Just picked up this Panasomic Omnivision VHS model PV-1200 VCR today at the Salvation Army. It reminded me of one of the ones they wheeled around on a cart with a TV when I was in high school, so I grabbed it for a whole $6.00. To my surprise, the damn thing works flawlessly! :) . Now, I just have to clean it up and it will see service with a TV as of yet to be determined.

Anyone have any ideas as to its vintage or know anything about them?

Of the 80s stuff, my experience is that the cheap GoldStar ones were the most reliable. Clean the idler tire once a year and she's good to go!

Here ya go buddy..

PANASONIC
VCRVHS, PV- 1200

Description:

Manufacture Years: 1979 - 1980



Additional Information:
F-stop:
Lens/Screen:




Retail
MSRP: $1,100.00
USED: $28.00
Wholesale
Mint: $15.00
Average: $8.00

Click here for a definition of Bluebook prices.


Mike

Here's a link to what was Panasonic's first VCR, or VTR as it was called. Looks pretty darn close to mine :)

http://matsushita.co.jp/corp/company/history/en/inp1977_1.html

You gotta think that for $1100 new back then, they built in the same quality into these as many companies did in stereo gear.

most of these will work well with just a cleaning,idler tire and sensing lamp.
they also seem immune to macrovision(copygaurd)

The picture/color quality is usually lacking on these old timers :(

My first VCR was a Sylvania top loader bought in 1983, even at the time I was disappointed in the picture.

Of course now compared to DVD even new VCR's pretty much suck! :D

Nice to see someone else wondering over to vintage VCR's :) I've been collecting them for quite a while. The PV-1200 is the third model I think. What tape speeds does it have available? I know they had a PV-1000 and PV-1100. I have a pair of Quasar/JCPenney twins that look just like this. They have 3 speeds on them and date from 1981. The earlier 2-speed VCR's are better in video quality because of the thicker heads. To get SLP, they give it thinner heads. They don't read as intense of a signal from the magnetic "track" as a full-sized head would. I have a 1977 JVC HR-3300 (the very first VHS) with an absolutely beautiful picture. It has the wider 2-hr heads.

New heads for these old tanks are relatively cheap ($30 or so). I'd seriously consider dropping new heads in it while they are still available. This will roll back the odometer significantly for excellent performance in its next 30 years.

Mike

This has 3 speeds. I was mighty impressed at how well it operates. Since you're more experienced than I with these machines, would you say that the build quality is superior to say today's offerings? I haven't even had the top off.

Today's offerings??? Kam you kooky old man who the hell still buys VCR's??? They've gone the way of the dinosaur, the record player and tape decks.

Now you may be able to tell me that RTR's and expensive TT's offer a better sound than CD players but there ain't no way you can say that a VHS tape provides a better picture than a DVD played on a progressive scan DVD player ;)

...

Originally posted by THOR
Today's offerings??? Kam you kooky old man who the hell still buys VCR's??? They've gone the way of the dinosaur, the record player and tape decks.

Now you may be able to tell me that RTR's and expensive TT's offer a better sound than CD players but there ain't no way you can say that a VHS tape provides a better picture than a DVD played on a progressive scan DVD player ;)


Last I heard Thor, they don't make camcorders that record on DVDs.....at least any that I can afford......

Besides which, if you have kids, a VCR is a must for all of the kids' tapes.

True if you have a library of old tapes but a DVD player can be had for like $50 now and DVD's cost the same as VHS so most people will be making the switch. I still have my VCR in the loop ;) I was just jerking your chain :)

A repair manual from the 80's refers to these as "tank"-style machines, no doubt due to their weight and cast chassis construction. I had one several years ago and a neat feature were the book style circuit boards underneath. They're mounted on metal frames that, once released, fold open like a book to gain access to the underside of the reel table. My wife and I purhased a PV-1250 (I think) which was a button operated deck, not the piano-key transport, in 1981 and used it until 1989. It was given to her parents who still use it on occasion.
Speaking of cost: a 1979 Sears catalog lists their beta machine for $799 and if you want an optional color camera, (gasp), $1299. 'Course, the b/w was only $399, with a non-electronic "viewfinder"...

That's one of the big things with these VCR's....they are made of metal, not plastic. Sanyo started the trend in the 80's with their plastic base plates for the beta mechanisms (not sure about their VHS). Plastic tends to warp and bend where metal stays stiff and wards off motor vibrations better. Consequently Sanyo Beta machines are well known for sub-par performance. The point behind the VCR is to keep the tape as precisely aligned with the heads as possible, which a metal chassis is more apt to accomplish.

There are a lot of discrete components in these early VCRs as well. Today's may have slightly better circuitry, but it's all on silicon -- ICs can be packed more densely and more cheaply produced than individual transistors, RC networks, etc. A 1980 variant of today's circuits would be a small refrigerator in size if it could have been produced. Today they do that on what, 3 chips? However, when something goes wrong, which one would you rather work on? Modern VCRs are nonservicable one-time-use snap plastic and even if you could disassemble them, the parts aren't available from the manufacturers. Check out sci.electronics.repair and see what I mean. That PV-1250 could take a serious beating and still function. Not likely with modern junk.

old jvcs(of course), panasonics, and some sonys(for beta)

Last summer I got 7 VCRs for 35$ at a garage sale. The only one that still works (but I think only 4 of them worked at all when first I brought them home) is the oldest, a 1988 RCA. All I've had to do to it was to change a belt.

I was actually going through some of my old tapes last night and I was actually suprised at how good a picture VHS can do. Of course Laserdiscs (when in decent condition) and DVDs (except for those shitty cheapo DVDs made from VHS masters and then overly compressed) provide a better picture, but if like me you haven't actually watched a VHS tape for a while you may be surprised.

The other benefit of course is movies on VHS are now dirt cheap. Around here you can regularly pick up large boxes of VHS tapes (usually a mix of original and home recorded tapes) for a couple of bucks. Heh, if the tapes are old enough even the ads can be entertaining.

I usually pick up at least a couple of decent movies each week that have been left in the VCRs that come across my bench. There are usually a few DVDs stuck in players as well, but most of those aren't worth watching (those stay on the bench for testing).

Most of my VHS decks are relatively new (90s), I don't even remember the last time I saw an old tank come through. I do have a big old Umatic machine around here somewhere that I will get around to checking out one of these days.

I have am 1985-86 "Panasonic" NV-630PX. I still use it (I enherited it 3 yrs ago). It can records on N.T.S.C. 3.58 too! The problem is that tuner is old (so I have to input signal from the tv, and the tv set have just 1 tuner, so the V.C.R. records what is on the tv screen) and it haves only 2 heads, so the image isn't too good. But the case is metal made (execept the front panel, which is plastic made) and it's an partial direct-drive V.C.R.
As soon as I can will repair my Betamax V.C.R. :naughty: (an 1981-82 "Sony" SL-C7E, the first model with APS-Automatic Picture Search). The side I don't like about it is that the V.C.R. works only on P.A.L. :dammit:
With all that the amatuer V.C.R.'s (V.H.S., S-V.H.S., Betamax, Video-2000) may not always provide a good image as such as a D.V.D. can, I love V.C.R.'s.
I'm sittin' and waiting for the moment when the Romanians will start to throu D.V.D. playres - I will love to jump on them and smash them with a sledge hammer - the V.C.R.'s will be revenge :lazer: :pistols:

Heh, just fix the DVD players (many have minor faults that are trivial to fix), sell them and buy more of the gear you want...

I think I'm going to get one of my relatives one of these older VHS players. They keep fixing a 15 year old RCA VCR that's not worth it. They also don't want a DVD player since have large VHS movie collection.
Gave me a good idea.

:yes:

...

I have a Fisher FVH-6600 that I bought new in 1989 that's still running like new. I've only had one problem with it over the years, and it turned out to be a little oxidation around the head that was fixed while I waited for $20. They just don't build them like that anymore!

Today's offerings??? Kam you kooky old man who the hell still buys VCR's??? They've gone the way of the dinosaur, the record player and tape decks.

Well, VCRs still rule for recording and erasing for time shifting. Dirt cheap and perfect for television. In fact, I have a couple piggybacked in the bedroom so I can copy rentals if I don't have time to watch them. Nothing I hate worse that renting something and having to take it back unwatched :thumbsdn:

I've snagged a few stereo ones for around $5.00 apiece, but prolly should look for one of those older ones with the little dial tuners because I've heard their technology predates Macrovision and allows for DVD dubbing.

Izzat true???

....

The other benefit of course is movies on VHS are now dirt cheap. Around here you can regularly pick up large boxes of VHS tapes (usually a mix of original and home recorded tapes) for a couple of bucks. Heh, if the tapes are old enough even the ads can be entertaining.



Recently my wife has had trouble finding shows worth watching so shes been digging out tapes I made in the late 80s/early 90s. In many cases she doesn't care for the shows I taped (old documenteries, "Our World", the Smothers Brothers, etc.) so she just fast forwards through the show & watches the commercials!

I just parted out our first VCR, an '86 Panasonic. I probably should have saved it but the power supply board had some crispy critters on it & a blown fuse. My Mom really ran that thing to death. I was looking for one to use back in the tv room; one of the ones in the pile is a Sears (Sanyo) that I bought at a flea market 10 years ago for about $10. The second time I used it the tape got destroyed. It must have been a fluke because now everything seems okay so I'll keep my fingers crossed. Its a stereo unit.

Just returned from a trip to the attic to dig this beast out. I gotta stop reading these threads. Too much stuff re-appearing around here.

This was a high-end RCA VCR somewhere in the early 80's...my poor years. It is a slim-style, not a tank. I think I paid around $700 for it. About half the price of that used Chevy Malibu wagon I owned then. It has not seen a volt for over 10 years and powered right up. The only thing not working is the channel select on the remote and I cannot set the clock. When I last ran it, it had a head bearing noise that is now gone. Time will tell.

It is a SP-SLP only machine and is working like a champ. Not sure if it plays LP yet. It's claim to fame is it has an early digital frame buffer of some sort, probably field rate, that all playback goes through.

If you do a manual tracking adjustment in any mode and go too far, it mutes the video to black. Too much sync garbage for the frame buffer. It does a true digital freeze frame, pic in pic and pic move from corner to corner, and two useless DVE (their early term for this) functions...pixelated and solarization to amaze your neighbors with. About the same functions we had at the TV station I worked at then.

It has a true digital slow function with tracking adjust and speed adjust. They are perfect after using the remote tracking adjustment.

I bought it for the freeze frame and slow function. It was useful in my early 3/4" productions where I needed a freeze or slow-motion. I would loop the video through it and get my freeze on the fly. Or I would copy to VHS to get the slow. Don't look too closely at the blanking width or the digital artifacts at the top of the screen. The client never knew.

I may add it to the old VHS to DVD dubbing system I am running to clear the house of all those old tapes. It will be perfect for the problem tapes that look nasty on the current VHS decks I am using.

And to help another question, Macrovision was disabled on Beta copies because Beta inserted a new sync pulse which is where Macrovision is hidden. Not sure if early VHS did the same trick.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane and a prod to get this beast running again.

Dave A

I still have a 1981 Lloyds VTP (yep! a Video Tape Player!) that is a front loader, plays all three speeds, has auto-rewind and stop/eject and still has a very vivid picture and excellent audio considering it's linear mono. Funny how the linear audio went to hell in the Hi-Fi machines when they came out.

Of the 80s stuff, my experience is that the cheap GoldStar ones were the most reliable.

Wow, just like Daewoo, we're gonna have to agree to disagree on that one. I'd say those VCRs are what dragged down the Gold Star name and forced them to buy the Zenith name, then progress on to "LG".

They had one of the first VCRs at $200, and what stinking heaps. I worked at K-mart in the late 80s, and could have built a fort with returned Gold-Starsky-VCR-skis. We bought my grandparents one, and the heads were shot in a year. (That's what GS factory service said). Then I stuck it in a newer box, and swapped it out due to my connections at K-mart. I know I did that at least twice, because it started to get humorous (and I never felt a moment of guilt for returning their crapola products... Grandpa barely even knew how to turn on the VCR, let alone wear out the heads.)

I bought a MagnaFunai out in Phoenix at an estate sale in 2002-ish. ($5) Used it twice, then it ate a tape. I was so angry, I ripped it in half with just my bare hands (cut them to hell too) I even posted the pics on AK!

I've got Beta, 3/4" U-Matic, and VHS machines and tapes but I have got real frustrated with the head clogging from tape oxide shedding...if you have video tapes that play I would get a DVD dubbing system and dub NOW because the tapes will disintegrate.

The funny thing is that old reel to reel tapes from the 50's don't do this...the tape may be more brittle but the oxide does not disintegrate.

I have found DVD's and TIVO so superior to VCR's that the only time I have used the VCR in the last two or three years was to watch the few movies I have that don't seem to be available on satellite or DVD.
I probably should set up some of my Beta VCR's again though...one year at Texas Recycles day I got about 7 early 80's Sony Beta VCR's that all have mechanical problems but should be fixable. I can use them with some relatively new Betacam tapes I have

...

I have Panasonic's very first Hi Fi model the NV-850 which first came out in early 1984, I also have an NV-F66 which I brought brand new in late '91 & I have 2 NV-FJ630's one I brought brand new for about $320 & the other I brought from a op shop for $35.

The older dicast decks were more robust then the later decks such as the R4 which Panasonic now uses. I prefer the NV-F66 (G mech) over the newer decks any time.

Here's a link to what was Panasonic's first VCR, or VTR as it was called. Looks pretty darn close to mine :)

http://matsushita.co.jp/corp/company/history/en/inp1977_1.html

You gotta think that for $1100 new back then, they built in the same quality into these as many companies did in stereo gear.

Actually, Matsushita/Panasonic had VCRs out long before that..! They obviously didn't use the VHS format though-- they were EIAJ-2 format, which was basically the ol' EIAJ-color 1/2" open reel video format, but repackaged into *cartridge* form. The cartridge had just one tape reel though-- you inserted the cartridge into a front-load slot in the machine (much like on a modern front-load VCR), and internally it would automatically thread the tape out of the cartridge and onto the (internal) take-up spool that forms part of the mechanism. Of course, this meant you had to rewind the tape entirely before you could eject the cartridge.

Come to think of it, though, perhaps that doesn't qualify as a "VCR" though since a tape "cassette" tends to imply two reels of tape in the same cartridge. Oh, well, whatever. :)

"GoldStar" it's named today "LG", not "Daewoo".
Btw, "Daewoo" opened a car plant in Romania (Craoiva, capital of Dolj county, southern Romania). We still have the right to produce "Daewoo" cars. This cars are a lot better then thoes bloody "Dacia" 1310/Solenza/Logan (all my rescpect for "Dacia" 1100/1300 with French :rockon: engine)

Hi,
There are many GOOD movies not available on DVD , still on VHS tape! Such as "The Seven Ups", or the Original" Blade Runner", not director's cut, Etc.
I still play my VHS tapes.

There are many GOOD movies not available on DVD , still on VHS tape! Such as "The Seven Ups",

Wow, I thought I was the only one who liked that movie! :thmbsp:

I'd love to have a collection of all those great old 70s movies. Problem is, I was just -2 to age 5 when most of them came out, so unless they showed on TV, I'm not familiar with them. (Back before UHF became a wasteland of infomercials and the "WB")

Just picked up Black Ceaser and Truck Turner brand new on VHS for .99 at the grocery store. I know those are Blacksplotation, not exactly the same thing as French Connection, Bullit, or the Seven Ups, but close enough!

We were talking about items being non repairable, One of the first Hand held GPS units for the public in the early 1990's was made by Motorola in the USA and was designed with plastic clips for the top and bottom halfs. Once it was snaped together it could not be opened again EVER without breaking it. If it was it make it waterproof or spacedust proof but that was not the case. UNIT IS NOT WATER RESISTANT on the back. After about 6 months half the display went out unless you twisted the unit. Motorola did offer me the option of a refund, the whole production run was crushed and shredded. Hey, What ever happened to the Motorola Trillium satelitte phone system?

Around that same time I was sent shopping for a cordless phone for my sister. I really wanted something American made & finally found the one Motorola had out. It looked pretty nice, too-a flip phone that fit easily in the pocket & just a good all-around design. The phone lasted about a month. Tech support was helpful & mailed out a replacement right away; they just had me send the defective one back at their convenience. Years later I needed a phone for work so searched out one of these. By then Moto had discontinued them & all I could get were reconditioned units. I had 3 in all & none of them lasted more than a few weeks. I put them all in a box & sold them to a fellow at a yard sale we were having. Charged him 25 cents. He probably overpaid. Really ashame.

I picked up a Beta machine at a thrift store today, 1984 Sears SR 1000, it plays B II and B III. I brought it home put in a tape and it worked. The head was dirty, so I put in a Beta head-cleaning tape I picked up at the same thrift store today, and it cleared it right up. I couldn't believe it, I've never brought home any video tape player this old and just had it work with no difficulties like that.

