Optimus SCR-100 User manual

Cat. No. 14-1252
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
SCR-100
Stereo Cassette Player/Recorder
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©1999 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Optimus, RadioShack, and Adaptaplug are registered
trademarks used by Tandy Corporation.
FEATURES
Your Optimus SCR-100 Stereo Cassette Player/Re-
corder is a lightweight, portable cassette player that
delivers great sound quality through its built-in speak-
er. The recorder puts many features in a small pack-
age, making it easy to carry wherever you go. Its
features include:
Built-in Wide Range Speaker — lets you listen to
mono sound without carrying headphones.
Built-in Stereo Microphone — lets you record in
stereo without connecting stereo microphones.
Extended Bass Boost — provides richer, fuller bass
than ordinary players.
Numeric Tape Counter — helps you quickly locate a
specific section on the tape.
Cue/Review — lets you listen as you fast forward or
rewind the tape to locate specific sections.
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Battery/Record Indicator — shows you when the
SCR-100 is recording and indicates battery condi-
tion.
Automatic Stop — shuts off the SCR-100 when it
reaches the end of a tape.
DC Input Jack — lets you power the player from an
external DC source using an adapter (not supplied).
Headphone Output Jack — lets you listen in private
or use optional external speakers.
Three Power Options — you can power the SCR-
100 from AA batteries, standard AC power, or DC
power.
Note: You need a pair of headphones or amplified
speakers (not supplied) with a 1/8-inch (3.5-mm) plug
to listen to tapes in stereo. Your local RadioShack
store carries a wide selection of these products.
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CONTENTS
Preparation ........................................................... 5
Installing Batteries .......................................... 5
Using AC Power .............................................. 6
Using Vehicle Battery Power .......................... 8
Connecting Headphones/Speakers .............. 10
Listening Safely ..................................... 11
Traffic Safety .......................................... 12
Operation ............................................................ 13
Loading a Cassette Tape .............................. 13
Recording ..................................................... 14
Using the Built-in Stereo Microphone .... 14
Using External Stereo Microphones ...... 15
Playing a Tape .............................................. 16
Using the Tape Counter ......................... 18
Tape Tips ...................................................... 19
Tape Quality .......................................... 19
Restoring Tape Tension and Sound Quality
19
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ......... 20
Care ..................................................................... 22
Specifications .................................................... 23
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PREPARATION
INSTALLING BATTERIES
Your SCR-100 requires two AA batteries (not sup-
plied) for power. For the best performance and long-
est life, we recommend RadioShack alkaline
batteries.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the required size and
recommended type.
• Do not mix old and new batteries, different types
of batteries (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable),
or rechargeable batteries of different capacities.
Follow these steps to install batteries.
1. Slide the battery compartment cover in the direc-
tion of the arrow to open it.
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2. Place the batteries in the compartment as indi-
cated by the polarity symbols (+ and –) marked
inside
3. Replace the cover.
When RECORD/BATT does not light steadily during
play, replace the batteries.
Warning: Dispose of old batteries promptly and
properly. Do not bury or burn them.
Caution: If you do not plan to use the SCR-100 with
batteries for two weeks or more, remove the batter-
ies. Batteries can leak chemicals that can destroy
electronic parts.
USING AC POWER
You can power the SCR-100 using a 3V, 300-mA AC
adapter and a size H Adaptaplug®(neither supplied).
Both are available at your local RadioShack store.
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Cautions:
You must use a Class 2 power source
that supplies 3V AC and delivers at
least 300 mA. Its center tip must be set
to positive and its plug must fit the SCR-100's
DC 3V jack. Using an adapter that does not
meet these specifications could damage the
SCR-100 or the adapter.
• Always connect the AC adapter to the SCR-100
before you connect it to AC power. When you
finish, disconnect the adapter from AC power
before you disconnect it from the SCR-100.
Follow these steps to power the SCR-100 from stan-
dard AC power.
1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 3V.
!
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2. Insert the Adaptaplug into the cord so it reads
TIP +.
3. Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into the SCR-
100’s
DC 3V jack.
4. Plug the adapter into a standard AC outlet.
USING DC POWER
You can power the SCR-100 from a vehicle’s 12V
power source (such as cigarette-lighter socket) using
a 3V, 300-mA DC adapter and a size H Adaptaplug
(neither supplied). Both are available at your local
RadioShack store.
Cautions:
You must use a power source that sup-
plies 3V DC and delivers at least 300
mA. Its center tip must be set to posi-
tive and its plug must fit the SCR-100's DC 3V
jack. Using an adapter that does not meet these
!
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specifications could damage the SCR-100 or the
adapter.
