Oldest VCR you've owned?

[dieseljeep]

I do not know if either ships to Canada, though.[/QUOTE]

I thought NAFTA was supposed to end that foolishness.

[Combwork]

Originally Posted by Tim R.

I currently own a Mitsubishi HS-300U VCR from 1981. It's really heavy and built like a tank. It still works well after 30 years, although one day I need to open it up and do a little TLC.

I don't have a picture of it (it's at home, a long way from here), but the video below has the same model. Surprisingly there was zero info anywhere about this VCR, except for the Youtube video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH4xylRiBng

Not shown is the optional brick-sized remote and its receiver, which plugs into the back of the VCR and has a few feet of cable so you can position it for best reception. Mine came with both, which I guess is a rare find.

It's a great setup and goes well with my Zenith TV of about the same vintage - also working great, despite my Grandma using it daily for 25 years.


What is the oldest VCR you have? I have yet to find anything that predates this beast.


-Tim

A Grundig VC2000 from the late 70's. Like audio cassettes the V2000 cassettes could be turned over. The last generation were two speed with Hi-Fi stereo, giving up to 16 hours recording on a single cassette. The video heads laid down a guide track as they recorded so not only did they track automatically, a tape could be recorded on one machine and played back on another without any tracking error.

Much better spec than Betamax or VHS but too late on the market. That plus problems with the first generation units, and a basic misjudgment of how important the video rental market would be led to relatively low sales.

I don't know if this format was marketed much outside Europe.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Combwork

A Grundig VC2000 from the late 70's. Like audio cassettes the V2000 cassettes could be turned over. The last generation were two speed with Hi-Fi stereo, giving up to 16 hours recording on a single cassette. The video heads laid down a guide track as they recorded so not only did they track automatically, a tape could be recorded on one machine and played back on another without any tracking error.

Much better spec than Betamax or VHS but too late on the market. That plus problems with the first generation units, and a basic misjudgment of how important the video rental market would be led to relatively low sales.

I don't know if this format was marketed much outside Europe.

Was that unit sourced by Matsushita, or built by Grundig? There was an odd unit sold under the Quasar name. IIRC, it was a V1000. I never saw one in operation. It didn't go over at all. Mid 1970's.

[Combwork]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

Was that unit sourced by Matsushita, or built by Grundig? There was an odd unit sold under the Quasar name. IIRC, it was a V1000. I never saw one in operation. It didn't go over at all. Mid 1970's.

I think it was a collaboration of Grundig and Phillips. Did Grundig or Phillips have much of a market in the USA? If not "Sourced by Matsushita" might mean that they bought the right to sell modified models to test the US market.

[OvenMaster]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

I thought NAFTA was supposed to end that foolishness.

Only for business to business deals. Business to consumer transactions, no. Unfortunately.

[Eric H]

My first VCR was that same model under a different brand name, I think it was Sylvania or Magnavox.

[waltchan]

My oldest VCR I have right now and currently in use is a 1982 JVC HR-7650U 4-head Dolby Stereo VHS, placed below my main computer, Blu-Ray player, and LCD TV/Monitor. I selected this VCR because it's the tallest one I have, and it helps adjust the viewing angle position of my monitor.

It even has its own wireless remote control, front-loading system, and FF/REW video search. Not bad for a 1982 VHS VCR.

[Jeffhs]

I don't see why not. All you have to do is connect the converter between your cable and the VCR, put the latter on channel 3 or 4, and you're good to go. Note that you would tune channels on the cable box, not the VCR or the TV. The latter must remain on channel 3 or 4 to receive the output of the VCR, through which the cable box connects to your TV. The diagram below explains this:



Cable--->cable box--->VCR--->television


The same connection scheme will work if you are using a TV antenna with a DTV converter box; just substitute "DTV box" for "cable box" in the diagram. Be sure you have sufficient signal strength at the antenna, however, before you try this. The reason is that the over-the-air TV signal will be weaker at each connection point in the system; that is, it will be strongest where the antenna connects to the DTV box, and weakest at the point where the VCR connects to the television's antenna terminals. This dodge will work even with NTSC (pre-DTV) VCRs and televisions since the cable box will convert the digital (ATSC) signal to NTSC analog.

[hi_volt]

Just purchased a 1977 RCA VBT200 to run with my roundie color sets.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Excellent find!

[1993ctc175]

I have the Oldest VCR in my Collection.

Sony SL-5800 (1980)

Zenith VR9760 (1980)

RCA VFT 650 (1981)

and, I think that I have one more

RCA VFT 450

I have not played with them as yet

Cheers!!

[Sandy G]

Originally Posted by Blast

I've still got my old Pana-built Quasar that a customer declined an estimate on in the 90's. His loss.

I had the Panasonic version of this, bought in '79, right B4 the 6 hr version came out...Gave it to my Church in '85, doubt they've used it in years, need to go snatch it back B4 they shit-can it...

[mrfoxboy]

Well the oldest I have is a 1977 Sony SLO-340 BI betamax deck. Very nice considering it's age. It won't record from the camera input :/ It is in my parents' basement

My oldest machine in service is my JVC HR-D130U. Bought that puppy in the summer of 2010, as it was only $5. A little cleaning got 'er running. It's from 1984 according to the internet. It has manual tracking, linear mono audio, 4-head, and those big SP video heads JVC was known for. It has the best SP video quality I've ever seen. Unfortunately it is not functioning fully. It threads tape for play, but it seems the take-up reel doesn't engage and the capstan doesn't want to spin. The motors run strong, however so I think it is bad belts. i've made many tapes on that deck...

A little newer runs my Quasar VH-5857K. She is mint, and has as many bells and whistles as a VCR could have when made on August 2, 1985 (it is written on a sticker in the back). HiFi, Simulcast, three-speed SP-LP-SLP, slo-mo, frame-advance, audio dub, and a host of other features, it is my favourite. It's a 4Head as well.

Cheers!

[Firebird]

I still have my Sony SL-5600 that we got for Christmas in 1980. My parents took us to Service Merchandise in November and i carried it out. Weighed over forty pounds in the box. Man that was fun.

[Popester]

I still have a seldom used Sony SL 2000 with a TT2000 hooked up to the tv. I also have a sleek and slender Sony SL 2500. Both are still working units. I bought them new at wholesale when I worked at a shop back in the '70's.