I got a old top-loading RCA at a thrift today, model VCT400X, 1979, it worked when I got it home, head is a bit dirty though. I also got a CED player, RCA SFT100W, but I don't have any CEDs, so I don't know if it works or not.

I've been collecting Beta and VHS VCRs in the past several years. Most of my (small) VHS collection is all made by Panasonic. A Magnavox and 2 Sylvania's. They all worked perfectly as is. I got several ones from the 90s from other manufacters, but they aren't built as well.

My Beta collection also works well. Still got my first VCR I've had since I was 5 (parents gave it to me.) A Sony Super Beta SL-100. All original parts, direct driven. Works as good as it did over 20 years ago.

I need to find more early 80s VHS machines...

True if you have a library of old tapes but a DVD player can be had for like $50 now and DVD's cost the same as VHS so most people will be making the switch. I still have my VCR in the loop ;) I was just jerking your chain :)

I also have a Panasonic Omnivision VHS VCR in my entertainment system. Bought it new about three years ago, a replacement for a Panasonic Omni which ate one of my cassettes just hours after I had finished recording the tape. Hated to lose that first Pana, since it had VCR Plus+ and worked really well until the cassette jammed. (I had to practically wreck the machine to get the cassette out; even then I had to break the tape as well :no: ). I kept the remote, though; it works with my current Panasonic VCR just fine. I have no intention of giving up my VCR as I have a large library of VHS cassettes, mostly old movies and '70s-'80s TV series, and I do tape shows every now and then (mostly time shifting). But my DVD player gets more use these days than the VCR. Some day I might look into a DVD recorder so I can transfer my VHS tapes to DVD, but for the time being, as long as my current VCR works as well as it does, I'll keep it around.

Panasonic claims on its web site that its VCRs are built to last; as little as I use mine since getting the DVD player a year and a half ago, I don't anticipate any problems for quite a while. I bought a Panasonic-built GE VCR, my first VCR, in 1984 that lasted six years before the heads wore out, an Emerson VCR after that which lasted several years, and a Magnavox VCR which lasted five years before the heads gave up in it too. The first Panasonic followed, which lasted two(!) years, replaced by my present Pana VCR. Assuming the machines are still available several years from now, I will likely replace that VCR with a VHS/DVD dual deck when the time comes. I would think, since VHS will definitely be a dead format when digital TV becomes standard in a little more than three years, these DVD recorders will be very popular and as inexpensive as VCRs are today.

BTW, I don't think DVDs are quite as cheap as VHS cassettes yet; at least they aren't at the stores I frequent. I can get RCA and other brands of blank VHS tapes at Big Lots for 98 cents apiece; I haven't yet seen blank (recordable) DVDs that cheap anywhere. I can get CD-Rs designed for data storage at dirt-cheap prices as well (I bought a spindle of 30 Imation CD-Rs at Big Lots last year for something like $3.99), but I wouldn't try to record video on them. I am not really sure what the difference is, if any, between CD-Rs designed for data storage and disks meant for video recording, although I have successfully transferred still images (jpeg) to CD-R from my computer's hard disk.

Heres a tank Sony SVP-9000,its a bear .

...

I have this Betamax SLC-20E from about 1984. It´s just a cheap model, but it is a very solid construction which weighs about 15 kilos. The only plastic part of the chassis is the front panel. The previous owner had it in use for less than 10 years and did not use it much. It plays back pretty good, but does not record very well. Of course i have cleaned the heads, but it does not help. I tried to do some adjustments to it but that did not help either. I know it has been better than now because the recordings on some of the cassettes i got with it are better. Should i try to recap it?

I also have a Sanyo Betacord VTC5000 fron the early 80s, but that is pretty beaten up. The (plastic) chassis is broken in two, the front panel is missing, the heads are worn down, the picture is nothing much to talk about, but it works. When it dies, i am going to thrash it. I found it at the dump.

When it comes to VHS i have a Panasonic NV-G40 HQ from 1988 which is in good condition, but i suspect the heads is nearing the end of their lifetime. It is pretty much used, but the picture is still chrystal clear. On a good tape the still and slow motion picture is perfect, and there is a own tracking control for slow motion. The timer can be programmed with a bar code scanner; it is cool, but i think this is mostly a "gimmick". I use this VCR with my 1984 Philips TV.

I got an RCA SelctaVision VDT-501 on eBay. It is black plastic with woodgrain shell, and DIALS! It was made in 1979 and still works like new! I will never part with it... I'm taking it to the grave! It's an excellent pieceof equipment, built like a tank, and it's a shame they don't still make them like this.

Mitsubishi had some older units that were pretty nice.
Heres one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mitsubishi-HS-U71-SVHS-S-VHS-VCR-w-remote-manual-Sony_W0QQitemZ5881239302QQcategoryZ67831QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem

I recently bought a vcr Sony Slv-n750, because I have lots of old tapes(documentaries, concerts) that I love. I had to shop hard to find this one. Pretty soon vcrs will be unavailable.

Still have and use my SL-HF300 Beta, thinking about selling it lately

I used to have to work on these old soldiers. They had an idler wheel which would go bad, clutches which had to be rebuilt, and a gazillion belts in them. In my opinion the Panasonics of the late 1980's, which had what they called the "G" mech, were far superior. You got VHS Hi-Fi, NO friggin' idler wheel to wear out, and I think 2 belts. They wre built very well. They had a cast / machined aluminum chassis for the mechanism. I have one I picked up for $10 at a garage sale 10 years ago. My kids played the crap out of it and it's still working great.

...

I never cared for the "G" chassis Panasonics. They were VERY slow to change modes because they used the capstan motor as the loading and mode motors. I also saw lots and lots with gears that jumped a tooth or two rendering the VCR unusable. It was possible to reset the gear timing, but they tended to jump again after a while. I see the G chassis as the beginning of the end of quality VCRs.

Panasonic's previous mechanism was great though. Only two belts, no idler tire and separate loading and mode motors. I've never seen a serious mechanical failure in one of those. Even the belts were made of very good quality rubber.

Hmm, that must be the chassis I was thinking of, because mine has the separate motors for loading and functions. (But I had thought that one was the "G" mech.) And it has the aluminum chassis, right?

...

Now that I'm home I took a look at the service manual. My VCR is a PV-4361 and it has one separate loading motor, not 2 as I had thought.It has that rack gear on the bottom and the capstan motor is used to drive the reels and move the rack to apply the brakes, and determine which reel is driven. Whatever, it's been a good soldier.

Every five years you can replace the head. I did on mine, 2 screws after opening and drop it in place.

Well, that is if you can find a head.

Back in about 1999, I found an ancient JVC VHS unit, and an ancient Sanyo Beta unit! The tag said $20 for both but I haggled and got it down to $15. (Which, coincedentally, was my allowance at that time, me being only 14).

Both units top-loaded, and both had apparently had remotes that plugged into the front, however, only the remote for the Sanyo was still there. One thing I really found odd about this JVC unit was that it had one of those "push-button" tuners that was common to the first digital units and it only got VHF! Apparently, the reason the beta unit was still around was because the people who sold it were using it as a tuner for the VHS unit. The other thing I thought was odd was that the power switch was manual, and it resembeled a light switch with three positions for OFF/ON/TIMER.

The whole reason for this couple selling both units was that the JVC had stopped playing/recording tapes, so I took it apart when I got home (not even knowing if it worked yet), and found that I could stretch three large rubber bands I found in our kitchen in place of the broken belt! Slipshod work yes, but I was only 14. That unit played/recorded perfectly after that for two years.

The Sanyo powered up just fine and had knob-type VHF/UHF tuners, with backlit channel displays and a digital clock on the front that almost looked like someone had pasted it on as an afterthought. It only had 300 ohm input/output jacks, while the JVC had A/V jacks and a coax plug. Unfortunately, I was never able to test out the Sanyo's tape deck as I never had access to any beta tapes. If connected to antennas, however, it worked great!

My whole reason for purchasing them was because my RCA TV had been taken away by my parents, and I could eaisly hide this setup in the closet and connect it to my 17" Colour Commodore Monitor that my folks thought I just had my old NES connected to.

The VCRs were killed by lightning striking their antenna in late August, 2001. That same month, my folks waited till i had left for school and put my NES, all my games (Zelda, Mario 1/2/3, Kid Icarus, Maniac Mansion, etc.) and that Commodore display out at the curb. Both the display and the NES worked fine. Such a shame. :(

Back in about 1999, I found an ancient JVC VHS unit, and an ancient Sanyo Beta unit! The tag said $20 for both but I haggled and got it down to $15. (Which, coincedentally, was my allowance at that time, me being only 14). :(

Slightly off topic, but I have to say that I'm pleased that more younger people are interested in old TVs. Without new hobbyists, this whole vintage TV thing could disappear.

I always thought I was the only kid who was the least bit interested in old TVs & stuff, as I'd show up at the SCARS (Southern CA Antique Radio Society) swap meet in the early 80s at age 14, and everybody else was 65 it seemed (no, Colortel and SteveD, not referring to you).

Welcome to this board, and the hobby!

Charles

I have an old Tatung VCR (http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a327/Hi_Ho/Tatung%20VCR/) from th early 80's that worked until a couple years ago. The problem it has now seems to be simple but I haven't bothered to fix it. There are a couple videos in the PhotoBucket gallery showing what it does.

Back in 1996 I upgraded to a Sharp VCR with all the bells and whistles. I have been using that almost daily since then and it is still as good as new. I really like the fact that the clock sets itself.

I will soon be transfering all of my old home movies onto DVD and when I finally get a DVR, I won't have much use for a VCR. However, I will probably keep it around soley for its self setting clock. :D

BTW, I don't think DVDs are quite as cheap as VHS cassettes yet; at least they aren't at the stores I frequent. I can get RCA and other brands of blank VHS tapes at Big Lots for 98 cents apiece; I haven't yet seen blank (recordable) DVDs that cheap anywhere. I can get CD-Rs designed for data storage at dirt-cheap prices as well (I bought a spindle of 30 Imation CD-Rs at Big Lots last year for something like $3.99), but I wouldn't try to record video on them. I am not really sure what the difference is, if any, between CD-Rs designed for data storage and disks meant for video recording, although I have successfully transferred still images (jpeg) to CD-R from my computer's hard disk.

I just bought a 50 pack of Verbaitim DataLife+ (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817130978) DVD+R's for $20 at Newegg. That's about 40 cents per disc. Those are among the best discs you can buy.

This topic may be old, but in general, 2-head mono VCRs usually last the longest. If I have to choose a VCR that will last forever, it would be Panasonic AG-2100.

Panasonic's previous mechanism was great though. Only two belts, no idler tire and separate loading and mode motors. I've never seen a serious mechanical failure in one of those. Even the belts were made of very good quality rubber.

The one from 1986 with the orange toothed capstan belt, right?

I used to have one, the loading motor had a plastic thingy which coupled the motor shaft to a longer shaft with a brass worm gear on it, the plastic thingy cracked in half, i managed to glue it back together only to find that the whole loading mechanism was jammed, i finally had to junk the VCR.

Hello Gentlemen,

Maybe you are a little bit interested in what we used on the other side of the pond, in Europe, France to be specific.

- The JVC HR-7600S, a SECAM single standard VHS VCR, JVC's flagship model in 1982, costing around US $2000.00 back then. One of my Broadcast customers stopped its duplication activities and were selling them off at 20% of list price. Nearly everyone in the office wanted (and got) one.
Well, believe it or not, 2 out of the 3 units i purchased are still going strong. Every 3 years i sent them in for maintenance (belt, capstan idler change) + drum check, and these 25 year-old machines just keep on working.

- Next, a big jump in time with the Sony SLV-767B, a beautiful high-end deck produced in the early 90s. Full editing with a flying erase head, full Jog/Shuttle on the deck and the remote, Hi-Fi Stereo recording and dual standard PAL/SECAM compatability. Have two, regular maintenance, both work fine.
Around 2005, a heck of a lot of purple electrolytics to change. For those who know, same caps as in the Indextron TVs with 100% bad caps guaranteed!

- Next, another jump in time, this time to S-VHS technology with the JVC HR-S7600E. Another high-end deck, purchased new in Germany last year, apparently S-VHS was a big hit there. The machine has Jog/Shuttle on the deck, but not on the remote, full insert/assemble editing, a Time Base Corrector,...

Now, why did i buy a tape deck in 2007 when you can record digital video onto a hard disk, a DVD, etc.?

Simple! the life span! My first VHS tapes, best-quality then, Fuji Beridox were recorded in 1976. 30 years later! i replay them with just an occasional long dropout. I was seriously considering a DVD burner/HDD combo, but 4 friends who have experience with these products reported difficulties playing back recordings as early as 2-3 years old, so NO WAY! for me.

Last machine is highly original: the Panasonic AG-W1, a VHS machine with built-in full standards conversion, so for instance you can dub an NTSC 3.58 525/60 USA tape to Euro PAL or SECAM 625/50 or vice-versa.
This machine came out in the late 90s before cheap digital standards conversion was available and was immediately embraced by the corporate world as the solution for solving tape/format standards problems in offices worldwide.

The one i acquired saw minimal use, and after changing 12 caps, works like new.

Hope i haven't bored you,

Best Regards

jhalphen
Paris/France

Hello again,

I have a question for you, the AK recording community:

In my philosophy of remaining faithful to tape, deeming DVD burning not reliable for long-term storage, i've kept a close watch on the US HD recorder scene.

The machine pictured in the photographs, a JVC HM-DH30000U appears quite frequently in Germany, don't know why (Mil PX sourced?)

Anyway, it can record off-air USA HDTV. Has anyone worked on the idea of making a switchable input switch modification say "Tuner & Aux" where "Aux" could record any HD source.

HDMI would have to be foiled, much like MacroVision in its day, anyone working to solve this?

I know you can time-shift off-air HD to a hard disk recorder or maybe to the just-appearing Blu-Ray recorders (Panasonic) but this is no solution for long term storage.

Additional problem could be that USA HD is 1080i/60 or 720p/60 whereas in Europe we use 1080i/50 or 720p/50. The recorder may not be able to cope with the 50/60 frames issue, which brings us right back to the problem of USA/Europe TV exchanges from the very beginning!

Thanks! for any comment, suggestions, etc.

Best Regards

jhalphen

---

The one from 1986 with the orange toothed capstan belt, right?

I used to have one, the loading motor had a plastic thingy which coupled the motor shaft to a longer shaft with a brass worm gear on it, the plastic thingy cracked in half, i managed to glue it back together only to find that the whole loading mechanism was jammed, i finally had to junk the VCR.
That's a different chassis. It's part of the G-chassis family, and it's the one Andy don't like (G-Chassis but with nylon teeth belt instead). It's available from 1987 to 1994. It's mostly found in Panasonic AG models, like AG-1820, AG-1830, etc. The nylon teeth belt runs even slower than the already slow rubber belt. Andy probably would go paranoid if he sees this chassis coming in for repairs. I have a Canon VR-HF800 with this chassis.

I picked the Panasonic AG-2100 that will last forever because it's a 2-head mono, linear power supply (heavy transformer), made in 1984, commercial-duty construction, Panasonic was rated #1 in reliability, no record function, no tuner, and no clock display on front. A VCR without clock display, tuner, and record mode last even longer as it takes less wear from the power supply and fewer circuit boards needed to run. VCP lasts longer than VCR, depending on the design.

The funny thing about those 80's Golstar VCRs is that their mechanisms were almost identical in design to Panasonic's. A lot of parts were different, but the basic design was clearly based on Panasonic's. Of course, there was no comparison between the two in terms of quality. A few parts like the main cam gear were exactly the same. I wonder is Goldstar bought the design off Panasonic, or just copied it?
Goldstar copied this chassis from Panasonic AG-1800 and AG-1810. Extremely identical with exact same belt sizes. The PV models that you regularly serviced before used larger belts and were not truly identical, although they were similar.

That's a different chassis. It's part of the G-chassis family, and it's the one Andy don't like (G-Chassis but with nylon teeth belt instead). It's available from 1987 to 1994.


Mine had "Jan-86" dates on the motors.

