OK, I went to the SA to donate a working TV and one of the workers said they had a non-working TV. I soon see that it's one of those damned mid '90's Symphonic (Funai) TV/VCR combinations. They turned it on and it did what many do: turn on for a couple of seconds and then turn off due to a screwed up VCR mechanism. They said I could have it for $5. I didn't want it; but, I bought it anyway to sort of encourage them to save the broken TV's The next one may really be worth my time.

Anyway, I brought this one home, removed the loading belt, and manually set the carriage back to it's "stand-by" position so the TV would stay on. I played it for a while and decided it was good-to-go as far as a TV. After I put it back together and played it a few minutes, the loading motor starts running in different directions and the words "stop" "eject" "stop" "eject" start flashing on the screen. I swear, I can't find what sensor, switch, or whatever controls the loading motor. I disconnected the mode switch and jumped out a couple of connections; but, it still does the same thing. There is a momentary switch soldered on the PC board, under the mechanism; but, I have not figured out what it's purpose is, yet.

Maybe I should just rip out the VCR mechanism and figure out a way to slide a DTV converter in there, like someone else on here did recently.

As some have figured out by now, I'm not good with VCR mechanisms. I can clean heads and change belts; but, that's about it.

BTW, there is an old RCA top loader VCR at the SA. I've been seeing it there for a couple of weeks. I'm going back tomorrow to donate another TV; and, I may just pick it up if the price is right.

Pic?

Hey is it just me or does Funai stuff tend to hold up pretty well considering how cheaply it's made?

The early to mid '90's Funai built TV/VCR combos were not great; but, they were better than the newer models. Around '99 or so, they went to total crap. On the older models; it's almost always the VCR mechanism that gives trouble. The TV circuitry is fairly reliable. Of course, when the VCR mechanism fouls up, it usually shuts the TV down.

Oh, and I'll stick you a picture on here tomorrow. It's the one with the HV board mounted in the upper left hand corner of the cabinet and the rest of the chassis mounted in the bottom.

The newer ones have everything on a single board and they are a total PITA to service. Actually, they're not really worth the labor involved to tear into them!

Maybe I should just rip out the VCR mechanism and figure out a way to slide a DTV converter in there, like someone else on here did recently.



:D Mine has a CRT circuit board that includes the power supply that ran the VCR part, and the CRT circuits. And there is a voltage level control line (0 volts makes it turn off, 5V turns it on) that was driven by a microprocessor in the VCR mechanism, which also ran the tuner which was also in the VCR. The CRT circuit board has a baseband video input, a 2 pin connector.

FUUUUNAIIII!!!

(if the CRT's good, try fitting a DTV box in there. I'd be interested in seeing how that works.)

I've had a few of those Funai combos where the circuit board was cracked - check around the areas where the VCR deck supports come up through openings in the board. A real PITA to troubleshoot - repair is by jumpering with short lengths of wire, point to point. I saw a great number of these from military moves, so rough handling was probably the culprit.

Keep in mind that the end sensors will also flake out and give odd symptoms.

Cheers,

Uhm, no disrespect intended or anything like that, but don't you guys get the impression that all you're doing is basically trying to polish a Turd ? If their CRTs aren't any better than their circuit boards are, or even the on/off switches/boards, something else is surely to fail...I mean, just sayin' & all...(grin)

They Polished a Turd on Mythbusters a couple weeks ago!

The best Funai TV/VCR combo ever made is the one made in the late 80s with the click-sound eject mechanism and four belts. Final year for this chassis was in 1991.

Really, waltchan? The first TV/VCR combo units I saw were in the early 90s. Never cared for the idea, however.

And I resent Funai a lot :D I agree with Sandy, although its a cool idea to try and squeeze some more life out of junker TV/VCR combos...

I think the oldest TV/VCR combo I remember was made by Daewoo in the mid-late '80's. I never have been a fan of TV/VCR and/or DVD combos, no matter the brand. I don't care for the DVD/VCR combos and those "all in one" stereo systems. I'd rather have seperate components. A friend has a late '90's Panasonic TV/VCR combo that I sold him years ago and, knock on wood, it still works fine. That's the exception, not thr rule!

Hey that model doesn't happen to utilize an infrared sensor on the loading cage does it? Just had to repair a Walmart ("Magnavox") baged funai from 2002 and it had that craptastic vcr/dvd combo. The VCR would suddenly try to autoload with no tape. this led to stripping the loading gear (plastic) and breaking the guides (plastic with white goo) ((not enough although)) and turning off the set with a loud anoying gear stripping sound going off every 5 minutes. These sets constantly check the tape cage and try to eject even when there is no tape in there. What a fantastic idea to have the VCR constantly check for a tape!!!! And if there is no tape keep applying pressure to the (plastic) eject mechanism, snap the gears, and go haywire and shutdown the set! Lol! I still think it's funny now that I fixed it by removing the stupid IR sensor and jamming the deck down with a tape on top of the cage. No more deck, no more shutdown, just a constant running eject motor with half a gear hanging on it.

I think the oldest TV/VCR combo I remember was made by Daewoo in the mid-late '80's. I never have been a fan of TV/VCR and/or DVD combos, no matter the brand. I don't care for the DVD/VCR combos and those "all in one" stereo systems. I'd rather have seperate components. A friend has a late '90's Panasonic TV/VCR combo that I sold him years ago and, knock on wood, it still works fine. That's the exception, not thr rule!
The first TV/VCR combo ever made is the Panasonic CT-130V, introduced in 1984. I have one.

Hey that model doesn't happen to utilize an infrared sensor on the loading cage does it? Just had to repair a Walmart ("Magnavox") baged funai from 2002 and it had that craptastic vcr/dvd combo. The VCR would suddenly try to autoload with no tape. this led to stripping the loading gear (plastic) and breaking the guides (plastic with white goo) ((not enough although)) and turning off the set with a loud anoying gear stripping sound going off every 5 minutes. These sets constantly check the tape cage and try to eject even when there is no tape in there. What a fantastic idea to have the VCR constantly check for a tape!!!! And if there is no tape keep applying pressure to the (plastic) eject mechanism, snap the gears, and go haywire and shutdown the set! Lol! I still think it's funny now that I fixed it by removing the stupid IR sensor and jamming the deck down with a tape on top of the cage. No more deck, no more shutdown, just a constant running eject motor with half a gear hanging on it.

I think YOU'RE on to something but I don't know what model 'Nut refers to. When I was repairing these in the 90's Philips issued a fix for their Funai-built (Mag-branded) sets that required a new LED and the prism that sticks up through the deck. If memory serves the LED would get dim over time and the original prism wasn't aligned properly. I could find the Philips part numbers if I looked hard enough. I put A LOT of these in Funai-built units (there were also some Zeniths like this). I have a Zenith 13" model that has, I believe, the same problem. I've left a tape in it for the past 10 years so I can just use it for the TV. I just wouldn't swear that this fix applied to YOUR model. What model number is it, 'Nut?
Brian

The best Funai TV/VCR combo ever made is the one made in the late 80s with the click-sound eject mechanism and four belts. Final year for this chassis was in 1991.

Yes, most that I saw were branded Symphonic.

Well, I decided to let this one go. My friend came by this morning to get any junk I might want to get rid of and I yanked the chassis for spare parts and let him haul the rest off. Given the current state of BPC 19" TV's, I decided I needed the room for more important projects rather than have this BPC TV to trip over for the next six months. One of these days I'm going to learn NOT to bring this sort of crap home! If it does not have tubes or say "Chromacolor II" on the front, I need to leave it!