As most of us remembered that Panasonic made VCRS dominated the market in the 1980s. Now does anyone remember the models in the late 1980s, 1988 I think was the exact year, when they slimmed down there VCRS to a really small size? Almost small as the cassette tape, They did away with the front display and clock and most of the functions, and of course all of them had the blinking timer led. I wonder what was the purpose? and how long did these slim VCRS lasted until they brought back the functions and time display on there VCRS? I think if I remember correctly it was only shorty after, in 1994 when VHS VCRS became middle loading instead of the left side. I think these Panasonic Slimline VCRS started the whole blue screen OSD, because I remember people buying them like hotcakes and all VCRS eventually had blue screen OSD. I remember the remotes having many functions etc. and the problem was, if the remote got lost, the only thing you could do with the VCRS is Play/Stop/Eject and Power on/off unless you bought a replacement or universal.. I went to a local thrift today and found a Magnavox version, It being only $4.99, I had to buy it, and of course it works, but no remote..

My first Hi-Fi deck was a Magnavox with no front display, that would have been around 1990 or 91.

Getting rid of the display was a way to make and sell them cheaper.
A Hi-Fi deck back then was still an expensive item but that was right about the time prices (and quality) started dropping.

I'd like to see the one you got, maybe the same model I had.

Mine used this remote:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Magnavox-VSQS0900-REMOTE-CONTROL-VCR-/150569016612?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230e9cdd24

It's only $1.00 + shipping if you need it.

I had a Quasar version which didn't have the panel display. Basically a re badged Panasonic, it lasted for over a decade. Never ate a tape and very reliable.

:) I looked on eBay and the first remote on the list was the one my '91 2-head Magnavox VCR used, also for $1. I gave the thing away in 2003 because the remote died and I couldn't find a replacement for under $75. Never had any trouble with the machine itself.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s252/audubon5425/magvcrremote.jpg

I began working on VCR's (and camcorders) in about this time frame. After a few years of watching their retail prices drop (with the resulting decline in repair volume) I remember thinking that if HI-FI units would stop their declining retail values at about the $100-150 mark I might be able to retain some "job security".

Ten years later, after HI-FI units started selling for less than $70 and DVD player sales started taking off I had to find a different line of work. :no:

Eric mine is a VR9720AT01 I don't believe it's Hi-Fi, it's dated December of 1988. When I was young, the step dad bought, If my memory serves me correctly was the GE version. Also my aunt bought the Sylvania version, I think they were bought in the same year "1988". I don't recall ever seeing a Hi-Fi version of these. If i did, it probably didn't look any different, I would think they probably didn't have the VU meter display on the front either.. I do remember both family members having these for a long time before they stopped working properly and tossed them...

Blast that is too bad, TV/VCR repair shops are the thing of the past. Nothing is made to be repaired anymore, it's made to be tossed out.. Look at our beloved Blockbuster Video, I knew this day was coming.. No more having to leave the house to rent movies, just sit your lazy but on the couch and press a few buttons with your greasy fingers while holding a bag of chips in the other.


I just did a search on Ebay and i think the remote to our GE was this one..

http://i.ebayimg.com/18/!BV9Qv1gBGk~$(KGrHgoOKkMEjlLmV,uSBKVJ8JFZQ!~~_12.J PG

I did another search and I believe this was our GE model, if not its close to it

http://i.ebayimg.com/10/!C!EBhNwBWk~$(KGrHqMOKikEzWkeEoisBNBnHgW0mg~~_3.JP G

Probably the most popular 80s VCR still found in thrift shops today as working. It uses only 1 belt that rarely fails, so it always take a tape in and load it to the video head.

Reliability, overall, is higher than the previous Panasonic chassis with 2 belts, but longevity (lifespan) is shorter. More surface-mount capacitors are used, smaller power supply that eat caps faster, and capstan motor locks up, freezes, and make growling noises when it reaches 25 years old due to worn bearings.

There were two other Panasonic late-80s chassis used at the same time. One used a nylon-tooth plastic belt instead a rubber belt, and one used two nylon-tooth plastic belts chassis found in AG-1960 and PV-S4990.