I got 4 RCA VBT-200s from 1977-78 and my VBT-200 from 10/23/77 works just like it did 30 years ago when I was trying to copy a Macrovision-coded tape for a friend of mine and I had failed to get good playback on the newer VCRs, but the copy had good playback on the VBT-200 as well as my 1982 Panasonic Omni-Vision. I also got a few 1984-86 Sony Betamaxes that play pretty good with my large 1500+ collection of Beta tapes which date from the original 1975-76 K-60s, yes, w/1970's TV shows with the original 1970's commercials on them to the latest 1990's L-750s. I also got these 1970's Betamaxes-
4 Sony SL-7200s-1 is new in the original box!
4 Sony SL-8200s-1 is new in the original box!
4 RARE Sony BII-Only SL-8600s-1 is new in the original box!
1 1977 Zenith Betamaz-like the SL-8200
1 other 1970's Betamax
My parents still have their original 1988 RCA VHS VCR they got as a Christmas present in 1988-just the remote is long gone though. It didn't really have the best picture for recording in EP/SLP speed, but it was a pretty good machine. It's at my grandmother's in Kirkland Lake now.
I also have, yes, both an NES and a Super Nintendo and LOVE the Mario Bros. games and Tetris:-)
Also, I am looking for any 1970's, 1980's and 1990's Beta and VHS tapes that have old commercials on them too that people may also want to get rid of for my trading and collecting hobby too-please and thanks.
Those new VCRs as everyone just about says here sure don't last and don't compare to the older VCRs at all.

One of the things I always look for at the flea market are boxes of old home-recorded video tapes. The oldest I have are some beta from around 82 that I bought along with a Sears top-loader. (that still works quite well) A bunch of 80s stuff I'd like to find on tape.

The well known and SLOW G-chassis! I've got 2 Magnavox VCRs with that chassis, and what's odd in these is the video head drum, where the motor is INSIDE the drum with a brass sleeve full of oil instead of ball bearings, think fluid dynamic bearing from a newer hard drive.

I've also got an AKAI that I've never even seen anywhere, it looks like it has it's own chassis design too.

Got 3 Panasonic PV-1545's from 1984, one has a bad power supply, other has a really dim level meter and the third works pretty well but the power supply is showing signs of going bad...

A Panasonic PV-1730 where I already had to pull apart and reoil the brass sleeve in the video head drum, and works fine but is pretty beat up and shows signs of needing new heads soon.

Also got some nice 1990's Sonys, but looking for that direct drive Hi-Fi stereo one mentioned earlier in this thread.

Finally, got a professional Panasonic deck with a modular chassis that only records in SP speed with a nice direct drive mechanism.

Oh, I got a couple portable units kicking around too!

My old Panasonic AG-1830 video faded into oblivion because of the electrolytic capacitors in the video module among others I am sure, I gave up on it (I have a brand-new upper drum in the package, thinking it would last forever when I ordered that from Panasonic about $90 at the time...) , I have a Mitsubishi HS-430U I keep going because it will play my few years accumulation of old linear stereo tapes I recorded on a Panasonic PV-1780 I think it was, one generation before Hi-Fi audio and MTS Stereo, when simulcast stereo was popular on cable and with TV and FM stations. Had JVC HR-S5800 and HR-S6700 VCRs in the system for a while but they can get unreliable from little use. Then I bought a Mitsubishi HS-U770 which the mechanism plastic FL guides cracked and failed, and I had to put in a whole new updated mechanism, so it still works, that's one still in operation today. I picked up a JVC HR-S5900U for less than $100 that is so simple mechanically is has little to fail and makes a very nice pic. Cheap but effective. Works every time. I have lots of S-VHS tapes I've recorded off of C-band satellite and OTA since '89 when I bought the AG-1830. Have about 75 Beta tapes but I have no Beta machine to play them on any more. I repaired VCRs for a living, most all brands in and out of warranty for almost 25 years.

No AK members know what I do, but I am more of a VCR collector than a TV collector. I have more than 50 VCRs. Some are part units. Most are Hi-FI, high-end units. I have so many things to say about VCRs, but no one is interested in VCRs anymore. I hate keeping everything to myself. Need help, ask me, and I may know the answer.

I've also got an AKAI that I've never even seen anywhere, it looks like it has it's own chassis design too.
Akai made their own VCRs up until 1989.

I seem to remember a couple of Akai branded VCRs from early-mid 80s that were rebadged JVCs, the JVC HR-7650 was one, don't remember the model #s of the Akai versions. We (employer at the time) were warranty service for Akai in those days. I worked on my share of those 7300-7350 Akai two piece portable beasts that were definitely unique to Akai.

I have an Akai HIFI stereo VCR, model VS-606 EO, it works at the beginning of the tape but as the supply reel gets smaller the VCR transport seems to be labouring and often goes into emergency stop routine. is this a simple fix?

I have an Akai HIFI stereo VCR, model VS-606 EO, it works at the beginning of the tape but as the supply reel gets smaller the VCR transport seems to be labouring and often goes into emergency stop routine. is this a simple fix?

If it's the mechanism I am thinking of it has a rubber idler between the reels that drives the TU reel which is probably slipping as the TU reel fills up with tape it senses that and shuts down.

waltchan, I also collect VCRs for some reason, and mainly the higher end Hi-Fi stuff just like you! I focus on the 1980's Hi-Fi VCRs, but do also have some 1990s ones.

There is 3 I would like to fix but don't know exactly whats wrong with them...

1. Hitachi made RCA with Hi-Fi but only 2 heads, has the brush type motor that drives the capstan and reels. It seems to be really confused, sometimes the buttons don't work at all and sometimes they are all mixed up i.e. you push play and it goes into rewind. I remember when I could get it to play it would have color interference on the screen that got worse and worse as it warmed up, and also the front clock display goes out at that point too, I believe its the power supply, but I don't know where to find another.

2. Akai that looks more like a tape deck, the loading motor doesn't respond to any commands however the motor is good.

3. NEC made Yamaha that I think needs new caps in the power supply or new power supply itself. When cold, interference patterns all over the screen, noisy Hi-Fi and only one channel works, after its warmed up it works fine!

I got some others like a JVC made Teac that keeps losing its right channel output, I need to learn how to fix these annoying electrical problems, I am good with the mechanics of VCRs...

.

There is 3 I would like to fix but don't know exactly whats wrong with them...

1. Hitachi made RCA with Hi-Fi but only 2 heads, has the brush type motor that drives the capstan and reels. It seems to be really confused, sometimes the buttons don't work at all and sometimes they are all mixed up i.e. you push play and it goes into rewind. I remember when I could get it to play it would have color interference on the screen that got worse and worse as it warmed up, and also the front clock display goes out at that point too, I believe its the power supply, but I don't know where to find another....

Probably filter caps failed in DC-DC converter circuit on display board causing interference and clock failing some had discrete parts in that circuit later models had a DC-DC converter module. Also as I recall some the Tape End and/or Take Up sensor phototransistor could fail and cause oddball operation like going into Rewind when you press Play etc.

2. Akai that looks more like a tape deck, the loading motor doesn't respond to any commands however the motor is good.... Some old ones had a sensor incandescent bulb that when failed nothing functions. Several variations of old Akai so not sure.

3. NEC made Yamaha that I think needs new caps in the power supply or new power supply itself. When cold, interference patterns all over the screen, noisy Hi-Fi and only one channel works, after its warmed up it works fine!...
Electrolytic capacitors in PS, tuner circuit, video circuit etc... fun! You need a good ESR meter to check caps with because replacing them all would be quite a chore.

I should clarify.

That Hitachi made RCA one time went into record mode when I pressed eject, and I will need to find the DC-DC converter and replace the caps.

That Akai is from the mid 1980s I believe, and has Hi-Fi audio and all that, and I know the tape in it won't eject either.

It seems caps are the Achilles Heel of many electronics...

I should clarify.

That Hitachi made RCA one time went into record mode when I pressed eject, and I will need to find the DC-DC converter and replace the caps.


. Some of those use a resistor ladder circuit for the function buttons and intermittent momentary contact function push switches could cause erroneous functions I've cleaned those up with a bit of Deoxit in the switches.

Have you looked into the RCA to see if it has the DC-DC module or discrete parts? The non-module version will have a little metal box shield with a lid on it that comes off and you can see the cooked components transistor etc inside. I think this is actually on a little board behind the display board been a few years.

I have a "Bob Parker" designed ESR meter which was a kit I put together 7 or 8 years ago, they have a newer version now. Well worth the $80-90 for one with electrolytic caps being the bane of older consumer electronics.

waltchan, I also collect VCRs for some reason, and mainly the higher end Hi-Fi stuff just like you! I focus on the 1980's Hi-Fi VCRs, but do also have some 1990s ones.
Most of the VCRs in my collection are made by Panasonic because of the largest availability of units still around today, although I am disappointed in having too many Panasonic-made VCRs.

RCA was the #1 selling VCR brand in the 80s, but 80% of the units were already dumped more than 10 years ago due to Hitachi's infamous idea of using six belts in the chassis that required changing every 3-7 years, and they ate tapes very easily if belts go bad or turn to goo. Despite the six belts, this chassis is very durable, reliable, rugged, very simple to fix, and it's the most favorite by my technician. The mono units were excellent, but the Hi-Fi units used a black-sealed, glued surface-mount caps board mounted at the video board that often fails and it is non-repairable or replaceable. The 1983-1985 units suffered from bad DC-DC converter that made the timer mode and clock no longer work. Hitachi-made VCRs scored the lowest by me for fit-and-finish. All the units I've seen so far were repaired before, and they all creaked like crazy at the exterior case when carrying the unit around. Hitachi-made VCRs of 1988-1991 were pretty bad and should be avoided. Hitachi was the only 80s manufacturer to make a 7-head Hi-Fi VCR (yes).

Panasonic (Matsushita) has always been rated #1 in reliability by Consumer Reports for more than 30 years, and they are the best around performer for performance, reliability, features, durability, and your greatest chance in finding a used 80s unit on eBay. Almost all of the units I've seen so far come with screws that were never removed or opened for repair. However, Panasonic used switch-mode power supplies that require new caps every 10 years, and the felt white strip from the tension band falls off very easily that requires re-gluing again. Their die-cast aluminum chassis is so durable that it is impossible to kill it, although they are often harder to service. Panasonic always tried to make their chassis using the fewest belts as much as possible, which helped Panasonic get the #1 reliability rating for 30 years. The pre-1987 ones were winners, but the G-chassis decks from 1988-1990 were only marginal by me as the timing jumps very easily in the chassis, lots of surface-mount caps used that caused the video and audio to fail sooner than you thought, terrible caps used at the power supply, units ran very hot due to smaller size and limited ventilation holes, and plastic shell mount cracks very easily. Panasonic-made VCRs scored the highest by me for fit-and-finish, though. Panasonic made VCRs for most of the US TV companies, including Curtis Mathes, Philips, Magnavox, Sylvania, General Electric, and RCA (pre-1982).

Second best after Panasonic, in my opinion, would be Sharp. Their chassis is only average, but their electronics rarely ever fail, and they appear to last longer than any other Japanese brands, including S-VHS Hi-Fi units. I never need to worry about no picture on the screen or dead audio. However, the idler tire wears out faster than any other brand, and the mode switch gives a lot of trouble if the unit hasn't been used for a long time, causing the loading motor to not operate correctly. Sharp was the only manufacturer to make a 8-head Hi-Fi VCR (yes) that were produced in limited numbers in the early 90s.

JVC is an excellent, reliable, durable brand, but their higher-end S-VHS Hi-Fi units often get some weird electronic problems. Mono units were exceptional quality. Their early 80s units were super built like a tank, and were better than Panasonic, but used a lot of belts. Quality slipped dramatically after 1991. 95% of Zenith 80s VCRs were made by JVC.

Toshiba is another excellent, reliable brand, but the loading motor often breaks down causing no operation at the chassis at all, and my technician told me that Toshiba is the worst maker to still offer replacement parts. It's impossible to get any parts for a Toshiba VCR now.

Sanyo was rated the most reliable VCR brand with a linear power supply and 3 recording speeds, but not many units were made. Chassis is reliable and sturdy, electronics are good, but the STK regulator at the power supply often fails.

Fisher was rated the worst of the worst, least reliable 80s VCR, despite it being made by Sanyo, and 35% of the units required servicing within 2 years from purchase, although Fisher did make some very nice high-end Hi-Fi units with a below average chassis, but the belts, at least, lasted longer than Hitachi. 75% of the units were already dumped and gone.

Funai is not remembered by many technicians, but their 80s units were pretty reliable and rarely give any problems, although they used a lot of belts in the chassis and the rubber bumper turns to goo very easily in a few years, making it a mess to clean up. The original belts Funai supplied have a very short lifespan, and every units I've seen have belts that already fall down to the bottom plate. Funai's first generation chassis (1985-1988) is very strong and operates very smoothly, but the rubber bumper is no longer available. It is one of my favorite chassis. Funai's second-generation chassis (1989-1991) is pretty decent but the brushed capstan motor's bearing wear out easily. Funai's reliability rated high by Consumer Reports in the late 80s.

Orion (Emerson) is pretty decent and reliable, but some plastic pieces at the chassis break off easily. Mode switch often fails. Orion-made VCRs, one time, were rated more reliable than Panasonic in 1991-1992 by Consumer Reports, but they were rated below average most of the years. Orion has always been more higher-end than Funai, but Funai apparently made more reliable products than Orion.

NEC is above average by me, but they often used some bad caps. Chassis is sturdy and fairly reliable, but it is very slow in changing mechanical modes, even with three motors. No parts are available anymore.

Mitsubishi is only average by me because every units I've seen comes with belts that already turned to goo, factory applied glue was used on the video/audio circuit board that would rot after 10 years and ruin the electronics, and the chassis is very difficult to service. The pre-1985 units were dismal quality with tons of electronic problems. The 1987-1989 units were way a lot better and quite a number of units are still in operation today. Mitsubishi's 80s chassis is built very strong and tough, and it can withstand abuse in changing mechanical modes repeatedly, probably better than Panasonic. Their higher-end S-VHS Hi-Fi units get a lot of weird electronic problems, and the S-VHS video heads were already discontinued and no longer available.

Sony released their first VHS in 1988, and it was made by Hitachi. Sony's own made VCR and chassis, beginning in 1989, uses no belt at all and runs with a geared nylon tooth belt, but the cam gears break very easily, causing no tape loading. Sony's first S-VHS Hi-Fi unit, SLV-R5UC suffered with the same gear problems, but with caps at the power supply that leaked very easily, and they require changing after 5 years of use. Sony VCRs often get a high number of electronic problems due to some surface-mount caps used.

I don't have any comments to make on the Korean brands as I have never own one.

Overall, the best made VCRs were by Panasonic and the best VCR brand is Canon. If you don't like electronic problems in a VCR, then Sharp is the winner. Canon VCRs were identical to Panasonic AG Pro-Line VCRs but were sold to consumers instead. They used linear power supplies instead of switch-mode power supplies, and were made by Panasonic, and they are the #1 choice by me for performance and reliability. If you are lucky to win one on eBay, check out the Canon VR-HF710 and VR-HF720.

1. Hitachi made RCA with Hi-Fi but only 2 heads, has the brush type motor that drives the capstan and reels. It seems to be really confused, sometimes the buttons don't work at all and sometimes they are all mixed up i.e. you push play and it goes into rewind. I remember when I could get it to play it would have color interference on the screen that got worse and worse as it warmed up, and also the front clock display goes out at that point too, I believe its the power supply, but I don't know where to find another.
The contact switches at the front panel are now bad and worn out. Go to http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/switch.htm. You will need to e-mail him the model number, so he can give you the correct sizes. Soldering is required. Color interference is coming from the black-sealed, glued board mounted on the video board, and it is non-repairable. The vanishing clock display is caused by a bad DC-DC converter at the timer board, and it is no longer available. I would give up on that unit.

2. Akai that looks more like a tape deck, the loading motor doesn't respond to any commands however the motor is good.
Either the contact switches are bad at the front panel or bad caps at the system control board.

3. NEC made Yamaha that I think needs new caps in the power supply or new power supply itself. When cold, interference patterns all over the screen, noisy Hi-Fi and only one channel works, after its warmed up it works fine!
Replace all weak caps at the power supply.

I got some others like a JVC made Teac that keeps losing its right channel output, I need to learn how to fix these annoying electrical problems, I am good with the mechanics of VCRs...
Either tape path is out of alignment or weak caps at the Hi-Fi audio circuit.

Sucks that the RCA is essentially non repairable...

I should focus on the NEC made Yamaha and the Akai. The Yahama has a new set of heads in it and makes a nice picture once the power supply warms up

The Teac right audio channel problem is intermittent, and is definitely electronic in nature.

Caps seem to be the weak point in electronics...

Those were the G mech Panasonics, right? The ones with the cast aluminum transports, and no idler wheel to wear out, they were gear driven, or had reel motors, I forget which. I have one, still working, though I hardly use it.


I grew up fixing and selling used VCRs.

1985/1986 (and early 1987) Panasonics last forever after the power supply is recapped and the pinch roller is replaced. The high end ones (4 head + hi-fi) have tuners that can get all 2-99 cable channels and receive stereo broadcasts. Panasonic VCR quality went to crap in late 1987. GE, Sylvania, Philco and Magnavox were also made by Panasonic.

A 1985-88 JVC or Zenith (made by JVC) is another good choice. JVC was more generous with its tuners and was very reliable. Most could get at least channels 2-99 and received stereo broadcasts. The later ones even had a real time counter which is very unusual on a solid 80's transport.

