"tp clean" message from cassette player = ???

Hi!

It means that you need to clean the tape head in the player.

How this is sensed depends upon the quality of the tape deck. Many of them have a very simple timer circuit that turns on the "cleaning" message after a specified number of hours have passed. It should be possible to reset this by pressing a button, disconnecting power, or running an appropriate cleaning tape on the deck. If you have the manual for the deck, it should tell you what to do to reset the warning.

Some higher end decks might have a way to sense that the tape head is dirty, but this would be somewhat unlikely in a simple vehicle-based player like yours.

If you do not have a cleaning tape, you might be able to use a cotton swab dampened with isopropyl alcohol (90% or better would be good) to clean the tape head and transport components (rubber pinch roller, capstan, guides, etc).

It isn't likely that failing to heed the warning will cause any lasting damage to the player or your tapes. However, tapes you play may not sound as good. Build up of "tape crud" on the parts that come into contact with the tape could cause a tangle or snarl down the road.

William

"TP" = Tape Path maybe ? In my long experience of servicing consumer electronics, I've never known manufacturers to waste time and space putting up messages to tell you that things are ok. Any 'cryptic' message that appears on a display, is usually an error message, so I'm thinking verb. Is this something that has recently appeared ? Does the tape sound ok ie balanced sound from both left and right channels, clean, clearly audible snare drums and cymbals, and no warble to the sound ? Does the user guide not say anything about the message ? If the player is a factory fit, you could try asking your nearest main dealer if they have come across it.

Arfa

Verb.

This is a joke from a troll.

I've never seen a consumer tape deck with such a display. A professional DAT machine might have such a display, but the OP is clearly not a professional recording engineer.

Hey thanks for the quick replies. This is a tape player in a Volvo truck (tractor). The tapes played fine until yesterday when one started to "warble" and slow down. I put a different tape in and it was OK for a while, then started to warble, and ate the tape ! I had to cut the tape to get it out. Now whenever I put a tape in, any tape, it doesn't play at all, and the screen message toggles rapidly from A to B, as though it is trying to play side A, gets resistance, tries to play side B, ad infinitum.

Would a cleaning tape even play in there at his point? I looked inside the flip door with a flashlight. I think I have all the broken tape out of there. I can't locate the tape head at this point. Looks like maybe it pops up out of hiding after you put the cassette in.

Hi!

I can't tell you what the original poster's intent was, but...there definitely are some cassette decks out there with cleaning indicators. I've seen a radio from a Honda automobile that has a lighted cleaning indicator for its cassette deck. After some amount of time passes, the light in the indicator goes on, at which point you're supposed to clean the playback head and associated transport parts.

After doing the cleaning, the indicator is pressed to reset it.

(another) William

Hi!

Uh-oh. How old is this tape deck? Since it ran into trouble with more than one tape, it sounds like a bad drive belt is to blame. A bad belt would also cause the constant "toggling" behavior you're seeing from side A to B and back again.

A cleaning tape probably won't help now. You'll probably have to take the deck apart and find all the bits of snarled tape. You'd be amazed at all the places it can hide. Then, if you have any interest in fixing the deck, you'll have to see how hard it will be to get at and inspect the mechanism, especially the belts. Things like the rubber pinch roller also need to be inspected.

This is much easier with some decks than it is with others. I don't know exactly what unit you have, but something should be revealed when you take both the top and bottom (if possible) covers off.

If and when you elect to do this, you should be careful. You will need a good set of hand tools, including screwdrivers with small heads. A needle-nose pliers could also be handy. Newer car tape decks have motorized loading mechanisms and most of this stuff appears to be driven by the main motor. As such, there will be timing relationships between mechanisms that will have to be kept in mind. You should mark all moving parts with something that won't come off so if they get disturbed you can put them back.

That is how most car decks work...you put the tape in and the heads are released. Sometimes simple spring pressure causes the heads to contact the tape, and sometimes something more elaborate is used.

William

I've never seen such a message either but what the heck :)

I stand corrected. I suppose car (and tractor) stereos would be the very items to have such a display.

AT

I've seen a few automobile casette players which have a little light that comes on after however many hours, to tell you it's time to clean the heads. I have no idea why the manufacturers think you need to know this, only if you listen in your car, unless they figure you're so used to idiot lights anyway, might as well join the crowd.