I picked up this 1983 Sharp "My Video" VC-363 portable at a local thrift today, and the idler tire was a bit worn because of its age, so it was discounted to $1.00 at the counter. It does remind me a bit of a boombox of the era and it crammed a lot of components into this though was easy to work with.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/jedo1507r/Sharp%20VC-363%201983/001.jpg

After I worked on the idler tire, the machine ran well. I had to clean the heads with a dry cleaning cassette that came with a pack of blanks a few years ago. Heh, I finally used one from the package.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/jedo1507r/Sharp%20VC-363%201983/007.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/jedo1507r/Sharp%20VC-363%201983/009.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y251/jedo1507r/Sharp%20VC-363%201983/015.jpg

looks like it has a nice picture :thmbsp:

Yeah - what's that show?

Thanks! :D

That's the 2005 KBS Music Awards. Major Korean networks usually have annual music concert shows at the end of the year, as well as some specials throughout the year.

Some clips are on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=2005+KBS+%22music+awards%22&aq=f

Nice machine! I've repaired a couple of those, and they're actually good units, in my opinion. Sharp was notorious for making junk during the 80s & 90s, but their VCRs were fairly solid and reliable. All I ever did on those was to clean the mode sensing switch, and replace belts & idlers. That portable machine is kind of rare, and I haven't seen or thought about one in a long time.

Charles

Thanks, I've always thought that portables of the era were two (three, or four)-piece affairs.

Here's an ad for a similar Sharp portable. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go9pw6cjhZc)

Just for fun, I have posted a demo of the machine. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWv3S2ijZJI)

I had the same model with the optional external video camera, rechargable battery packs and charger, case and of course ac power supply. Finally got rid of it a couple years ago. I was still working great then with no more than cleanings being done to it. These were nice units and fairly expensive in their day.
-Tony