I never cared for Hitachi/RCA because they insisted on using a belt driven capstan that meant it could only do a frustratingly slow 3x visual search. They also had an unreliable DC-DC converter powering the display and tuner control.

Fisher is another one to avoid. They made a few high end ones, but they were never very reliable and stuck to a slow 3X search speed even though they were direct drive.

Sharp, Sanyo and Mitsubishi were also nothing special.

also, don't bother with anything Korean like Goldstar and Samsung. They were the Durabrand of the 80's and 90's.

Those were the G mech Panasonics, right? The ones with the cast aluminum transports, and no idler wheel to wear out, they were gear driven, or had reel motors, I forget which. I have one, still working, though I hardly use it.
No, that was the previous Panasonic chassis. The G-chassis decks were made in 1988-1990.

The G chassis is the only one I've seen that uses only 2 motors, the video head motor and the capstan motor, which basically operates the whole deck through a complex system of gears and a solenoid.

I prefer VCR's with at least 3 or more motors simply because they are much faster to respond!

The PV-1730 is at the other end of the scale, has 6 motors and is the fastest responding VCR I've ever seen! Mine works but is pretty beat up and needs new heads, but hey I got it for $2!

The PV-1730 is at the other end of the scale, has 6 motors and is the fastest responding VCR I've ever seen! Mine works but is pretty beat up and needs new heads, but hey I got it for $2!
It was a unique chassis only available for 1 year in 1984 for Panasonic's first flagship 4-head Hi-Fi stereo VHS VCR model. After that, it became only available for Panasonic AG Pro-Line units. AG-1950 and AG-2400 also used the same chassis. The successor model of the PV-1730 was the PV-1740, released in 1985, but it switched back to the regular 2 belt chassis. The PV-1730 is rated by me the most reliable 4-head Hi-Fi ever made by Panasonic. Since then, the power supply has got smaller, more surface-mount caps were used, and more plastics in the chassis. PV-1740 is not any better than PV-1730, and the newer 1986 PV-1742 is not any better than PV-1740.

That explains why I don't find the PV-1730 often at all. I remember these had both Hi-Fi and linear stereo, which was pretty nice!

Having both linear and hifi audio is why I've kept my Mitsubishi HS-430U, have one here in perfect condition plus it has an MTS stereo tuner which the PV-1730 lacks. Would have bought a PV-1730 if it had a stereo tuner. (Of course that isn't going to matter in about 60 days, but it did in 1985 whe I bought the Mitsu.) Too bad Panasonic was so quick to discontinue that mechanism. Was used in the PV-8000 and 9000 portables too.

I recently found a new-in-box GE VCR at a thrift store, the tag on the back says made in Japan in 1986, it is a mono, Pro-fect 4 head design, model 9-1725.

It works well, but the rewind speed is slower than my Panasonic from 1991.

Do you know who made these for GE and is it a good VCR ?

Thanks. Snade

I recently found a new-in-box GE VCR at a thrift store, the tag on the back says made in Japan in 1986, it is a mono, Pro-fect 4 head design, model 9-1725.

It works well, but the rewind speed is slower than my Panasonic from 1991.

Do you know who made these for GE and is it a good VCR ?

Thanks. Snade
This one was made by Panasonic. All GE (General Electric) VCRs made from 1983 to 1994 were made by Panasonic. Rewind is definitely a lot slower than the 1991 Panasonic VCR, which is the first year of the X-Chassis, but if it is really slow, it may be a loose capstan belt.

That explains why I don't find the PV-1730 often at all. I remember these had both Hi-Fi and linear stereo, which was pretty nice!
I wouldn't consider the Panasonic PV-1730 a very rare model. So far this year, I've seen five PV-1730 eBay listings. There are some flagship model VCRs that have not shown up on eBay for the first time yet for more than five years. Recently, I had one model eliminated in my wanted list only two weeks ago, which is Hitachi VT-1805A. It's made in 1986, final year of the good six belt chassis, flagship model, 7-head Hi-Fi MTS Stereo, and on screen display. I bought it for only $30 plus shipping. Sorry you missed the auction. I'm sure my Hitachi worth more than your RCA 2-head Hi-Fi.

Zenith's only Super VHS (SVHS) VCR ever made, model VR-E550HF. Worth adding to your collection if you own a Zenith Digital System 3 TV with S-Video input that was made in the late 80s. This unit was made by JVC in 1988 and comes with flying erase head (even though the ad doesn't say). Very hard to find model.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Zenith-Super-VHS-VCR-model-VRE550-HF-Super-Clean_W0QQitemZ250345145502QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVCRs ?hash=item250345145502&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318

I wouldn't consider the Panasonic PV-1730 a very rare model. So far this year, I've seen five PV-1730 eBay listings. Maybe rare in good working order! Not to mention the GE 1VCR-5018X, Magnavox 8445 and Sylvania 3640 (I think) versions of that same machine. I always liked the chrome and black look of the GE.

Let me know next time you see a listing for a PV-1730! I could use one for parts at least if it's not working...

I don't see any of these or the GE, Magnavox or Sylvania variants on ebay.

Good news is while browsing for the Panasonic I found a nice old NEC Hi-Fi unit and bidded on it, if I win it that will take care of one on my wanted list of cool 1980s VCRs! It's a NEC N965U.

Let me know next time you see a listing for a PV-1730! I could use one for parts at least if it's not working...

I don't see any of these or the GE, Magnavox or Sylvania variants on ebay.

Good news is while browsing for the Panasonic I found a nice old NEC Hi-Fi unit and bidded on it, if I win it that will take care of one on my wanted list of cool 1980s VCRs! It's a NEC N965U.
Sure, not a problem. There was one GE for sale over this summer, but the ad was relisted 3 times until finally someone bought it. I haven't seen the Magnavox of it for 3 years now, and the last one showed up was the one I sold (I did own it before). There was the first Sylvania of it that listed on August 2008 (sorry you missed it), and I bought it, but it arrived with a cracked front display. It works great though. I need to find a replacement front display. Of all the four, the Magnavox had the highest MSRP, with Sylvania next in the line, then GE, and then Panasonic. Believe it or not, the Panasonic was the cheapest, and that lead to be the best seller of this chassis. I do own the Panasonic PV-1730 as well, and it is in super like-new condition with the original ad sticker, box, packing, manual, cables, bag, and remote. The original owner told me it was used only once a year, which means only 24 times in 24 years.

The NEC N965U is a very nice, high-end VHS model. Fairly easy to find, but there are no replacement parts at all (not even the original NEC belts).

Mine works, but is very rough and is missing the front covers, and I've already had to reoil the video head cylinder bearing.

It seems someone else wants that N965U, and bidded 3 times but hasn't reached my proxy yet!

Keep coming across some cool VCRs on the bay, a buy it now Panasonic AG-5210 for $20, think I'll pick one up to play with. It has the K chassis, I don't know much about that particular Panasonic chassis, but I assume it's pretty well built since it's a commercial VCR.

Edit: Found out the K chassis is a revision of the G chassis but with a third loading motor and a simpler gear system to facilitate tape loading functions. Also won the NEC N965U!!!

Mine works, but is very rough and is missing the front covers, and I've already had to reoil the video head cylinder bearing.

It seems someone else wants that N965U, and bidded 3 times but hasn't reached my proxy yet!

Keep coming across some cool VCRs on the bay, a buy it now Panasonic AG-5210 for $20, think I'll pick one up to play with. It has the K chassis, I don't know much about that particular Panasonic chassis, but I assume it's pretty well built since it's a commercial VCR.

Edit: Found out the K chassis is a revision of the G chassis but with a third loading motor and a simpler gear system to facilitate tape loading functions. Also won the NEC N965U!!!
The K-chassis is an upgraded chassis of the G-chassis that is capable for jog shuttle editing. This chassis is found in Panasonic PV-S4990 and AG-1960. It also comes with high speed rewind/forward, something that G-chassis doesn't have. There is a separate reverse motor that drags the tape backward with its nylon teeth belt.

Hello again,

I have a question for you, the AK recording community:

In my philosophy of remaining faithful to tape, deeming DVD burning not reliable for long-term storage, i've kept a close watch on the US HD recorder scene.

The machine pictured in the photographs, a JVC HM-DH30000U appears quite frequently in Germany, don't know why (Mil PX sourced?)

Anyway, it can record off-air USA HDTV. Has anyone worked on the idea of making a switchable input switch modification say "Tuner & Aux" where "Aux" could record any HD source.

HDMI would have to be foiled, much like MacroVision in its day, anyone working to solve this?

I know you can time-shift off-air HD to a hard disk recorder or maybe to the just-appearing Blu-Ray recorders (Panasonic) but this is no solution for long term storage.

Additional problem could be that USA HD is 1080i/60 or 720p/60 whereas in Europe we use 1080i/50 or 720p/50. The recorder may not be able to cope with the 50/60 frames issue, which brings us right back to the problem of USA/Europe TV exchanges from the very beginning!

Thanks! for any comment, suggestions, etc.

Best Regards

jhalphen

jhalphen-

The JVC HM-DH30000U (and the next model 40000U, commonly called the "30K" and "40K" here) cannot directly record HDTV signals. Rather, they both have analog TV tuners built-in, and component-video HD outputs built-in. For HDTV recording, they have IEEE1394 (also called "FireWire" and maybe "I-link", I think) connections. These recorders can be used with a few set-top USA (ATSC) HDTV tuners that have the matching IEEE1394 data connection. There are also some HDTV sets that have the '1394 connectors. The tuner or TV set can often also control the JVC VCR from its own remote control.

I do not have a long-term storage solution for my HDTV recordings, but the ones I have on hard disk drives from 2000-2001 are still good.

No one lusts after the NEC DS8000U? I have two friends that still have running ones that I've kept up for them over the years. Pretty reliable overall except for the typical NEC tape guide issue on both years ago. Had to replace a few electrolytics too.

Was the PV-S4990 the one that had the MTS stereo RF modulator? Seems I recall there was only one Panny that had stereo RF output.

No one lusts after the NEC DS8000U? I have two friends that still have running ones that I've kept up for them over the years. Pretty reliable overall except for the typical NEC tape guide issue on both years ago. Had to replace a few electrolytics too.

Was the PV-S4990 the one that had the MTS stereo RF modulator? Seems I recall there was only one Panny that had stereo RF output.
NEC DS-8000U is fairly hard to find on eBay, but it's a great, well-made unit and was the most popular NEC SVHS unit. I used to own one 4 years ago. There is also a much rarer, higher-end DS-8500U that retailed over $3,000 when new with all kinds of fancy features found similar to Toshiba SV-F990.

Yes, the PV-S4990 has a MTS stereo RF modulator. It has four coaxial inputs/outputs. I do own one, but I never know what a RF modulator does. Would you care to explain?

This year Christmas, my Sharp VC-H98U 8-HEAD 19-micron Hi-Fi MTS Stereo VCR (yes), which is used only on December 25 every year, will see its FINAL year recording 6 hours of memorable Christmas performances from its original analog tuner. :tears: Next year, I will need to connect it with a converter box. What a sad day analog VCRs have been. The analog tuner will never see the light again, although it begs me to work for another 20 years. :tears: The Sharp 8-head 19-micron VCRs are by far the best performing EP/SLP recording quality I have ever seen. Most professional VCRs only have 4-head and still don't produce a good picture. Good luck finding one on eBay as they are very rare.

Yes, the PV-S4990 has a MTS stereo RF modulator. It has four coaxial inputs/outputs. I do own one, but I never know what a RF modulator does. Would you care to explain?




An MTS stereo modulator puts out a stereo encoded signal on ch 3 or 4. Handy feature for people who insist on hooking up their VCR to the TV with a single RF cable! When I was full-time active in the VCR service biz in the '80s and '90s I had quite a few people over the years come in saying the stereo light on their TV wouldn't light up when they played a tape. I had to explain that the RF modulator in their new stereo VCR was actually mono, and for stereo it would have to be connected to the TV with stereo audio-video cables.

My situation in my house here, I bought a stand-alone MTS Stereo RF modulator to run my C-band satellite and VCR through the rest of the house via a single 75 Ohm coax to the stereo TVs in other rooms.

As far as I know there was never an easy cheap way to produce an MTS stereo modulator which I figure is why they weren't included in any more VCRs. Cost to include MTS stereo encoding was the prohibiting factor best as I can tell. Not aware of any single chip ever developed that would do that.




This year Christmas, my Sharp VC-H98U 8-HEAD 19-micron Hi-Fi MTS Stereo VCR (yes), which is used only on December 25 every year, will see its FINAL year recording 6 hours of memorable Christmas performances from its original analog tuner. :tears: Now if you had that DTV converter box A&V plugged into an MTS stereo modulator then you could feed that RF to your Sharp on Ch 3 or 4 and its tuner wouldn't know the difference! Of course direct would be better quality but the stereo VCR tuner would get used at least!



Do you have a picture of an NEC DS-8500? I thought that was the one that used a Panasonic chassis...??? I know there was at least one NEC that did.

I remember working on a few of those SV-F990 Toshibas. Super fancy elaborate high $$$ machine! (EDIT: The machine I was thinking about is the SV-771 with the optical sensors that automatically slide the door down and cassette tray out as you come near the front with a tape, one sold on eBay a earlier this month.)

Regarding that NEC tape guide issue, when my N965U arrives, since its in working condition, anything I can do to prevent the guides from getting screwed up in the first place? I definitely don't have the means here to replace and realign tape guides, I heard its fairly difficult, especially since it's a Hi-Fi unit.

Do you have a picture of an NEC DS-8500? I thought that was the one that used a Panasonic chassis...??? I know there was at least one NEC that did.
No, I don't have any picture. The last one showed up on eBay was somewhere in summer of 2007. This unit has a sliding door tray with double flying-erase-heads. It is made by NEC. The last NEC VCR, made in 1989, was made by Panasonic, and it wasn't SVHS. I saw it on eBay before.

Regarding that NEC tape guide issue, when my N965U arrives, since its in working condition, anything I can do to prevent the guides from getting screwed up in the first place? I definitely don't have the means here to replace and realign tape guides, I heard its fairly difficult, especially since it's a Hi-Fi unit.

It's not real difficult but does require great care since you are working around the heads and drum replacing the guides, then you have to set up and align the tape path and probably the X-value of the A/C head and check and align as needed for smooth tape path forward and in reverse search. Maybe you will get lucky and the one you are getting has had them replaced sometime in its past with the improved guide base ass'ys that have the little set-screw to keep the brass sleeve from moving. I've done lots of these in the past but not one in 5-6 years at least. If not don't know any preventive measure unless you want to try and lock them in place before they do move with glue or epoxy of some sort which I don't recommend and is questionable practice at best. Any I would see like that from a previous repair attempt elsewhere with glue, paint or JB Weld would always get new guide base ass'ys no matter what, figuring they would eventually work loose again. But finding new ones nowadays might be hard to do so there might not be an alternative to doing the glue thing to them hate to say.

I remember working on a few of those SV-F990 Toshibas. Super fancy elaborate high $$$ machine! (EDIT: The machine I was thinking about is the SV-771 with the optical sensors that automatically slide the door down and cassette tray out as you come near the front with a tape, one sold on eBay a earlier this month.)
The Toshiba SV-F990 is a super, fancy unit. I bought it (extremely rare) as brand new, factory-sealed, never opened, never used from the box for $500, and the original box is still in new condition after almost 20 years. I had way too much fun breaking its factory sealed for the first time in 20 years.

Zenith's only S-VHS VCR was relisted and now going for only $25 starting bid. It will be very sad if it fails to receive a first bid, as this is a really good price based on the condition and rarity, and it's AK's most favorite brand.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250348028944

I hope someone here in our forums gets this VCR. It's the first S-VHS machine I've ever seen in my life, and it looks like it just came out of the box for the first time. The low opening bid should help as well.

BTW, a bit OT, I am aware, but this question occurred to me while I was looking at the picture of this S-VHS VCR. What is the difference between standard VHS and S-VHS? My best guess is that S-VHS was capable of greater resolution than straight VHS. It looks to me as if the S-VHS VCR uses smaller cassettes than ordinary VHS machines as well, and if that isn't enough, the S-VHS recorder looks a lot smaller than most VHS units.

this question occurred to me while I was looking at the picture of this S-VHS VCR. What is the difference between standard VHS and S-VHS? My best guess is that S-VHS was capable of greater resolution than straight VHS. It looks to me as if the S-VHS VCR uses smaller cassettes than ordinary VHS machines as well, and if that isn't enough, the S-VHS recorder looks a lot smaller than most VHS units.
S-VHS VCR offers higher picture resolution and use its own S-VHS tape. It can playback both VHS and S-VHS tapes. S-VHS was considered to be high-end and flagship during the late 80s to mid-90s. Tape is standard size. The smaller size is called S-VHS-C, which is similar to VHS-C, and works for camcorders only.

