you should not clean video heads with q-tips as the fibers can break off. I have had luck using Tech Wipes lint free cloths saturated with isopropyl alcohol.

[CassetteMaster]

I has Sanyo parts inside. THe capacitors and transistors are Sanyo. Also the bias coil, it I remember.

[SpeakerPolice]

I have an old heavy GE recorder I've been using for years, a very high quality unit. It looks very, very similar to this one, but has a different speaker grille. I think I'll post a video. =) Then you can tell me if you know if it's got AC bias or not, I'd be interested to know.

[SpeakerPolice]

*EDIT* The model number on my machine is 3-5140A.

[PineBrookMotorLodge]

If any old tape recorders show up on Sheldon Biber's curb, would you like them?

[CassetteMaster]

Any old recorders I'd like!

[pdmillar]

Good call on the video heads, it's impossible to clean those with a Q-tip. I ruined two 8mm camcorders before I figured out it was a bad idea (If you don't bend/break the head tip you will get lint in there)

Radio Shack used to sell special flat cleaning pads on the end of a stick for that but a wet-type cleaning tape is probably the best idea.

[BrooklynMouse]

Wow! I love GE! GE Rocks!!!

[loves2rock247]

how is it ac bios?

[CassetteMaster]

I puts a very high-frequency signal on the head during recording that makes the tape record clearly.

[spatsbear2]

Great sound quality :)

[Mastercorder]

Really good video , I did that with my little 4 mil digital cassette for the audio on some of my old vhs tapes really cool, I think you should use through the recorder audio for all your videos.

[AllAmericanFiveRadio]

Sounds really good. Duct tape is wonderful stuff.

[Lachlant1984]

The audio of the tape recorder sounds quite good, it's a good thing it uses AC Bias. Thanks for featuring The Clash.

[tubeie07]

You'll have to do a new 'I WON!" tag with the new haircut! LOL

[60512]

I almost thought someone else was doing a video.

It must have been hard to sync the tape recording with the video clip, but the audio quality was better than usual, so it paid off.

Nice tape recorder. I'll have to check a few of mine to see who made them.

[wilkes85]

Hey cool haircut! Our little ricky is growing up! LOL sorry.

Nice recorder too. I like the black and silver on the face.

I think the external mic sounds better. You don't get the motor noise like you do with the internal mic.

It sounds awesome hooked directly to the mic too!

haha and nice duct tape lol

[HymnTimeGospelSongs]

cool hair cut ...I shave my head everyday saves big time on blow dyers.

[Trance88]

Wow!! The audio in this video is coming from a cassette tape? Excellent!!

[Trance88]

Nice buzz cut! I used to get my hair cut the same way several years ago.