Sony, trash or treasure?

[artlet]

I was given a Sony cassette deck model TC-W455 several years ago. This was part of a system and the rest of the stuff was stolen in a break-in. My question is since this unit doesn't have a power cord or rca jacks but has various "system control" outlets to hook into the system. I am wondering if anyone knows how to make this unit work by itself or is it trash? I didn't want to spend $20 on a service manual if the thing is headed for the trash anyway... any help would be great.

[Stoffie]

It was probably once part of a midi set or integrated system or something like that. Probably does not have an own transformer but getting its power from the main transformer of the set, through the system control ribbon cables etc.

Probably not worth the effort and the hassle ;)

[whyaskit]

Trash.

Sony, and a more than a few others would make their "componet" systems integrated. Which really made them useless, unless you can find a receiver that had the right ribbon hookup.

So, they were not really components. I'd think you'd have a hard time finding the right system to jack it into, not impossible, but probably more of a pain than it would be worth. Most integrated systems were not very good sounding.

[d-ray657]

I have a similar situation with a TEAC turntable that I was given.

Here are two possible solutions, probably ideas that only a newb would consider:

Modify the "component" with a transformer scavenged from another broken component.

Replace the power chord with a power supply plug in (scavenged from a broken pair of computer speakers) and the power supply that ran the speakers, or some other higher powered AC adapters with a similar plug.

Are these dangerous/foolish ideas?

Sorry if this has hijacked your thread. If so, ignore it, or tell me to get lost.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Stoffie]

You have to make sure that whatever transformer you mod in there, at least provides the correct voltages to the circuitry within... or either it won't work or will blow up in smoke ;)

[artlet]

Thanks for all the info... I didn't think it was worth it several years ago but I didn't toss it into the trash then because it looks so nice with the dual decks, led's ect... but probably not worth the time and effort needed to make a 20 year-old unit function.