The smaller size is called S-VHS-C, which is similar to VHS-C, and works for camcorders only.

unless you have one of these beasts.. the JVC HR-SC1000U that would handle both standard and C sized cassettes with no adaptor.

unless you have one of these beasts.. the JVC HR-SC1000U that would handle both standard and C sized cassettes with no adaptor.
That's a nice unit, although I never own one. There is also a JVC HR-SC10000U (10000 instead of 1000) S-VHS that does the same as well.

If you are interested in Beta please check out this guys stuff on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uSZ9mK85FQ

Speaking of the N965U I got off ebay, in transit to me the guides seemed to work their way loose, not to mention the front being damaged somewhat, so now I am looking for the replacement updated guides for this thing, or a repair shop that's still in business that will fix it.

My other option is to use parts out of this Yamaha VCR I have, where I did sucessfully glue down the guides where they come loose, and mechanically that vcr works but it has electrical problems. Anyways, i might be able to swap guides between that and the NEC, already sucessfully done that with a parts Sony and a Sony SLV-676UC that I fixed over the weekend:D

Speaking of that Sony, I have 2 of those SLV-676UC units, and they are very nice VCRs IMO. They have some common problems, like the capstan bearing failing and the half load arm getting stuck, I was able to fix all that on one by taking the stronger bearing out of the parts sony and relubing the half load arm. What's nice about these early 1990s Sonys is they usually only have common mechanical problems that are easy for me to fix, almost never any electrical problems, and the big one is that they seem to play tapes from almost any machine, even in EP, and the recordings I make seem to play in almost anything, and they have great sounding HI-Fi audio too!

Speaking of the N965U I got off ebay, in transit to me the guides seemed to work their way loose, not to mention the front being damaged somewhat, so now I am looking for the replacement updated guides for this thing, or a repair shop that's still in business that will fix it.

My other option is to use parts out of this Yamaha VCR I have, where I did sucessfully glue down the guides where they come loose, and mechanically that vcr works but it has electrical problems. Anyways, i might be able to swap guides between that and the NEC, already sucessfully done that with a parts Sony and a Sony SLV-676UC that I fixed over the weekend:D

Speaking of that Sony, I have 2 of those SLV-676UC units, and they are very nice VCRs IMO. They have some common problems, like the capstan bearing failing and the half load arm getting stuck, I was able to fix all that on one by taking the stronger bearing out of the parts sony and relubing the half load arm. What's nice about these early 1990s Sonys is they usually only have common mechanical problems that are easy for me to fix, almost never any electrical problems, and the big one is that they seem to play tapes from almost any machine, even in EP, and the recordings I make seem to play in almost anything, and they have great sounding HI-Fi audio too!
Yuck!!! Glad I never own a NEC or Sony VCR. I would go paranoid if I get problems like this similar to yours. 85% of the time, all the vintage VCRs I bought and added to my collection since the last 8 years only require new belts, cleaning, and lubrication. Luckily, these problems never show up in my Panasonic, Canon, Funai, Orion, and Sharp VCRs.

Just a hint, NEC and Sony VCRs were rated below average in reliability by Consumer Reports during that time-frame.

Yuck!!! Glad I never own a NEC or Sony VCR. I would go paranoid if I get problems like this similar to yours. 85% of the time, all the vintage VCRs I bought and added to my collection since the last 8 years only require new belts, cleaning, and lubrication. Luckily, these problems never show up in my Panasonic, Canon, Funai, Orion, and Sharp VCRs.

Just a hint, NEC and Sony VCRs were rated below average in reliability by Consumer Reports during that time-frame.

Being exclusively in the VCR service business here in Dallas all during the '80s and '90s, that's one reason I dumped my subscription to Consumer Reports.. CR didn't know what they were talking about half the time! I found too many errors in their reviews on the limited things I knew something about. Figured they might not be too accurate on other things too.

I've repaired HUNDREDS of Panasonics with dead power supplies and many mechanical problems, Canons too in their heyday, Funai (D503 anyone? Warped sensor prisms, sticking reel drive clutches.. mode switches, cheapo plastic tape guides that break off... made lots of money fixin' those Funai-Symphonics), Sharps, even some Orions (the Emerson TV-VCRs made by Orion come to mind...)

I've repaired HUNDREDS of Panasonics with dead power supplies and many mechanical problems, Canons too in their heyday, Funai (D503 anyone? Warped sensor prisms, sticking reel drive clutches.. mode switches, cheapo plastic tape guides that break off... made lots of money fixin' those Funai-Symphonics), Sharps, even some Orions (the Emerson TV-VCRs made by Orion come to mind...)
So, which brand did you like?

So, which brand did you like?

I like the older Matshushita-built machines with the die-cast chassis up until the G chassis which was clunky, slow, and troublesome. I like the JVCs even with their usual problems, some of the Mitsubishis.. HS-U69 S-VHS is an excellent machine, the Mit HS-U52 regular VHS darn near looks like S-VHS has excellent rec-play picture. They ALL break and have their problems though. They provided me with a good living for 20+ years. If they didn't break I wouldn't have made a career of it.

I own and have pretty much distilled it all down to the 3 in my house now; a JVC HR-S5900U, a Mitsubishi HS-U790 (that I had to replace the whole mechanism in), and a Mit HS-430U because it has hifi and Dolby linear stereo for my old tapes I made on a pre-HiFi Pana PV-1780 in '83-84. I have a Mit HS-U52 I fixed up for a guy, even ordered a new remote for it, and he never came to get it! (Been here 2-3 years, just lost interest in it) I like a lot of the older Sony VHS machines too. Yeah they have their issues but I can work on them. I guess it gives me a bit different perspective picking those for familiarity and ease of repair since I can probably keep these running into the foreseeable future. Sony and JVC might actually have parts for older machines too. Mitsubishi- if it's more than 5 years old forget it... usually "Part NLA".

I like the older Matshushita-built machines with the die-cast chassis up until the G chassis which was clunky, slow, and troublesome.
What about Canon standalone VCRs (not portables) like VR-HF600, VR-HF710, and VR-HF720? They all were made by Panasonic, used aluminum die-cast chassis, and linear power supply (heavy transformer) instead of switch-mode power supply?

I also own a Mitsubishi HS-U82 SVHS that was brand new in the box. Any comments you want to say about HS-U82?

What about Canon standalone VCRs (not portables) like VR-HF600, VR-HF710, and VR-HF720? They all were made by Panasonic, used aluminum die-cast chassis, and linear power supply (heavy transformer) instead of switch-mode power supply?

I also own a Mitsubishi HS-U82 SVHS that was brand new in the box. Any comments you want to say about HS-U82?

The Canons standalone (and portables) were basically rebadged and painted different color Panasonic Industrial machines AG-1800 I think on your 600, nice heavy-duty machine.

HS-U82 I recall basically same mechanism as HS-U52 I have but does it have the Piezo heads that auto track the tape for noiseless video on FF-Rev search? Trying to remember if it was that one or the HS-U80.. one came in with the slip-ring commutator on top of the cyinder to drive the Piezo heads was completely worn out, and no longer available. The customer really cried about that. (Without my file cabinets full of service manuals I begin to get a little fuzzy on remembering all the details.) Keep the pinch lift cam mechanism lubed, an eye on the brake pads as they wear out and make the tape snap off the hub at the end of Fast rewind sometimes because it doesn't stop fast enough, and back-tension band, pinch roller. reel belt.. normal wearing parts stuff. Maybe give the rotary mode encoder switch a little shot of DeOxit.

HS-U82 I recall basically same mechanism as HS-U52 I have but does it have the Piezo heads that auto track the tape for noiseless video on FF-Rev search? Trying to remember if it was that one or the HS-U80.. one came in with the slip-ring commutator on top of the cyinder to drive the Piezo heads was completely worn out, and no longer available. The customer really cried about that. (Without my file cabinets full of service manuals I begin to get a little fuzzy on remembering all the details.) Keep the pinch lift cam mechanism lubed, an eye on the brake pads as they wear out and make the tape snap off the hub at the end of Fast rewind sometimes because it doesn't stop fast enough, and back-tension band, pinch roller. reel belt.. normal wearing parts stuff. Maybe give the rotary mode encoder switch a little shot of DeOxit.
Yes, same mechanism. HS-U82 has this Piezo heads with noiseless video search.

I wonder if anyone has any opinions with Fisher VCRs in general? Consumer Reports rated Fisher the worst of the worst brand, doubling the repair rate from the second worst brand, which was Hitachi. However, Consumer Reports rated Sanyo the second most reliable brand after Panasonic. With Fisher VCR's worst repair record throughout the whole 80s, it prevents me to buy a used Fisher Studio Standard Hi-Fi VCR on eBay, although I would like a Fisher, since Fisher only made high-end VCRs. What is the difference between Sanyo and Fisher, and why was there a very huge gap in reliability difference?

In that time the Fishers were failing left and right for the slipping loading belts and to a lesser extent slipping reel drive idlers. Not too many electronic falilures but some. Oddly at that time Sanyo and Fisher had different lines of VCRs with totally different mechanisms and designs. Might have even been a year or more of overlap when Sanyo was still Beta and Fisher was VHS. Lots of Fisher VCRs were sold through places like Rent A Center included with complete Fisher AV systems. Hitachis were also plagued with loading belt and reel drive problems as well as the DC-DC converters and end sensor phototransistors that failed like crazy for a few years.

Is that Mitsubishi you guys talking about the ones with the video head drum motor mounted on top of the video head and seperate motors for supply and takeup?

As for the fishers, I keep finding non Hi-Fi ones and only problems I've seen with those is the rew and ff not working. I'm still looking for a Hi-Fi one with that same mechanism.

The Mitsus that had the cyl stator board mounted on top was HS-305-330 type models their first front-loaders. The HS-300U had separate motors for the supply and TU reels, capstan, cylinder, and loading. While it was touted as superior with all those motors, fact was you had that many more things electronic to fail. Very complicated machines.

The Fishers that won't FF and Rew need a new reel idler or just the idler tire if you can't find the whole idler.

anyone familiar with a panasonic omnivision made in 1988, model pv-2818. I have used it to view over 4000 tapes in 20 years and keeps working flawlessly. I have never demagnetized the heads or cleaned them for that matter, always meant to but ya know.....:yes:

As for the fishers, I keep finding non Hi-Fi ones and only problems I've seen with those is the rew and ff not working. I'm still looking for a Hi-Fi one with that same mechanism.
I've seen tons more Fisher Hi-Fi VCRs than monos since the past 8 years. In fact, there is one right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-FVH-980-4-Head-Hi-Fi-Stereo-VCR-w-Remote_W0QQitemZ260340523637QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVCR s?hash=item260340523637&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Very nice unit in mint condition. It's made in 1986. 80s Fisher VCRs are starting to die out and are being thrown out in great numbers, due to high failure rate. 8 years ago, there were always at least 25 old 80s Fisher Hi-Fi VCRs for sale on eBay everyday. Today, only less than 1 a day.

anyone familiar with a panasonic omnivision made in 1988, model pv-2818. I have used it to view over 4000 tapes in 20 years and keeps working flawlessly. I have never demagnetized the heads or cleaned them for that matter, always meant to but ya know.....:yes:
There's no such thing as a Panasonic PV-2818. Perhaps it's a PV-2812? Yes, this is a 2-head mono Panasonic that is known to last forever and never break. It also uses the click-sound G-chassis mechanism that is considered to be very reliable by many technicians. It can probably last for another 10 years, and your first failure would be the power supply, bad surface-mount caps at the video board/audio board, or bad solenoid/mode switch. 2-head mono VCRs last the longest, regardless of what age. However, although still reliable, your unit is not as well-made as the mid-80s one.

yes you are correct 2812 it is. Thanks for the information as you are a walking VCR encyclopedia.:yes::yes:

Yeah I've been looking for one of those Mitsu units, if they ever came with Hi-Fi stereo that is.

One I am looking for for sure is one identical to my Video Concepts AH-2600 which is the Mitsubishi mechanism using the brush type motor for the capstan and reels.

I used to have many of those mono Fishers throughout the years, always the same problem with the reel idler.

Thanks waltchman, thats exactly the Fisher I'm looking for, a Hi-Fi with that particular Fisher mechanism I'm familiar with.

Thanks waltchman, thats exactly the Fisher I'm looking for, a Hi-Fi with that particular Fisher mechanism I'm familiar with.
No problem. I also own the similar model of the Fisher, which is Sanyo VHR-1900. Extremely rare model. The only difference in the Sanyo brand is better reliability. I personally like the Sanyo better because this is the only Hi-Fi VCR ever made with its cassette door that opens downward instead of upward, and it has a really neat Hi-Fi LED meter mounted behind the cassette door. Watch it glow at night, and you cannot believe there is no cassette door in sight, but it transforms into a huge Hi-Fi LED meter. I am in the process to purchase the entire 1986 Sanyo A/V entertainment set (matching TV, CD player, cassette deck, receiver, amplifier, turntable, tuner, and speakers) from the original owner where I bought the VCR from him five years ago. This will be my first, true 80s entertainment set, and I won't find something like this anywhere but from him. :D However, he is 2,300 miles away from where I live. :tears:

1st VCR - Sanyo Betamax (Non - Super, non-HI-FI), around 1980. Still works.
2nd - Hitachi HQVHS-Hifi (around 1993). Still works well.

It seems someone wanted that Fisher really bad, it got to the point where it wasn't cost effective and I ended up losing...

I guess ill keep looking for a 1980's Fisher and or Sanyo, ill even settle for one that needs new belts and a new idler, I know where to get the parts!

The Fisher is at the top of my list right now, with an early Mitsu Hi-Fi being the 2nd and PV-1730 being the third, these are all well built VCRs in my eyes.

It seems someone wanted that Fisher really bad, it got to the point where it wasn't cost effective and I ended up losing..
No worries. There's always another Fisher Hi-Fi VCR someday. I think the higher winning price bid has got to do with its condition, manual and remote included.

I guess ill keep looking for a 1980's Fisher and or Sanyo, ill even settle for one that needs new belts and a new idler, I know where to get the parts!
I assume you buy all the VCR parts from studiosoundelectronics.com? If so, make sure you use the "ask-a-tech" page someday, and he will tell you which VCR is good or junk.

The Fisher is at the top of my list right now, with an early Mitsu Hi-Fi being the 2nd and PV-1730 being the third, these are all well built VCRs in my eyes.
May I ask which early Mitsubishi Hi-Fi VCR model and year you are looking? The first Mitsubishi Hi-Fi VCR ever made is the HS-400UR, but it is only 2-head. The next Mitsubishi Hi-Fi VCR included 4-head, and it is the HS-410UR, and with Dolby Stereo, which is the HS-430UR. These models are fairly hard to find on eBay, so don't see one at anytime soon. They don't have a great reliability record in my opinion since they were made before 1985, a dreadful year for Mitsubishi VCRs. A better Mitsubishi VCR choice would be the HS-411UR (1986), HS-421UR (1986), HS-412UR (1987), HS-422UR (1987), HS-413UR (1988), or HS-U50 (1990). The 1987 HS-422UR should be considered as collectible because this was Mitsubishi's final year to put LP recording speed (3 recording speeds) in their VCRs, and it was their flagship model in 1987 (before SVHS). After that, only SP or SLP til the end of VCR production in 2005.

There is a Mitsubishi HS-430UR right now on eBay (Ed in Tx has one):

http://cgi.ebay.com/MITSUBISHI-HS-430UR-HI-FI-FX4-VHS-RECORDER-FOR-PARTS_W0QQitemZ350116837359QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVint age_Electronics_R2?hash=item350116837359&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1240|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

The description implies to me that it needs new belts. But the seller wants $85 or best offer. The unit looks to be in pristine, like new condition.

Studiosoundelectronics.com is where I source the parts, you are correct.

It doesn't bother me that the Mitsubishi units I like are the unreliable ones, I guess I like the way the mechanism sounds on those mid 1980s Mitsubishi units, these are the ones that use the capstan motor to load and eject the tape and the motor is mounted at rear right corner of the chassis. I will be happy with either a HS-400UR, a 410UR or a 430UR. That one you showed me on ebay seems to be a bit high for a non working unit that needs belts, I have seen pristine stuff like this at thrift stores going for $15 at the most. Maybe I can talk the seller down, who knows...

How are you finding this stuff on ebay? I search for it and it doesn't come up, only a bunch of newer VCRs and remotes and medical grade VCRs. I tried searching for "mitsubishi vcr".

Studiosoundelectronics.com is where I source the parts, you are correct.
No surprise. They were the inventor of online DIY VCR repair kits. I have already sent him more than 1,000 e-mails since the beginning of 2001. Very nice guy with very detailed e-mails. I am rated by him the most number of e-mails sent he ever receives from a buyer.

