Hi all

I've just bought the JVC for sounds in my kitchen.  It's in lovely condition, even the tape deck works 100%.

I'd like to hook up an mp3 player like a mobile phone or ipod and play through the JVC.  The JVC has a 5 pin DIN socket marked "REC/PB".  Could I use this socket?  Or is this socket just for recording to and from the tape deck?

HI schneil.  Yep its for recording to the tape deck and not a true line in, well it is on the euro version.  I use an FM transmitter for mine instead as its a nice sounding box

I'm in Manchester UK, so I guess it'll be the Euro version of the box (is there a way to tell?).  So looks like I'll have to get an FM transmitter.  Any you'd recommend?

Yes the box sounds lovely, I'm really chuffed with it.  I bought it to replace a 1980s Unisef and the difference in sound quality is like night and day.

I've got some more questions.  What does the beat cut switch on the side of the box do?  Also do both aerials do FM, or is one FM only and one SW only.  Last one, the switch to change radio bands is a bit crackly.  What would you reccommend?  Maplins switch cleaner?

Beat cut switch is to do with AM so is pretty much obsolete...never found any difference between each setting even when I used to listen to medium wave!

Both aerials are connected to FM.  Have no clue about SW as who uses it? lol

Crackly controls are easily fixed with Servisol from Maplins

No servisol in my maplins.  Just used the standard switch cleaner.  I sprayed into the switches with the box still assembled.  Not much improvement.  Does this mean I'll have to take it apart? Is it a difficult job?

Agh, just of hold of a DIN cable.  The DIN is for record only.  What a bummer! 

If you push the record button the sound goes to the speakers. At least with some of my radios... Sometimes you don't even have to push play, so the motor stays off... 

Well I did say it was

You can't get the switch cleaner in the right places unless you open it up

This morning I gingerly took the back of the box off.  The tuner section was easy to access, so got some spray on the band selector.  It's nice and clicky now.

I couldn't figure out how to remove the amp board though, I removed the screws and the 4 control knobs, but it stayed put.   So crackly they remain.  Any tips for removing the board, or do you know someone in the area that could help me?

The DIN is record only, like the MIC inputs it is not amplified, so the sound is really quiet  

Unless I find a modder in the area who can add a line-in for me, it'll have to be an FM tuner.

You can indeed use the socket labelled REC/PB its a recording and playback socket rolled into one generally used on older equipment, however it works on exactly the same principle as phono-ins/outs, my mixer has the exact same socket on the back (Maplin SA-909) and I use it to play audio from my Tascam DR-40 and to record to it aswell.