I picked this one up a few months back.. For $3 can't beat it, and it works fully. I've never seen one of these before with all the function display along with on screen display, GE even kept there previous design looks.. Doesn't have Blue-Screen other than programing the timer, but has all on screen menus and display. This beauty is Dated 1987

http://vintageelectronics.betamaxcollectors.com/images/generalelectricvhsvcrmodel9-7785_1.jpg

Even came with the remote.. And even the remote is the same style as there older models..

http://vintageelectronics.betamaxcollectors.com/images/generalelectricvhsvcrmodel9-7785_5.jpg

Hello AUdubon5425
Yat
thats the same remote this came with my RCA vcr made by panasonic
for the price panasonic vcrs were good Hitachi made a lot of vcrs too.

a lot of vcrs were made by those two brands I did a lot of vcr repair in the 80s and 90s made some great money
Rich
P.S. I have worked on hundreds of vcrs some days my shop would had seen 20 vcrs
I even changed a bunch of heads

Hello guys,
I still have a lot of parts still in stock for vcrs even remotes and I still have a bunch of panasonic vcrs

I also a Big fan of those Panasonic VCR's They were well-manufactured VCR's They hav the Precision-Machined Chassis right up to 1991 (I think) I have a panasonic vcr with the Hi-End-Looking Remote contol.

Agreed.. I like how all have the same features but different looks, based on the label. I've been picking up alot of old Panasonics from the thrift shops around here. We all know about the common power supply problems, but I've been noticing video problems on alot of them, flicking/running color, bit a distortion in the picture, and noticeable clear lines, Does anyone know what this problem is? i don't think it has anything to do with the video heads, looks more like a signal problem..

...

Hum, I have a bunch of Panasonics that i've been running across lately, and alot of them do have problems in the power supply, the hissing arching noises when powered up.. I found another Quasar top loader the other day, which i have two others of the same model, one is a parts deck as it has problems with audio. Seeing how im not good with a test meter, i took a cap out of the one with the good power supply and placed it in the other, and did that with each cap, i plugged in the vcr each time, and finally found out one of the culprits, I got it to work for the most part, but i have to plug/unplug and and play a tape a few times for the power supply to properly work, first couple of times when going into play mode i notice the function display blinking dim and the power supply noise, after a few times it starts to work fine. So probably there are a few other caps that probably need replacing as well.. I notice the transformer is the noise maker on these, but not the problem, Im guessing the bad caps are what causing the transformer to arch. I'll probably go over to digi-key and order about ten caps of each value needed.. And maybe someone on here may know the suggested values i should order for early-mid 1980s Panasonic made VCR power supply caps. If not I may just have to go though each VCR and see the values and voltage of each cap in the power supply. Also if Im not mistaken, I believe I can go up on the voltage of caps, replace some or all caps with a higher voltage than the original.

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What would you consider high quality caps? Nichicon? Digi key doesn't show a option for power supplies.. I think there are a few places locally that sell caps, I may just get them locally..

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Thanks for the tips Andy, I've got my Magnavox Hi-Fi powering up now.. Only place that sells Capacitors locally is Radio Shack. A bit expensive. I was able to find a few of the right values, replaced about five or six of them and than it powered on.. Im going to order a bunch at the end of the month from Digi-Key.. I've got a few machines that have the fuse burnt out in them, I wonder if those are going to have other problems other than the caps?

speaking of fitting issues, the 1000uf caps from radio shack were bigger than the ones in the vcr, the section with the three of them all didn't fit, so one of them i had to solder about a inch high from the circuit board, and taped around the leads and lower part of cap with electrical tape, I may end up replacing those with a smaller sized, once I order from Digi-Key.. I got most of the smaller caps replaced on that VCR, all of the original bigger sized caps with high values and/or voltages are still in the VCR. They go for over a buck a piece on digi-key.

There's a cap that's in most of these older models valued at 120uf at 200v, Digikey doesn't have that value with the same voltage, they have one at a higher 250v, and they are 2 bucks a piece, I don't want to order a bunch of the same cap that won't fit or work..

If memory serves me, that was known as a "G" chassis. I loved em. The jobbers even offered a kit for the power supply. The biggest problem I saw with them was the mode switch would get dirty and confuse the CPU. This caused the gears to jump timing. There was a kit to stop this that worked great. These critters tuner could autoprogram faster than any other set I ever saw. And they gave a great picture.

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The predecessor was one of the best VCR designs ever in my opinion (that GE hi-fi deck in post 10 is one of the last of those from early 1987).
This means 1986 and 1987 models only.

I've noticed the different chassis in the 1986 - 87 models, I didn't know the name

1990 Panasonic VCR models were probably the least reliable of the G-chassis decks. Way too many surface-mount caps were used in video and Hi-Fi audio board (excluding mono units). I just had a tech re-soldered 57 joints to replace only 6 bad surface-mount caps in the video board. Tech wasn't happy with me bringing in this type of repair, and he suggests anyone to stay away from Panasonic G-chassis decks if one wants a lower repair bill.