have power to unit but nothing works please help

just got this unit from a friend and im not real sure what i actually have. it has viva vista victrola tag under middle lid. i had one similar in the 70s its about 6 foot long with one middle lid. it has solid state 800 on the radio part. my pics were to large to attach. i plug it in and nothing comes on. i took off back cover and looked for the obvious and found nothing. i checked for power coming in and i do 110vac. i have no wiring diagram and no knowledge of radios in general. i dont expect miracles here just thought i could find a simple fix because the cabinet is in to good of shpe to junk. thanks for your time.jeff ring,

Your description is just too vague to identify anything.
Also, the problems are never "obvious" and really, too complex to troubleshoot over the internet.
In all my years of servicing consumer electronics, I've never heard of a "viva vista".

Best thing to do is locate a reputable service shop locally, and haver it gone over.

Matt,
Aw--common man--I KNOW that you are hiding one of those "1 click fixes everything" (on your PC) buttons they show on TV --or is it one of those "easy" buttons--- ??? ( Santa is coming soon, also--so, Merry Christmas to all !) Ron Rich

Ron Rich wrote:Matt,
Aw--common man--I KNOW that you are hiding one of those "1 click fixes everything" (on your PC) buttons they show on TV --or is it one of those "easy" buttons--- ??? ( Santa is coming soon, also--so, Merry Christmas to all !) Ron Rich

If only, Ron...

Nevertheless, particularly when you're dealing with vintage equipment, it's never an "easy fix".
As I've spewed many times, age-related deterioration takes its toll, and you should know that.
Many people think these things will continue trouble-free forever, and that's just not the case.
Even when new(er) they had their issues on occasion.

I've seen many "quick fixes" and the results of them to know what I'm talking about.
Just like wrapping duct tape around a radiator hose to stem a leak..... tain't gonna last.

I know the lasting enjoyment these vintage pieces can provide, and I own stuff like it as well, but please, people, take the time and make the investment into getting some proper work done to prolong its life and reliability.
These things have been neglected of service for the most part... polishing the cabinets just won't cut it.

Hi Jeff:

Are you sure it's not a "New Vista" RCA Victrola? Like Matt, I've never heard of "Viva Vista." I've heard of Columbia "Viva-Tonal" phonographs but if you had one of those, chances are, you'd see a crank sticking out of the side of the cabinet.

I agree with Matt. There is no quick fix. Keep in mind, a stereo phonograph from the late 1960s/early 1970s is over 40 years old, which means it's decades past it's original anticipated lifespan. During that time, it's pretty likely that at least some of the coatings and insulators used to shield electrical parts will have deteriorated to the point where they can no longer safely hold a current. To keep it running for another few decades, without burning your house down, you should have it inspected and repaired by a qualified person who specializes in vintage sound systems.

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RE: "1 click fixes everything" (on your PC) buttons they show on TV -"

Off Topic, but since you brought it up....

Ron, I got your humor, and appreciated it, but since you've probably seen the same commercials I have--let me guess "Retro TV (RTV)? ME TV?--I thought I'd interject this ...

After some Googling, I found out that this is adware at best, and registry hack software, at worst. If you go to their site, you are prompted to download a "free" scanner that, once installed, issues an alert that there are boo-koo issues with your PC. You are then prompted to download and install their (pay for) product. If you decline, you'll start seeing pop-up warning messages on your PC's desktop directing you to their website. If you throw in the towel and buy the software, it will simply scan your Windows registry and delete redundant entries--most of which are harmless or associated with programs that were updated or uninstalled. In a few cases, though, users have reported that the software has screwed up their registry to the point where they had to reload their operating systems. So much for fixing everything with one click!

Joe DS, I had the pleasure of talking to Ron Rich on the phone tonight...
His humor is just as sharp and quick.

As for ME TV and RTV, I watch them regularly - for free 'cause I use OTA broadcast... LOL!
Some good ole shows on that channel.

And as for those crummy computer "fix it" programs - bleh, garbage.
I never use that stuff, it's geared towards clueless people, and emptying their wallets.
Matter of fact, since I stopped using anti-virus crap around 2004, my computer runs far better - go figure.
Of course, some applied common sense online helps prevent troubles, but a lot of society is clueless these days.
All you need is a firewall (zone-alarm-free) and update/run the malware stuff from Microsoft.
I got no problems - ever.

MattTech wrote:As for ME TV and RTV, I watch them regularly - for free 'cause I use OTA broadcast... LOL!
Some good ole shows on that channel.

Normally, I tape the shows--as in VCR--to fast forward through the commercials. I also use rabbit ears, along with a digital converter box, to feed the signal into my circa 1995 Sony VCR, and from there, into my 1999 RCA TV. Cable, where I live, runs about $60/month now, and through rabbit ears I can pull in 52 stations. Unfortunately, they speak English on only 24 of them!

JDS

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Jeffrey, I edited your email address so it doesn't get picked up by Spam Bots. Unless you're using a disposable email address, it's best not to post it on any public forum. And rather than use the fall back -- thusandso AT thusandso DOT com, a screen capture is less likely to be harvested.

JDS