How are you finding this stuff on ebay? I search for it and it doesn't come up, only a bunch of newer VCRs and remotes and medical grade VCRs. I tried searching for "mitsubishi vcr".
The ad title says "Mitsubishi VHS," so it will not show up in eBay search if you type in "Mitsubishi VCR." I used to own a Mitsubishi HS-400UR before, but it arrived with only "EEEE" at the clock display, making the unit totally inoperative, no response, unrepairable, and the VCR told me it was extinct. VCRs should never do this. I wasn't able to fix it due to its bad design, so I tore the whole thing into pieces to relieve my anger.
.
The only Mitsubishi VCRs I have in my collection today are HS-423UR S-VHS and HS-U82 S-VHS. I used to own a HS-300UR (very first), HS-304UR, HS-400UR, HS-422UR, and HS-710UR (portable) before.

I worked and finished restoring a Mitsubishi DD-6000 DVD player (Toshiba-made) today. It was the first progressive-scan DVD player ever made in history, and it was Mitsubishi's last Made in Japan DVD player. It retailed for $750 new. The most embarrassing thing I saw was it uses a brushed spindle motor instead of brushless spindle motor found in their earlier decks, something that got into my mind for the whole day. :drool:

I bet that "EEEE" problem was the glue problem those older Mitsu VCR's seem to have, shorting out the circuit board parts making the unit die.

I am gonna start messing with changing video head drums on my own, I have like 2 VCR's now that need a new upper cylinder, that video concepts (Mitsubishi HS-400UR or HS-410UR), and a Toshiba I found today.

I bet that "EEEE" problem was the glue problem those older Mitsu VCR's seem to have, shorting out the circuit board parts making the unit die.
Glad I don't have any early Mitsubishi VCRs. I just cannot recommend early Mitsubishi VCRs for the super long run.

I am gonna start messing with changing video head drums on my own, I have like 2 VCR's now that need a new upper cylinder, that video concepts (Mitsubishi HS-400UR or HS-410UR), and a Toshiba I found today.
Replacing the upper cylinder requires a little star screwdriver to remove the shaft in the video head drum. Sometimes, soldering is required to remove a circuit board on top of the upper cylinder. Not sure about Mitsubishi, but early Panasonic VCRs made before 1982 have the easiest video head to change, in my opinion.

Glad I don't have any early Mitsubishi VCRs. I just cannot recommend early Mitsubishi VCRs for the super long run.


Replacing the upper cylinder requires a little star screwdriver to remove the shaft in the video head drum. Sometimes, soldering is required to remove a circuit board on top of the upper cylinder. Not sure about Mitsubishi, but early Panasonic VCRs made before 1982 have the easiest video head to change, in my opinion.

Problem I almost always ran into on the Panasonic-made machines was the new upper cylinder, even the OE Matshushita replacements, not fitting snugly to the hub, making the upper cylinder a bit eccentric unless you got real lucky. This would result in a lot of flutter in the linear audio on playback. I resolved that by making a test tape at SLP with color bars and a 3kHz tone recorded on it, on a machine that exhibited very low wow and flutter. I would then play that tape back with a wow/flutter meter plugged into the VCR audio output, and with the uper cylinder screws barely snug, with a plastic screwdriver handle very lightly tap the upper edge of the cylinder as it was running. Yes it sounds crude, but it works! After a few taps the upper cylinder would land at a position where the flutter would drop to less than .1% which is very good, and tighten the screws down at that point. This same tape with the 3kHz tone and W/F meter was a good diagnostic for a bad take-up clutch that plagued those Pannys in those days. The clutch would get sticky and worn, and make very rough almost vibrating takeup torque, which made higher than usual flutter so bad sometimes the linear audio would sound garbled. With the test tape and the W/F meter I could catch those clutches as they were beginning to get sticky and fail even if the unit wasn't in for that particular problem, go ahead and replace while on the bench: "Preventive maintenance".

I didn't know you had to remove the whole shaft. Ed was telling me all you have to do is desolder, and remove the 2 screws on top of the drum, and maybe use a hairdryer if it doesn't come off easily.

Luckily none of my Panasonic VCR's need new drums, even the PV-1545 that was given to me from the previous owner that bought the thing new in 1984.

Now, the power supplies on these are a different story, the caps are gonna need replacing soon.

Canon's last VCR ever made and the very best and finest, VR-HF800. It's made by Panasonic, identical to AG-1820, and the most expensive in their lineup in 1987. I have one and it's a great unit. Comes with digital special effects (strobe, PIP, DNR, etc.). Much better than Fisher and Mitsubishi, in my opinion. Just watch out for the power supply as it is not linear. Otherwise, it's a very reliable unit that uses a G-chassis mechanism with nylon teeth gear belt that never breaks, assuming all the caps at the power supply are already replaced. It was also Panasonic's final Hi-Fi VCR to not use any surface-mount caps on circuit boards.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250357058298

...

I have a couple of Magnavox's with the G chassis, and I don't like the fact that they are so sloooooowwwwww.

My AG-5210 has the K chassis which has the 3rd loading motor and is much faster at responding.

Someone else can go after the Canon, I've got my sights on the Zenith S-VHS (was relisted again), and maybe a JVC commercial direct drive deck.

Here's what I need.. a Betamax/HD-DVD combo unit! Then I can dub off my 75 or so Beta tapes to HD-DVD!


http://videokarma.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=173929&stc=1&d=1333978326

Well, I'll be...I didn't think anyone made VCRs, let alone VCR/DVD combi units, capable of playing Betamax tapes anymore. Where did you find this one? All the combo DVD/VCR systems I've seen will work only with VHS videocassettes.

Well, I'll be...I didn't think anyone made VCRs, let alone VCR/DVD combi units, capable of playing Betamax tapes anymore. Where did you find this one? All the combo DVD/VCR systems I've seen will work only with VHS videocassettes.
Not sure if it actually exists or if it's an early April Fool's joke! But I read about such a machine in the back of the latest Sound&Vision magazine and did a search, and found a picture.

I spent my teenage years fixing and selling VCRs, and I never liked the Panasonic G chassis. I saw countless ones where the gears had jumped a few teeth for no apparent reason. I also saw lots with broken loading mechanisms (and this was when they weren't that old). The mechanism was also really slow and sluggish. If you wanted to go from play to reverse search and back again it would spend what felt like an eternity clicking while it changed modes. They did improve this for the last couple of years (when they used it on the AG-1970/1980) by adding a loading motor instead of driving it with the capstan motor. They also seemed to have finally fixed the gear tolerance issues, and strengthened the loading mechanism for the 1970 and 1980.

The only VHS VCRs I really like are Panasonics from 1985-early 1987, and JVCs from 1984-1988. Panasonic and JVC's mechanisms from those time periods are a pleasure to use, and rarely have anything seriously wrong. They are also easy to get into good working order. Sony Betas are also excellent with their all metal chassis, but they are very tricky to align and repair. A misaligned Sony Beta is a real disaster for the tape.

How about Panasonic's PV-V4022 from the early 1990s? I have one that still works very well. The only thing I don't like about mine is the noisy rewind, but I have an external VHS video rewinder so I don't use the deck's rewind function that much anyway.

BTW, what on earth does "Omnivision" mean as applied to Panasonic VCRs? Mine has that designation on the flap over the tape entry slot in front of the unit. Did that word have anything to do with copy protection of prerecorded VHS videos, pre-DVD era? That's the first thing that comes to my mind when I ponder the origin and meaning of the term.

BTW, what on earth does "Omnivision" mean as applied to Panasonic VCRs?
AS far as I know, this was marketing, a way for Panasonic to distinguish their line from other sellers of essentially the same machines, a trade name, like "Technics".

How about Panasonic's PV-V4022 from the early 1990s? I have one that still works very well. The only thing I don't like about mine is the noisy rewind, but I have an external VHS video rewinder so I don't use the deck's rewind function that much anyway.
This VCR was actually made in 2002, and it qualifies as "cheaply-made" and "disposable," regardless if it is still working fine after 8 years. Regardless of how old is the VCR, they were all designed by the manufacturer to run for 10 years normal, careful use.

How about for a good Panasonic machine, the PV-1545 from the mid 1980's. Give them new rubber, and they will work like new again, and only thing that might need to be done at some point is a recap of the power supply. I've got one with heavy use and the video heads are still good!

How about for a good Panasonic machine, the PV-1545 from the mid 1980's. Give them new rubber, and they will work like new again, and only thing that might need to be done at some point is a recap of the power supply. I've got one with heavy use and the video heads are still good!

Yep pretty much replace the worn out rubber parts, maybe an occasional back-tension band or a take-up clutch, and keep the power supply running, and they will go until the heads wear out!

...

I've seen tons more Fisher Hi-Fi VCRs than monos since the past 8 years. In fact, there is one right now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fisher-FVH-980-4-Head-Hi-Fi-Stereo-VCR-w-Remote_W0QQitemZ260340523637QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVCR s?hash=item260340523637&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A13 18|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Very nice unit in mint condition. It's made in 1986. 80s Fisher VCRs are starting to die out and are being thrown out in great numbers, due to high failure rate. 8 years ago, there were always at least 25 old 80s Fisher Hi-Fi VCRs for sale on eBay everyday. Today, only less than 1 a day.

No problem. I also own the similar model of the Fisher, which is Sanyo VHR-1900. Extremely rare model. The only difference in the Sanyo brand is better reliability. I personally like the Sanyo better because this is the only Hi-Fi VCR ever made with its cassette door that opens downward instead of upward, and it has a really neat Hi-Fi LED meter mounted behind the cassette door. Watch it glow at night, and you cannot believe there is no cassette door in sight, but it transforms into a huge Hi-Fi LED meter. I am in the process to purchase the entire 1986 Sanyo A/V entertainment set (matching TV, CD player, cassette deck, receiver, amplifier, turntable, tuner, and speakers) from the original owner where I bought the VCR from him five years ago. This will be my first, true 80s entertainment set, and I won't find something like this anywhere but from him. :D However, he is 2,300 miles away from where I live. :tears:

It seems someone wanted that Fisher really bad, it got to the point where it wasn't cost effective and I ended up losing...

I guess ill keep looking for a 1980's Fisher and or Sanyo, ill even settle for one that needs new belts and a new idler, I know where to get the parts!

The Fisher is at the top of my list right now, with an early Mitsu Hi-Fi being the 2nd and PV-1730 being the third, these are all well built VCRs in my eyes.

My Fisher FVH6600 Stereo VHS turns 20 this year. Everything still works except it won't rewind unless a) the tape is all the way at the end or b) it's in play mode. The playback quality on SP is so good my wife has to remind me to FF through commercials after we've taped something! I wish I could still get a remote to replace the one that died 10 years back.

I'm not surprised that Panasonic's work well. I own a PV-5800 portable deck and a PV-4760 Hi-Fi VCR with remote at the Goodwill for $9. I purchase this unit when my 21 year old Sharp V-5 VHS Hi-Fi bit the dust. The early Sony's work very well also. I also own a Sony Beta SL-HFR30 at the Goodwill for $3 and a SL-HF400 Beta Hi-Fi which has no problems.

Here's what I need.. a Betamax/HD-DVD combo unit! Then I can dub off my 75 or so Beta tapes to HD-DVD!


http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=129694&stc=1&d=1232034551

Interesting machine. Looks like it has been Photoshopped! :D

This VCR was actually made in 2002, and it qualifies as "cheaply-made" and "disposable," regardless if it is still working fine after 8 years. Regardless of how old is the VCR, they were all designed by the manufacturer to run for 10 years normal, careful use.

"Cheaply-made" and "disposable"? And it was made by Panasonic, a firm which has been manufacturing home-entertainment equipment for decades. Hmmm. :scratch2: Panasonic states on its web site that its equipment is built to last. Unless this standard has changed drastically since the turn of the last century, I am expecting my Pana PV-V4022 to last at least two more years before I get a DVD/VHS combo. I know the latter are built cheaply and meant to be disposed of once they fail. I have a Memorex DVD player I bought new at a local Big Lots last summer for $40. It works well at the moment, but I read somewhere that these players will fail within nine months of initial purchase due to a cheap capacitor that swells and splits open. I don't remember whether I asked about the quality (or lack of it) my DVD player here or on some other forum, but wherever it was, I got back a response that all Memorex DVD players will fail within a year because of that capacitor. The point was also made that any manufacturer who intends its products to be sold for $40-$80 or thereabouts cannot use quality parts in them. If the part that fails the most, in this case the cheap cap in Memorex DVDs that splits open after only a year or less, is the only major problem with these units, I would think the manufacturer could put a half-decent cap in there in the first place (not expensive, but good enough not to split and leak just months after it is installed) so that it won't fail in such a short time after initial purchase.

However, I have a bookshelf stereo system I bought new nine years ago. The cassette decks no longer work. A local repair shop gave me an estimate of $175 to repair the decks, which I promptly turned down because the I did not feel the unit was worth repairing anymore (it was perhaps seven years old at the time). I gave up and bought an old stereo cassette deck, hooked it up through the aux inputs on the stereo, and it works every bit as well as the internal decks, only without such refinements as auto-reverse. The stereo cassette deck I bought to replace the defective decks in my system cost me just over $20, from John Kendall's Vintage Electronics (www.vintage-electronics.com). A lot cheaper than the estimate to have the stereo system's internal decks repaired.

My point is that, after nine years, most of today's consumer electronics equipment is not worth repairing--if it lasts that long in the first place. When my stereo finally dies (as in the amplifier fails--these days, I only use it for the amp and very rarely for the CD player; I've ripped almost all my CDs into my computer, now using the stereo's amplifier and speakers as the computer's audio system), I will get a new one, but the new unit probably, even likely, will not last anywhere nearly as long as this one has. Any new stereo system I get probably, again even more than likely (almost certainly, as a matter of fact) will not have a cassette deck, as those are considered obsolete in this age of CDs and downloadable mp3 files. Even VCRs are now obsolete, having been replaced by DVDs and Blu-ray.

BTW, what exactly is the difference, if there is one, between DVD and Blu-ray? I see advertisements on television for movies that are now available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. I always thought Blu-ray discs were DVDs, only Blu-ray discs may be recorded somewhat differently than standard DVDs. Are the two types of disc so different that they actually need their own classifications these days? I have heard that Blu-ray discs will not work in standard DVD players (and probably vice-versa), so there must be some difference between the two formats.

Speaking of Blu-ray: I recently read in a blog on one of the computing magazine websites (I don't remember which one offhand) that the Blu-ray format is all but dead. If the format is a dead duck, why on earth are movies and TV series still being offered in both formats? If Blu-ray is dead (or close to it), I would think Universal and other motion-picture studios will be losing money just making discs produced in that format. Has anyone here heard of the demise of Blu-ray? If the format is in fact nearly dead, what went wrong?

...

Fisher Hi-Fi from the 1980s, something im still searching for, and as for the person who had the rewind problem, very common with those Fishers, and fixed with a new idler, and parts can still be found from studiosoundelectronics.com.

Fisher Hi-Fi from the 1980s, something im still searching for, and as for the person who had the rewind problem, very common with those Fishers, and fixed with a new idler, and parts can still be found from studiosoundelectronics.com.
There's one right now. It's made in 1989. This is one of Fisher's better VCR chassis with fewer problems:

http://cgi.ebay.com/FISHER-VCR-FVH-6600-W-REMOTE-HI-FI-STEREO-4-HEAD_W0QQitemZ170290973595QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVCRs? _trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

I had a Fisher, I think I still have the owner's manual...but what did I do with the vcr itself? I don't remember tossing it. Might be stuck under a console TV somewhere around here! Something was wrong with it. If/when it turns up I'll pass it along!

Here's what I need.. a Betamax/HD-DVD combo unit! Then I can dub off my 75 or so Beta tapes to HD-DVD!


http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=129694&stc=1&d=1232034551

I can't say if the actual product is real, but according to my dad, when he went to an electronics megastore in Japan they had an entire wall of Betamax tapes. :scratch2:

We still use the same VCR we've always had since at least the mid 1990's... some junky cheap Sanyo that doesn't even record in stereo. Or play back stereo, for that matter. I can say with confidence we have taped over 500 hours on it, perhaps double that, and played back at least that much. Yet, it's still chugging along, with no lubrications or cleanings to speak of. It can only record 4 programs, and the display is hardly readable, but it still works. I assume we will use it until it dies.

However, I can't wait to start using the Betamax I just got, the Sony SL-HF550, which records in stereo (BIG step up, here) and can hold up to 8 programs. :thmbsp: Still ironing out kinks with it, though. :yes:

Sharp VC-673OU made in 1986. It weighs a ton:giving me a hernia to lift, and it is in good condition.

BTW, what exactly is the difference, if there is one, between DVD and Blu-ray? I see advertisements on television for movies that are now available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. I always thought Blu-ray discs were DVDs, only Blu-ray discs may be recorded somewhat differently than standard DVDs. Are the two types of disc so different that they actually need their own classifications these days?
The difference between Blu-ray and DVD is like the difference between ham radio and CB radio...

