Optimus STEREO MATE SCP-81 User manual

Cat. No. 14-1222
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
STEREO MATE®
SCP-81
Stereo Cassette Player
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©1996 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Optimus and Stereo Mate are registered trademarks
used by Tandy Corporation.
RadioShack is a trademark used by Tandy Corporation.
FEATURES
Your Optimus Stereo Mate®SCP-81 Stereo Cassette Player
with Extended Bass is lightweight, portable, and easy to op-
erate. It has these features:
Bass Boost — provides richer, fuller bass.
Fast-Forward — lets you quickly find a particular portion of a
cassette tape.
Headphone Jack — lets you listen in privacy through stereo
headphones or connect to amplified speakers (neither sup-
plied).
Removable Belt Clip — allows hands-free carrying.
Note: You need two AA batteries and a pair of headphones
or amplified speakers with a 1/8-inch plug to listen to your
SCP-81. Your local RadioShack store sells a variety of head-
phones and speakers.
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CONTENTS
Preparation ......................................................................... 4
Installing Batteries ........................................................ 4
Using Headphones/Speakers ........................................5
Listening Safely ..................................................... 6
Traffic Safety ......................................................... 6
Using the Belt Clip ....................................................... 7
Cassette Player Operation ................................................ 8
Playing a Tape .............................................................. 8
Using Fast-Forward .................................................... 10
Tape Tips and Techniques .......................................... 11
Storing Cassette Tapes ....................................... 11
Restoring Tape Tension and Sound Quality ........ 11
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ....................... 12
Maintenance ..................................................................... 14
Specifications .................................................................. 16
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PREPARATION
INSTALLING BATTERIES
You need two AA batteries (not supplied) to power your SCP-
81. We recommend alkaline batteries, such as RadioShack
Cat. No. 23-552.
1. Slide the battery compartment cover in the direction of
the arrow until it stops, then lift up on the cover’s outer
edge.
Caution: The battery compartment cover is attached to
the SCP-81 by a hinge. Do not attempt to remove it.
2. Install two AA batteries as indicated by the polarity sym-
bols (+ and –) marked on the diagram beside the com-
partment.
3. Replace the cover.
When the volume weakens or the sound distorts, replace the
batteries.
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Notes:
• Never mix battery types (old and new, alkaline and car-
bon zinc, rechargeable and non-rechargeable).
• Replace both batteries at the same time.
• If the player is not going to be used for a week or more,
remove the batteries to avoid damage if they leak.
USING HEADPHONES/SPEAKERS
To use headphones or amplified speakers, plug them into the
jack.
Your local RadioShack store has a complete line of head-
phones and speakers to choose from.
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Listening Safely
To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines when you
use headphones.
• Do not listen at extremely high volume levels. Extended
high volume listening can lead to permanent hearing
loss.
• Set the volume to its lowest level before you begin listen-
ing. After you put on the headphones, adjust the volume
to a comfortable listening level.
• 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 vehicle or
riding a bicycle. This can cause a traffic hazard and is illegal
in some areas.
Even though some headphones are designed to let you hear
outside sounds when you listen at normal volume levels, they
still present a traffic hazard.
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USING THE BELT CLIP
For hands-free carrying, slide the belt clip over your belt.
To remove the belt clip, press down on the arrow and slide
the clip in the direction of the arrow.
To reattach the belt clip, place it in the recessed area and
slide it in the direction opposite the arrow on the clip until it
snaps into place.
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CASSETTE PLAYER OPERATION
PLAYING A TAPE
1. Pull open the cassette compartment door.
2. Insert a tape into the cassette guides with its open edge
facing up and the side you want to play facing the front
cover.
3. Close the door.
4. Set VOLUME to its lowest setting.
Note: Make sure you connected headphones or ampli-
fied speakers.
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5. Press PLAY.
6. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening level.
7. Set BASS BOOST to ON for enhanced bass.
8. Press STOP to stop playback.
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USING FAST-FORWARD
To fast-forward the cassette tape, press F.FWD. The button
locks and the tape fast-forwards until it reaches the end of the
tape or you press STOP.