• Always connect the DC adapter to the SCR-100
before you connect it to the power source. When
you finish, disconnect the adapter from the pow-
er source before you disconnect it from the
SCR-100.
Follow these steps to power the SCR-100 from DC
power.
1. Set the adapter’s voltage switch to 3V.
2. Insert the Adaptaplug into the cord so it reads
TIP +.
3. Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into the SCR-
100’s
DC 3V jack.
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4. Plug the other end of the DC adapter into the
vehicle’s cigarette-lighter socket.
CONNECTING HEADPHONES/
SPEAKERS
To listen to tapes in stereo, connect stereo head-
phones or amplified speakers (neither supplied)
equipped with a 1/8-inch (3.5-mm) stereo plug to .
Your local RadioShack store sells a wide variety of
stereo headphones and amplified speakers.
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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.
• 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.
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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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OPERATION
LOADING A CASSETTE TAPE
Follow these steps to load a cassette to record or
play.
1. Take up any slack in the
cassette tape by turning
the hub with a pencil to
prevent the tape from
becoming tangled in the
tape mechanism. Do not
touch the tape.
2. Open the cassette compartment door by lifting it
at the notch.
3. Insert a cassette tape
into the door guides so
the cassette’s open
edge faces out, the
side you want to use
faces up, and the full
reel is to the left.
4. Close the door. Notch
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RECORDING
Using the Built-in Stereo Microphone
1. With a blank tape loaded, set TAPE SPEED as
follows.
• To maximize sound quality, set the switch to
NORMAL.
• To increase the recording time (using a some-
what lower sound quality level), set the switch
to SLOW.
2. Press RECORD. Both PLAY and RECORD lock
down and recording begins. RECORD/BATT
lights during recording.
3. When the player reaches the end of the tape, the
auto-stop mechanism stops the tape and
releases
RECORD and PLAY automatically. Press
STOP to stop recording sooner.
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Using External Stereo Microphones
You can record in stereo using two mono micro-
phones. This lets you place each microphone for the
best response and stereo separation. Your local Ra-
dioShack store carries a wide selection of suitable
microphones.
1. Place two mono microphones equidistant apart
and equidistant from the sound source.
2. Insert the microphones’ 1/8-inch (3.5-mm) plugs
into L-MIC and R-MIC, respectively.
3. With a blank tape loaded, set TAPE SPEED as
desired, then press RECORD. Both PLAY and
RECORD lock down and recording begins.
RECORD/BATT lights during recording.
4. When the player reaches the end of the tape, the
auto-stop mechanism stops the tape and
releases
RECORD and PLAY automatically. Press
STOP to stop recording sooner.
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PLAYING A TAPE
1. For mono playback, simply listen to the built-in
speaker. The SCR-100 combines the left and
right channels. For stereo playback, connect the
SCR-100 to a pair of stereo headphones or an
amplified speaker system (see “Connecting
Headphones/Speakers” on Page 10).
Note: Connecting headphones or an amplified
speaker system disconnects the built-in speak-
ers.
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. Lift the cassette compartment door and insert
the cassette tape into the cassette guides with
its open edge facing up. Be sure the full reel is to
the right and the side you want to listen to faces
the door.
4. Set TAPE SPEED to the same speed you used
when you recorded the tape.
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5. Press PLAY.
6. Adjust VOLUME to the desired listening level.
7. Slide ON/E-BASS/OFF to ON for an enhanced
bass effect. Set it to OFF for normal bass sound.
8. To temporarily stop the tape, slide PAUSE in the
direction of the arrow. To start play again, slide
PAUSE in the opposite direction.
9. The tape automatically stops when it reaches
the end. To stop it sooner, press STOP.
To fast forward the tape, press FAST-F/CUE. The but-
ton locks down. To rewind the tape, press REW/RE-
VIEW. The button locks down. To release either
control, press STOP.
E•BASS
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Note: If you press either FAST-F/CUE or REW/REVIEW
while the tape plays, you hear the sound as the tape
moves. This lets you quickly locate specific parts of
the tape. Release FAST-F/CUE or REW/REVIEW to re-
sume play. Press STOP to stop playback.
Using the Tape Counter
The tape counter shows you a tape’s current posi-
tion. Before recording, press the tape counter button
to reset the counter to 000. Then, as the tape
counter moves, you can note specific points on the
tape to return to during playback.
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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 SCR-100’s perfor-
mance.
After every 20 hours of tape player operation, follow
these steps to clean the tape-handling parts or use a
cassette deck cleaning kit available from your local
RadioShack store.
1. Remove the batteries and disconnect any other
power source.
2. Open the cassette compartment door and press
PLAY to expose the tape-handling parts.
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