Both are digital disc formats, but DVD is plain old standard-definition MPEG-2 video. Blu-ray is very high quality high-definition video and usually lossless multichannel audio (on most discs these days), along with optional multifunction special features far beyond what DVDs ever offered. No, Blu-ray discs will not play in DVD players, any more than LP records will play in a wind-up Victrola. (DVDs will play in Blu-ray players, though, and they will probably look better than in most regular DVD-only players as well.)

Sony SLV-676UC is what I record pretty much everything with. Its tapes seem to play in almost anything.

BTW I did get the Mitsubishi HS-430UR, fixed the tape not loading problem caused by the cassette door opener falling out of the carriage. The IC behind the mechanism was also bad so I got it jumped right now so the VCR can operate normally, a new one is on order, and thanks Ed for helping me locate the part.

All this beast needs besides that is a tape path alignment, right now it will play SP fine but has noise and lines on EP tapes.

Of course, I will need to get new rubber for it, I resurfaced the pinch roller and idler with my sander drum attachment for my dremel. It's gonna be a little tougher because studiosoundelectronics does not seem to have the rubber parts for this VCR, unless maybe I can get generic ones...

This VCR is the coolest one I've found to date, and is built like a tank, which is why I am gonna focus on this one for now.

There's one right now. It's made in 1989. This is one of Fisher's better VCR chassis with fewer problems:

http://cgi.ebay.com/FISHER-VCR-FVH-6600-W-REMOTE-HI-FI-STEREO-4-HEAD_W0QQitemZ170290973595QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVCRs? _trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
That's the model I have now. Too bad I can't afford it at the moment; it even has the original remote!

Fisher Hi-Fi from the 1980s, something im still searching for, and as for the person who had the rewind problem, very common with those Fishers, and fixed with a new idler, and parts can still be found from studiosoundelectronics.com.
I wouldn't know what to do with an idler even if I had one!

I assume these Fisherw were built in Japan by Sanyo, correct?

Sony SLV-575...

Lost the Zenith SVHS. It's funny how no one wanted it (was relisted 3 times!) and then when I bid on it all of a sudden someone else out of nowhere beats me.

It's not a bad thing though, because now I can use that money to fix up the Mitsubishi.

And that Mitsubishi is now fixed, just waiting on the IC to come in the mail, then I'll install it and it will be done!

This is a VCR that will last a very long time, as long as the known problems are dealt with, and puts all of today's VCR's to shame!

--BTW, what exactly is the difference, if there is one, between DVD and Blu-ray? I see advertisements on television for movies that are now available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. I always thought Blu-ray discs were DVDs, only Blu-ray discs may be recorded somewhat differently than standard DVDs. Are the two types of disc so different that they actually need their own classifications these days? I have heard that Blu-ray discs will not work in standard DVD players (and probably vice-versa), so there must be some difference between the two formats.

Yes, as mentioned earlier, the formats are not interchangeable, though DVD is actually readable by most Blu-Ray players. That said, the two formats could not be more different. The least of which being compression method and sheer capacity. DVD, at it's height (i.e. DVD-9, or 'dual-layer'--there were others but they were not nearly as popular) could only manage ~9G of data. They managed to get nearly 15G of data from DVD-18, but by then HD DVD and Blu-Ray had appeared on the scene. Blu-Ray, on the other hand, is pushing beyond 60G. Need all that space to add a multitude of features, enhancements, and of course 7.1 and 9.1 surround audio information and 1920x1080 progressive-scan image vs. DVD's 720x480 (i.e. 400 lines).

--Speaking of Blu-ray: I recently read in a blog on one of the computing magazine websites (I don't remember which one offhand) that the Blu-ray format is all but dead. If the format is a dead duck, why on earth are movies and TV series still being offered in both formats? If Blu-ray is dead (or close to it), I would think Universal and other motion-picture studios will be losing money just making discs produced in that format. Has anyone here heard of the demise of Blu-ray? If the format is in fact nearly dead, what went wrong?

Some have said Blu-Ray and HD DVD were dead before they began, mainly due to the change of venue by a vast majority of video rental and video streaming sources. While it certainly is true that Blu-Ray is quite a bit more advanced than DVD or any other digital optical media, the trend is actually digital downloads via network connected cellphones, televisions, and recorders. Netflix has taken a huge jump in this direction by teaming up with Microsoft on their broadband Xbox Live! Netflix video rental system. This all spins the direction of movies, television and even the local news itself in digital-only mode, where eventually it would be possible to view a movie or the news only through a networked device that could download it directly from the internet. Depending on which side of the conspiracy boat you happen to float on, the movement to abolish "ownership" as we know it regarding movies specifically and place them purely in the realm of 'virtual goods' may seem to be a step in the direction of ending piracy and other forms of copyright violation. That said, the argument continues to rage on whether or not optically-read media is as dead as the magnetic tape era that preceeded it.

--waltchan:

I just finished restoring a Mitsubishi HS-U80, HS-U82 and an HS-U65. It took some doing, the HS-U80 had suffered terrible indignities at the hands of someone who attempted to fix it, but apparently gave up half way through disassembly. I had to buy an HS-U51 (it may have been an HS-U52 now that I think about it) to salvage the parts from. In any event, it just got a new head, so the machine is amazing, for what it is. I had a few S-VHS tapes some friends made of my R/C races. I had no idea the image was as clear as it was in S-VHS. I was impressed, I honestly didn't expect that from it.
At any rate...are there any notable differences between the HS-U82 and the HS-U80 from your perspective? And, would you happen to know a website or forum post that deals with the various technical capabilities of both as an itemized list? I've been looking for a history on Mitsubishi's machines, as well as production dates and various changes in design that might have occured with these models.

Oh yeah, I forgot about another VCR I inherited some time ago. Have no idea what's wrong with it, didn't even bother to check it. It's a Sony SLV-750HF, seems like a mid-range unit, probably mid-90's (just a guess). Any opinions on these middle-of-the-road Sony's? Worth spending time to fix?

You know, I don't even know why I ask that question. I fix stuff, whether it's worth it or not. I'm sure there's a psychological explanation for it, but I can't help it. My wife asks me why I fix stuff I could never use...

"Honey...I dunno. I like it fixed." Er...actually that's, like, response number 6 or 7, really. I have a few, but they all amount to the same statement.

Netflix has taken a huge jump in this direction by teaming up with Microsoft on their broadband Xbox Live! Netflix video rental system. This all spins the direction of movies, television and even the local news itself in digital-only mode, where eventually it would be possible to view a movie or the news only through a networked device that could download it directly from the internet..

I wonder how that will conflict with ISP companies like Comcast and Time Warner limiting monthly download amounts to as little as 40 GB? Comcast has limited to 250 GB which should be fine for most, but Time Warner is talking 40 GB limits. Others will probably follow that trend if they are successful.

I wonder how that will conflict with ISP companies like Comcast and Time Warner limiting monthly download amounts to as little as 40 GB? Comcast has limited to 250 GB which should be fine for most, but Time Warner is talking 40 GB limits. Others will probably follow that trend if they are successful.

While true, the actual trend of the market is greater and greater end-user speeds, both upload and download, so while this could be their policy right now, it won't hold. The internet and people's need to use it for almost every form of information gathering are here to stay, and likely will become more and more intrinsically linked. So, I wouldn't bank on imposed bandwidth limitations by various providers to hold out. At first, they may raise them, but as time goes on and more optics are laid in the ground, speeds will go up, as will the number of users purchasing it. Time will tell, however, if they drop the limitations altogether (which seems unlikely) or if they raise them to allow unencumbered streaming of high definition video.

It's gonna be a little tougher because studiosoundelectronics does not seem to have the rubber parts for this VCR, unless maybe I can get generic ones...
Studio Sound Electronics carries all belt sizes, tires, and rollers for every old VCRs. If a page shows no photo and no kit to add to cart, you will need to contact him by clicking "Parts Finder," and he will find you the right sizes.

At any rate...are there any notable differences between the HS-U82 and the HS-U80 from your perspective? And, would you happen to know a website or forum post that deals with the various technical capabilities of both as an itemized list? I've been looking for a history on Mitsubishi's machines, as well as production dates and various changes in design that might have occured with these models.
There are many differences between Mitsubishi HS-U80 and HS-U82. HS-U80 was introduced in 1988 and ended production in early 1990, while HS-U82 was introduced in late 1990 and ended production in late 1992. Mitsubishi made a similar model of the HS-U80, which is BV-1000, for professional field. HS-U80 uses more belts than HS-U82, but HS-U80 will probably last longer than HS-U82 due to larger caps sized used on the circuitry, no plastic gears break, weight, and original MSRP cost. The HS-U82 has more features not found in HS-U80, which includes twin flying-erase-heads, improved picture and sound quality, and sleeker, modern exterior that will "wow" young people more.

The only place to find discussions (all archives) about HS-U80 and HS-U82 is at groups.google.com. Type in "Mitsubishi U80" or "Mitsubishi U82" at the search box.

Harman Kardon's only VCR ever made. Made by Mitsubishi in 1985, but designed by Harman Kardon. It's a Hi-Fi unit. Worth adding to your collection as it stacks beautifully with your Harmon Kardon audio system. Looks to be very rarely used. Needs service, however.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HARMAN-KARDON-VCD-1000-AS-IS-NEED-SERVICE_W0QQitemZ280305174467QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVC Rs?hash=item280305174467&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318

I've seen a couple of those in past years. They have a proprietary HK audio board inside.

Harman Kardon's only VCR ever made. Made by Mitsubishi in 1985, but designed by Harman Kardon. It's a Hi-Fi unit. Worth adding to your collection as it stacks beautifully with your Harmon Kardon audio system. Looks to be very rarely used. Needs service, however.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HARMAN-KARDON-VCD-1000-AS-IS-NEED-SERVICE_W0QQitemZ280305174467QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVC Rs?hash=item280305174467&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318

Harman Kardon's only VCR ever made. Made by Mitsubishi in 1985, but designed by Harman Kardon. It's a Hi-Fi unit. Worth adding to your collection as it stacks beautifully with your Harmon Kardon audio system. Looks to be very rarely used. Needs service, however.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HARMAN-KARDON-VCD-1000-AS-IS-NEED-SERVICE_W0QQitemZ280305174467QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVC Rs?hash=item280305174467&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318

Oh wow, that is nice. I'm holding out for a Canon, though...I'm allowed only so many toys at a time. LOL.

There are many differences between Mitsubishi HS-U80 and HS-U82. HS-U80 was introduced in 1988 and ended production in early 1990, while HS-U82 was introduced in late 1990 and ended production in late 1992. Mitsubishi made a similar model of the HS-U80, which is BV-1000, for professional field. HS-U80 uses more belts than HS-U82, but HS-U80 will probably last longer than HS-U82 due to larger caps sized used on the circuitry, no plastic gears break, weight, and original MSRP cost. The HS-U82 has more features not found in HS-U80, which includes twin flying-erase-heads, improved picture and sound quality, and sleeker, modern exterior that will "wow" young people more.

The only place to find discussions (all archives) about HS-U80 and HS-U82 is at groups.google.com. Type in "Mitsubishi U80" or "Mitsubishi U82" at the search box.

Oh, sorry, waltchan. I forgot to thank j00. So, uh...thank you. :) Reason I ask is because I now only seem to have the manual for my HS-U82. I can't seem to find my HS-U80 booklet...I know it was around here somewhere...

At any rate, my HS-U80 is my pride-and-joy, I have this nasty habit of finding b0rk3d stuff on eBay and then buying it and then spending more than I should to fix it. When I bought the HS-U80, I got it as a bundle (that's where I got the Sony SLV-750HF), got 'em both for $30. When I opened the HS-U80 to see what was what, it was missing a series of parts. Someone had attempted to fix it, only to ship it to me minus the parts they took out...

I ended up buying a beat-up HS-U51 to salvage parts from. Funny thing, at the same time I saw my HS-U82 on eBay for, like, $25, so I bought it too. It needed a capstan idler tire and the belts replaced...

I can't help it! If it's a nice machine, it should be fixed!

I've seen a couple of those in past years. They have a proprietary HK audio board inside.
Does it get really awesome Hi-Fi audio sound quality?

Does it get really awesome Hi-Fi audio sound quality?

There's mention of it here in this old thread too

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=36395


As I recall the unique audio board had less ICs a lot more discrete components and better overall audio specs.

In adition to the VCD 1000 there was also VCD 2000 and VCD 4000 HK VCRs.

i just got the Canon VR-HF800 off of ebay for $40 and it works great

i just got the Canon VR-HF800 off of ebay for $40 and it works great
That's great to hear. Enjoy the Canon.

BTW, what on earth does "Omnivision" mean as applied to Panasonic VCRs?

It's just a trade name / line identifier, much like the "Selectavision" name on RCA VCRs, or the "Chromacolor" name on Zenith TVs, or the "Thinkpad" name on IBM (now Lenovo) portable computers.

The interesting thing is that "Omnivision" is actually a bit of an overloaded term as a Panasonic product identifier. It originally referred to Panasonic's EIAJ-cartridge format VCRs from the early 1970's. When Panasonic (Matsushita) introduced their line of U-matic VCRs, those bore the "U-VISION" name instead. Then, when they introduced VHS-format VCRs, they re-used the Omnivision name for some reason. I suppose by that time, the EIAJ-cartridge was essentially a dead format, and someone in marketing must have decided there was enough brand value built in the "Omnivision" name that it would be worth hanging on to it. As for the origin of the name itself, it probably spawned out of the "Tape-A-Vision" name that appeared earlier on Panasonic EIAJ format open-reel VTRs.

Of course, the "Selectavision" name was just as much (if not more) of an overloaded term as an RCA product line. It originally referred to a prototype videodisc system that never made it to production, then ended up on RCA's VHS-format VCRs, and then also found itself on the CED videodisc players that grew out of the original videodisc R&D at RCA.

"Selectavision" was infamously applied to RCA's attempt at holographic video tape:
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/12/26/laser-holographic-color-tv-tape-cartridges/

http://www.cedmagic.com/history/holotape.html

I never saw it in person, but I heard that the color was terrible. I think I recall that it had a color carrier similar to the pattern used on single-tube color vidicon cameras, which meant the white balance would be very sensitive to the color carrier amplitude.

Harman Kardon's only VCR ever made. Made by Mitsubishi in 1985, but designed by Harman Kardon. It's a Hi-Fi unit. Worth adding to your collection as it stacks beautifully with your Harmon Kardon audio system. Looks to be very rarely used. Needs service, however.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HARMAN-KARDON-VCD-1000-AS-IS-NEED-SERVICE_W0QQitemZ280305174467QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVC Rs?hash=item280305174467&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318


Looks good,
My only question would be whether or not the parts needed to repair
the unit are available.

The interesting thing is that "Omnivision" is actually a bit of an overloaded term as a Panasonic product identifier. It originally referred to Panasonic's EIAJ-cartridge format VCRs from the early 1970's. When Panasonic (Matsushita) introduced their line of U-matic VCRs, those bore the "U-VISION" name instead. Then, when they introduced VHS-format VCRs, they re-used the Omnivision name for some reason. I suppose by that time, the EIAJ-cartridge was essentially a dead format, and someone in marketing must have decided there was enough brand value built in the "Omnivision" name that it would be worth hanging on to it. As for the origin of the name itself, it probably spawned out of the "Tape-A-Vision" name that appeared earlier on Panasonic EIAJ format open-reel VTRs.
As far as I can remember from history, Panasonic used "Omnivision" because they have always supported 3 recording speeds (SP, LP, SLP/EP), which means "all" vision in "all" recording speeds. Panasonic PV-1200, introduced in 1979, is the first Panasonic VCR ever made with 3 recording speeds. There was also a PV-1600, higher-end of PV-1200, with digital touch tuner, but only less than 500 units were made (luckily I have one PV-1600).

Looks good,
My only question would be whether or not the parts needed to repair
the unit are available.
jfrog1983 has the answer. I don't do Mitsubishi too often.

Yes the anti-Mitsubishi VCR collector:tongue:.......J/K

I'm not sure, but I think that VCR may be a HS-400UR in disguise. If it is, here are the rubber parts for it.

http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/mbk-65.htm

I was thinking about bidding (I can part out my Video Concepts to fix this depending on problem), did you want to bid glen65?

The Panasonic commercial I remember starred, IIRC, Reggie Jackson. They would call it Omnivision and he would call it Reggievision. Or am I all wet? Of course, this all coincided with that marque of quality, the Dodge Omni!

The Panasonic commercial I remember starred, IIRC, Reggie Jackson. They would call it Omnivision and he would call it Reggievision. Or am I all wet? Of course, this all coincided with that marque of quality, the Dodge Omni!
I know this ad very well. It's up on eBay for more than 3 years now, and it's not even sold yet:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270332717347&category=37838&refid=store

Ha! Sometimes the old memory surprises me! Thanks for the post.

