Optimus SCP-88 User manual

Cat. No. 14-1231
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before usin
g
this equipment.
SCP-88
Auto-Reverse Stereo
Cassette Player
with 3-Band Equalizer
and Headphones
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©1997 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Optimus is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
RadioShack is a trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
FEATURES
Your Optimus SCP-88 Auto-Reverse Stereo Cas-
sette Player with 3-Band Equalizer and Headphones
is a lightweight, portable cassette player that delivers
great sound quality through the supplied headphones
or an amplified speaker system. You can carry your
SCP-88 with you, so you can listen to cassette tapes
anywhere.
Its features include:
Auto-Reverse Play — automatically plays the other
side of the tape when the side currently playing ends,
for continuous playback.
Bass Boost — provides richer, fuller bass.
DIRECTION Switch — lets you change the tape’s di-
rection to play the other side without removing the
tape from the cassette player.
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3-Band Equalizer — lets you adjust the tone to suit
your listening preferences.
Fast-Forward and Rewind — lets you quickly find a
desired segment on a cassette tape.
PHONE Jack — lets you connect headphones for
private listening, or speakers to share music with
your friends.
Removable Belt Clip — allows hands-free carrying
so you can take the SCP-88 anywhere you go.
Note: You need two AA batteries to power your SCP-
88.
Read this manual completely to learn about all the
features of your SCP-88.
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CONTENTS
Preparation ........................................................... 5
Installing Batteries........................................... 5
Connecting Headphones ................................ 7
Listening Safely ....................................... 7
Traffic Safety ........................................... 8
Connecting Optional Speakers ....................... 9
Using the Belt Clip .......................................... 9
Cassette Operation ............................................. 11
Playing a Cassette Tape ................................ 11
Using the 3-Band Equalizer Controls ........... 16
Using Fast-Forward and Rewind .................. 17
Tape Tips ...................................................... 18
Tape Quality .......................................... 18
Restoring Tape Tension and
Sound Quality ........................................ 18
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ......... 19
Maintenance ....................................................... 21
Specifications .................................................... 22
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PREPARATION
INSTALLING BATTERIES
You need two AA batteries to power the SCP-88. For
the best performance and longest life, we recom-
mend alkaline batteries, such as RadioShack Cat.
No. 23-552. Follow these steps to install batteries.
1. Press down on the battery compartment cover
and slide it off in the direction of the arrow
marked on the cover.
2. Install the batteries as indicated by the polarity
symbols (+ and –) marked beside the compart-
ment, with the batteries over the ribbon.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the required size
and type.
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• Do not mix old and new batteries, different
types of batteries (standard, alkaline, or
rechargeable), or rechargeable batteries of
different capacities.
• Always dispose of old batteries promptly and
properly.
Note: Pull the ribbon to lift out the batteries.
3. Replace the cover.
Notes:
• If the sound gets weak or distorted, replace the
batteries.
• If you do not plan to use the SCP-88 for a week
or more, remove the batteries. Batteries can leak
chemicals that corrode or damage electronic cir-
cuits.
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CONNECTING HEADPHONES
Connect the supplied stereo headphones to the
SCP-88’s
PHONE jack for stereo sound. Then put on
the headphones and adjust the headband for a snug
fit.
Listening Safely
To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines when
you use headphones.
• Set the volume to the lowest setting before you
begin listening. After you begin listening, adjust
the volume to a comfortable level.
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• Do not listen at extremely high volume levels.
Extended high-volume listening can lead to per-
manent hearing loss.
• Once you set the volume, do not increase it.
Over time, your ears adapt to the volume level,
so a volume level that does not cause discomfort
might still damage your hearing.
Traffic Safety
Do not wear headphones while operating a motor ve-
hicle or riding a bicycle. This can create a traffic haz-
ard and could be illegal in some areas.
Even though some headphones let you hear some
outside sounds when listening at normal volume lev-
els, they still can present a traffic hazard.