Notes:
• When the tape reaches the end, you must press STOP to
release the tape mechanism.
• When using fast forward, always press STOP before
pressing
PLAY to save wear of the tape player’s mecha-
nism.
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TAPE TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Storing Cassette Tapes
Do not expose cassette tapes to:
• High temperatures
• High humidity
• Dust or dirt
• Motors, transformers, or other sources of strong mag-
netic fields
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 turn the tape over and
fast-forward to the end again. 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 tap-
ping it. Do not touch the exposed tape or allow any sharp ob-
jects near the cassette.
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts
Dirt, dust, or particles of the tape’s coating can accumulate
on the tape heads and other parts that the tape touches. This
can greatly reduce the performance of the SCP- 81. Use the
following cleaning procedure after every 20 hours of opera-
tion.
1. Remove the batteries and open the cassette compart-
ment door.
2. Press PLAY to expose the tape-handling parts.
3. Use a cotton swab dipped in tape head cleaning solution
or denatured alcohol to gently clean the play head, pinch
roller, tape guide, and capstan.
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4. When you finish cleaning, press STOP, close the com-
partment, and reinstall the batteries.
Your local RadioShack store has a full line of cleaning sup-
plies.
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MAINTENANCE
Your Optimus Stereo Mate SCP-81 Stereo Cassette Player
with Extended Bass is an example of superior design and
craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care
for the SCP-81 so you can enjoy it for years.
• Keep the SCP-81 dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immedi-
ately. Liquids can contain minerals that can corrode the
electronic circuits.
• Use only fresh batteries of the recommended size and
type. Always remove old or weak batteries. They can
leak chemicals that destroy electronic circuits.
• Handle the SCP-81 gently and carefully. Dropping it can
damage circuit boards and cases and can cause the
product to work improperly.
• Use and store the SCP-81 only in normal temperature
environments. Temperature extremes can shorten the
life of electronic devices, damage batteries, and distort
or melt plastic parts.
• Keep the SCP-81 away from dust and dirt, which can
cause premature wear of parts.
• Wipe the SCP-81 with a damp cloth occasionally to keep
it looking new. Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning sol-
vents, or strong detergents to clean the SCP-81.
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Modifying or tampering with the SCP-81’s internal compo-
nents can cause a malfunction and might invalidate the SCP-
81’s warranty. If your SCP-81 is not performing as it should,
take it to your local RadioShack store for assistance.
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RadioShack
A Division of Tandy Corporation
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
5A6 Printed in Hong Kong
SPECIFICATIONS
Power Re
q
uirements .......................................... 2 AA Batteries
Tape S
y
stem ........................... 4 Track, 2 Channel Stereo Tape
Tape Speed at 3 KHz ........................ 17/8ips +3/–2
(
4.75 cm/s
)
Fre
q
uenc
y
Response ............................ 80-10,000 Hz
(
± 3 dB
)
Si
g
nal-to-Noise Ratio ...................................................... 40 dB
Wow and Flutter
(
WWTD
)
.............................................. 0.35%
Dimensions
(
HWD
)
.......................... 411/16 ¥ 311/16 ¥ 11/2inches
(
119 ¥ 93 ¥ 38 mm
)
Wei
g
ht ......................................................... 6.3 ounces
(
178
g)
Specifications are t
y
pical; individual units mi
g
ht var
y
. Specifica-
tions are sub
j
ect to chan
g
e and improvement without notice.
RadioShack Limited Warranty
This product is warranted a
g
ainst defects for 90 da
y
s from date of purchase from
RadioShack compan
y
-owned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.
Within this period, we will repair it without char
g
e for parts and labor. Simpl
y
bring your
RadioShack sales slip as proof of purchase date to an
y
RadioShack store. Warrant
y
does
not cover transportation costs. Nor does it cover a product sub
j
ected to misuse or accidental
dama
g
e. EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WAR-
RANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE
DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. Some
states do not permit limitation or exclusion of implied warranties; therefore, the aforesaid
limitation
(
s
)
or exclusion
(
s
)
ma
y
not appl
y
to the purchaser.
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