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CONNECTING OPTIONAL
SPEAKERS
Instead of headphones, you can connect amplified
speakers with a 1/8-inch mini plug to the PHONE jack.
Your local RadioShack store sells a wide variety of
amplified speakers.
USING THE BELT CLIP
The belt clip lets you keep your hands free while you
listen to the SCP-88.
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To attach the belt clip, place it in the recessed area
on the cassette player and slide it in the direction of
the arrow until it clicks into place.
If you need to remove the belt clip, push down on the
tab and slide it off in the direction of the arrow.
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CASSETTE OPERATION
PLAYING A CASSETTE TAPE
1. Connect the SCP-88 to a pair of headphones or
an amplified speaker system (see “Connecting
Headphones” on Page 7 or “Connecting
Optional Speakers” on Page 9).
2. Take up any slack in the tape by turning the cas-
sette’s hub with a pencil. Do not touch the
exposed tape.
3. Pull open the cassette compartment door.
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4. With its open edge facing up, insert the cassette
tape into the cassette guides.
Note: With DIRECTION set to , position the tape
with the full reel to the left. With DIRECTION set to
, position the tape with the full reel to the right.
5. Close the door.
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6. Press PLAY until it clicks. The entire cassette
tape repeatedly plays.
Notes:
• The tape automatically plays the other side
when the current side ends. To manually
change the tape side, set DIRECTION to its
other position.
• You can press or to fast-forward or
rewind the tape to the desired segment (see
“Using Fast-Forward and Rewind” on Page
17).
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7. Adjust VOLUME to the desired listening level.
8. Set BASS BOOST to ON for an enhanced bass
effect. Set it to OFF for normal bass sound.
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9. Use the 3-band equalizer to adjust the tone to
the desired level (see “Using the 3-Band Equal-
izer Controls” on Page 16).
10. To stop playback, press STOP.
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USING THE 3-BAND
EQUALIZER CONTROLS
You can adjust the 3-band equalizer controls to cus-
tomize the SCP-88’s tone.
TREB — increases or decreases the treble or higher
frequency sounds
MID — increases or decreases the mid-range sounds
BASS — increases or decreases the bass
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USING FAST-FORWARD
AND REWIND
To fast-forward the tape, press or (whichever
is the same direction as the DIRECTION switch). To
rewind the tape, press or (whichever is the
opposite direction of the DIRECTION switch).
When the tape reaches the end, you must press
STOP to release or .
To stop fast-forwarding or rewinding the tape before
it reaches the end, press STOP.
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TAPE TIPS
Tape Quality
For the best performance, use only regular length
(60- or 90-minute) cassette tapes. We do not recom-
mend long-playing cassette tapes, such as C-120s,
because they are extremely thin and can easily tan-
gle in the playback mechanism.
Restoring Tape Tension and Sound
Quality
After you play a cassette tape several times, the tape
might become tightly wound on the reels. This can
cause playback sound quality to deteriorate.
To restore the sound quality, fast-forward the tape
from the beginning to the end of one side, then com-
pletely rewind it. Then loosen the tape reels by gently
tapping each side of the cassette’s outer shell on a
flat surface.
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Caution: Be careful not to damage the cassette
when tapping it. Do not touch the exposed tape or al-
low any sharp objects near the cassette.
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts
Dirt, dust, or particles of the tape’s coating can accu-
mulate on the tape head and other parts that the tape
touches. This can reduce the SCP-88’s performance.
Follow these steps to clean the tape-handling parts
after about every 20 hours of tape player operation.
1. Remove the batteries.
2. Open the cassette compartment door.
3. Press PLAY to expose the tape-handling parts.
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4. Use a cotton swab dipped in denatured alcohol
or tape head cleaning solution to clean the play-
back head, pinch rollers, capstans and tape
guides.
5. When you finish cleaning, press STOP and close
the compartment, then reinstall the batteries.
Note: Your local RadioShack store has a complete
line of cassette deck cleaning accessories.
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