As far as I can remember from history, Panasonic used "Omnivision" because they have always supported 3 recording speeds (SP, LP, SLP/EP), which means "all" vision in "all" recording speeds. Panasonic PV-1200, introduced in 1979, is the first Panasonic VCR ever made with 3 recording speeds.

Well, I can see your logic, and that sounds right about 1979 being the first year with 3 speeds. However, Panasonic (Matsushita) started making VHS VCRs in 1977, and those only had two speeds (SP/LP). From what I can find on the web, Panasonic was using the Omnivsion name on VHS VCRs right from the get-go, which would mean that not all Panasonic Omnivision VHS VCRs have support for EP (originally known as SLP). [For that matter, Panasonic kept using the Omnivision name even after they phased out recording support for the LP speed] Perhaps when Panasonic started heavily promoting the new 6-hour capabilities of their VCRs, people started associating the "Omnivision" name with "3-speed" VHS decks..?

Also, that wouldn't explain the "Omnivision" name on Pansonic's earlier EIAJ-cartridge format VCRs. (...and those only supported 1 recording speed, same as EIAJ open-reel tape)

Well, at least "Omnivision" was a better choice of a recycled Panasonic trade name than the alternatives, such as the rather klutzy-sounding "Tape-A-Vision". ...Or, they could have introduced their VHS product line as "M-VISION" to go with their 3/4-inch "U-VISION" VCR line. :) ...And at least they didn't get the same people to name their VHS VCRs as they did for some of their portable radios and such in the 1970's-- imagine the Panasonic "Toot-a-Tube" or "VideoPet" or perhaps the "Re-Tell-A-Vision". :D

"Selectavision" was infamously applied to RCA's attempt at holographic video tape:


Ah, that's right..! I was thinking there was a holographic recording system that originally had that name, but then I thought I was getting confused with CBS's EVR system.

I thought Omnivision was the company that made the Cinema 180 inflatable dome theaters lenses and films in the mid 1970's. Anybody remember those?
Richard

Nice 1988 Mitsubishi HS-413UR Hi-Fi with all its accessories. Second highest-end model after HS-423UR SVHS:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=220357548115

I like to announce a new winner of a VCR that will last forever. Originally, it was Panasonic AG-2100 video cassette player, but now, General Electric 1VCP6020X video cassette player is now my top rated unit. It's a top-loading 2-head mono video cassette player made in 1985 by Panasonic. The extra points I gave for the General Electric 1VCP6020X is top-loading feature:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=260353947844

Extremely simple-designed machine, and most surprising is it comes with a linear power supply. It may last for 100 years. :yes:

I've got a new search, and that's for a Hitachi 4 head Hi-Fi stereo with the reliable 6 belt chassis.

Wow, I've never seen people go so crazy over a 2 head mono VCR, 41 bids!

...

My first VCR, bought new in 1984, was a Panasonic-built GE. It worked very well the six years I had it, but the heads finally wore out. However, the rest of the deck was in very good shape. Should have had it repaired, as I paid some $400 for it.

BTW, I saw another listing for a Magnavox (Philips?) VCR on the same page as the GE we're discussing. I had a Maggie VCR almost exactly like that one in the early 1990s. Like my GE unit, the Magnavox lasted just about five years before the heads wore out. The rest of the deck was probably still in excellent condition. My Magnavox deck was one of those VCRs that was ready to play out of the box (almost), as all one had to do was connect the antenna/cable, connect it to the TV, plug it in, and the machine would do its own setup--channel mapping, clock set; then it would be ready to go.

By the 1990s almost all VCRs were plug-and-play, with no setup of any kind required (except, of course, for the hookup to the TV and the signal source, be it cable or OTA antenna). Today's VHS/DVD players are probably even simpler yet to connect, as they do not have RF tuners, only needing a connection to the TV's A/V jacks or an RF modulator, the latter for older sets without such jacks. However, the darn things (not unlike VCRs by the '90s, until they went out of production) are made with cheap plastic parts and will not last much longer than the warranty period. I recently read in a post on FixYa.com that stated even today's DVD players won't last very long; specifically, Memorex-branded players have a cheap capacitor that swells and splits open after about nine months, a year at the outside. The reason? The firms that make these DVD players make them to sell cheaply, so they cannot use quality parts in them. (I had a CyberHome DVD player that lasted three years, then stopped reading discs; I swear, it was built more solidly than the player I bought last year to replace it.) I'm concerned about this (the possibility of premature failure), as I bought a Memorex DVD player for about $40 from Big Lots last summer. It works well at the moment, but I'm not looking forward to having to replace the machine this year.

Who actually manufactures Memorex-branded DVD players? Memorex itself was originally an audio-tape manufacturing firm, eventually, as technology evolved, branching out to video tape and compact discs--not to mention blank DVDs.

I seriously doubt, however, that Memorex was ever directly involved in the manufacture of DVD players; as a matter of fact, I think their DVD players are rebadged machines (like everything else these days) made by Orion or some other offshore manufacturer.

Who actually manufactures Memorex-branded DVD players? Memorex itself was originally an audio-tape manufacturing firm, eventually, as technology evolved, branching out to video tape and compact discs--not to mention blank DVDs.

I seriously doubt, however, that Memorex was ever directly involved in the manufacture of DVD players; as a matter of fact, I think their DVD players are rebadged machines (like everything else these days) made by Orion or some other offshore manufacturer.
Memorex DVD players are made by Changhong in China while the DVD/VCR combos are made by Orion.

I've got a new search, and that's for a Hitachi 4 head Hi-Fi stereo with the reliable 6 belt chassis.
Is that the 3+2 Hi-Fi Hitachi VT-1700A on eBay right now? I used to own one, but I donated to Goodwill after I received my 5+2 Hi-Fi as a replacement.

I have a beat up 3+2 Hi-Fi, I could grab that one on ebay since it's most likely in better condition, has a remote, and is a different model than the one I have, and yes I am looking for one of the 7 head units.

so is there such a beast as a 8 head vcr ?

who made a 7 head ?

I don't know about an 8-head VCR, but the first VCR on the market with crystal-clear freeze-frame and variable slow motion (also clear, in an era when every other VCR's freeze-frame had a big snow line through the picture) was a Sony SL-5800 with... two video heads! :)

so is there such a beast as a 8 head vcr ?

who made a 7 head ?
Yes, there is such thing as a 8-head Hi-Fi VCR. Only Sharp made them in 1993 under models VC-H96U and VC-H98U.

Hitachi made a 7-head.

Well I bid on that Hitachi 3+2 head and won it, however an oversight of mine, it's in Canada so the shipping is more $$$.

Well I bid on that Hitachi 3+2 head and won it, however an oversight of mine, it's in Canada so the shipping is more $$$.

That explains the high shipping cost. Something I am in the habit of doing now is first checking the shipping details before I get excited about anything on eBay these days. Many seem to be making up for listing and other costs by jacking up shipping costs.

The 3rd head is used only in still-slow mode. They repeat the same field twice in those modes to give a decent noise free still picture. Similar to what Sony was doing in the SL-5800 I believe.

What happened with that VCR is I did email the seller about the shipping after I won it, explained my mistake about the shipping since it's international, and then paid the seller for the VCR. Problem is, he relisted it on ebay and I didn't know that till AFTER I sent the money, he was trying to do me a favor.

I would really like to find their 7 head unit...

I would really like to find their 7 head unit...
Too bad for you as I luckily found another one, which is Hitachi VT-87A (I am not allowed to tell you which Hitachi VCR model has 7-head in it as it will raise the bid price, and I already spent many years figuring out each manufacturer's top of the line model from certain year).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270356510798

Despite that, I am having a problem and don't know if it's coming from the video head or bad caps at video board. SP and LP playback are fine with perfect picture quality and Hi-Fi sound, but EP playback only plays black and white with snow and distortion with picture rolling, and there are invisible purple and green bars at the bottom of the screen. FF and REW search do the same thing, except in pause mode where the picture is fully restored (see attached photos). If the playback is at the darker scene, picture stops rolling. Is the problem coming from the video board, video head (I hope not), or power supply? It reads the right speed with clear Hi-Fi audio, so why can't video work?

Otherwise, I am enjoying its SP picture quality and Hi-Fi audio quality and it's a nice rare model to own (mines is #355 from production for one year).

My 1988 Panasonic...because I never use it anymore. ;)

I have this 1989 Electrohome 2 head VCR that my mom bought when new. It's been in daily use since 1989, up until recently when my mom decided that she'd rather have a Samsung VCR/DVD combo. The samsung is garbage in comparrison. But anyway, this VCR was usually recording all day (with the then state of the art, space age timer feature, which is why this VCR litterally cost a fortune back then), and playing all evening. MANY, MANY rented movies have been played on it. It's seen 20 years of hard use, but the thing still works perfectly good! I got it in my room now. The distinct sound of it rewinding a tape just takes me right back to when I was a kid in the '90s. The only problem it has now is that it won't FF unless it's in play, and it sometimes doesn't play EP tapes properly (switches from SP to LP to EP over and over again).
But after all it's been through, this old rig has the right to screw up every once and a while.

We had a matching Electrohome TV with it, but the TV, which also seen constant daily use for 20 years, broke down recently. Too bad, that TV was like a member of the family lol

And anyone ever remember when the tracking would screw up, and you'd fix it by playing a good tape for a minute or so?

I have this 1989 Electrohome 2 head VCR ... The only problem it has now is that it won't FF unless it's in play, and it sometimes doesn't play EP tapes properly (switches from SP to LP to EP over and over again).


I am not familiar with that brand. Do you know who manufactured it?

As far as the EP-LP business, that's likely either the tape is skewing down from the Control Track (CTL) head probably because the pinch roller is worn out, or the CTL head is dirty, or the tape itself is wrinkled along the bottom edge from where the CTL track is recorded on the tape, caused by the tape skewing down against the edge of one of the tape guides. Needs a tune-up!

I am not familiar with that brand. Do you know who manufactured it?

As far as the EP-LP business, that's likely either the tape is skewing down from the Control Track (CTL) head probably because the pinch roller is worn out, or the CTL head is dirty, or the tape itself is wrinkled along the bottom edge from where the CTL track is recorded on the tape, caused by the tape skewing down against the edge of one of the tape guides. Needs a tune-up!

Electrohome is (well, was) a Canadian electronics manufacturer. Mitsubishi bought it out in 1984.

And I think I'm gonna open this thing up and give it a good cleaning at least. It's never needed servicing, and has never been opened up in 20 years. it's about time lol

Electrohome is (well, was) a Canadian electronics manufacturer. Mitsubishi bought it out in 1984.

And I think I'm gonna open this thing up and give it a good cleaning at least. It's never needed servicing, and has never been opened up in 20 years. it's about time lol
Your Electrohome is probably made by Mitsubishi. Since you said it has never been opened up before, you will need to order new belts and pinch roller, as well as idler tire.

http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/mbk-29.htm

The tire is extremely hard to change, but you will get an instruction manual to put it in.

Your Electrohome is probably made by Mitsubishi. Since you said it has never been opened up before, you will need to order new belts and pinch roller, as well as idler tire.

http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/mbk-29.htm

The tire is extremely hard to change, but you will get an instruction manual to put it in.

if it's extremely hard to change, I think I'll save that until it stops working totally lol

Your Electrohome is probably made by Mitsubishi. Since you said it has never been opened up before, you will need to order new belts and pinch roller, as well as idler tire....The tire is extremely hard to change, but you will get an instruction manual to put it in. Yep you have to disassemble the whole reel drive assembly that is that black piece referred to. I can do one in about half an hour. I've done many of these. I always replaced the idler arm assy, not just the idler tire, with a genuine Mitsubishi part. Probably no longer available. Have fun!

My first VCR was a Panasonic PV-1500 in 1979. I still have tapes I made back in 1979 and 1980 including the original 1980 NBC '50 Years of Television' special complete with commercials, a NOVA special on the DC-10 from 1980, and 4 hours of recordings from the 1980 Winter Olympics from Lake Placid, with ads. I always made all of my recordings at SP for the best quality.

I recently played these tapes on my current VCR and they all played back perfect, after almost 30 years!!!

So, who wants to bet my DVD recordings I made on my DVD recorder using DVD-R disks will still play 30 years from now. From what I am reading, the film used in the DVD blank disks will fade within several years and will cause digital errors to the extent the disks will not even play.

Kind of ironic in that my original intent of buying a DVD recorder was to archive my non-commercial (home recorded) VHS tapes to DVD. Now I am finding that I need to keep the VHS tapes as archives and use the DVD copies for watching!

John

My first VCR was a Panasonic PV-1500 in 1979. I still have tapes I made back in 1979 and 1980 ...

So, who wants to bet my DVD recordings I made on my DVD recorder using DVD-R disks will still play 30 years from now.
John

My thoughts exactly. My first VCR was a Panasonic PV-1000 and I too have old tapes from '78-'79 on, that still play fine.

Another thought.. all the TV captured on tape from the '70s, '80s, and '90s up until DVRs took over, and that kind of archiving won't exist in the future with no more VCRs and all hard drive based DVRs...:scratch2:

My first VCR was a Panasonic PV-1500 in 1979. I still have tapes I made back in 1979 and 1980 including the original 1980 NBC '50 Years of Television' special complete with commercials, a NOVA special on the DC-10 from 1980, and 4 hours of recordings from the 1980 Winter Olympics from Lake Placid, with ads. I always made all of my recordings at SP for the best quality.

I recently played these tapes on my current VCR and they all played back perfect, after almost 30 years!!!

So, who wants to bet my DVD recordings I made on my DVD recorder using DVD-R disks will still play 30 years from now. From what I am reading, the film used in the DVD blank disks will fade within several years and will cause digital errors to the extent the disks will not even play.

Kind of ironic in that my original intent of buying a DVD recorder was to archive my non-commercial (home recorded) VHS tapes to DVD. Now I am finding that I need to keep the VHS tapes as archives and use the DVD copies for watching!

John

I love to find stuff like that; I have some Beta tapes I found from '82 or so. Some of them look as good as live. I've thought about getting a DVD recorder but I really don't trust that they will be permanent. Heck, I've got some paper-backed R2R tapes that must be no newer than 1950? Sound great! (to my tin ear, at least)

I opened up the Electrohome, only to be greeted by, LITTERALLY, a shag carpet of dirt. I seriously can't believe this thing has been working in that condition. You could have planted potatoes inside the damn thing.
But that speaks volumes for the durability and reliability of VCRs of the era.

I vacuumed it out (yes, I had to use a vacuum, with the brush nozzle), cleaned it up, and it might just be my imagination, but it just seems to work better to me.

Oh, and another VCR I have that will probabally last forever... my main VCR, which is a Panasonic stereo 4 head model. It's only 4 years old, but VCRs made in the 2000s are known for breaking down within the year, so this rig's going pretty good.
But Panasonic does make some good stuff.
I bought it brand new for $100.00, which is litterally a steal for a VCR of it's quality. And it's just a VCR too, it's not some damn DVD/VCR combo. Probabally among the last standalone VCRs ever made, and definately the last good VCR ever made.

I love to find stuff like that; I have some Beta tapes I found from '82 or so. Some of them look as good as live. I've thought about getting a DVD recorder but I really don't trust that they will be permanent.

I hadn't planned on buying a DVD recorder. but I did so recently just so I could copy some things I taped years ago.

My tapes were always stored in a closet out of the heat until Katrina. For about 2 years afterward they were in a non air-conditioned workshop. When I brought them back into the house, some of them had visible mold (white dust) on the tape reels looking through the top. Many of them (with or without the mold) have suffered serious degradation of the video quality. I am also having to run the head cleaner through the VCR way more often than before.

We didn't get a VCR until Christmas 1991, and I recorded a lot of stuff up until 1997, so I'm talking about tapes that are 12-18 years old, all name brand, recorded at LP & SP.

My oldest VHS tapes are from June, 1983, when I rented a Sharp VC-9500 VCR to tape my brother's high school graduation in Reston, VA. We attended the ceremony, & our local cable company played the tape of this several times over that weekend on the public access channel.

The tapes cost me about $10 EACH(Maxell T-120s), & I filled up the second tape with Looney Tunes & Walter Lantz cartoons off of WDCA. I have always used the SP speed for best picture quality, & those tapes look quite good today. The sound is only average, as VHS Hi-Fi hadn't been introduced yet(that came in 1984) & the Sharp had the usual mono linear audio track.

I have found that nearly all of my circa 1,000 VHS tapes play well today, for the simple reason that there are too many of 'em for any one tape to get played too often-so wear is minimal. And I do burn various VHS tapes to DVD-R for friends & family, on my Pioneer DVD recorder. I have no illusions about any DVD-R or CD-R discs lasting 20-50-100 years, regardless of any "aging tests" by the manufacturers. This why I still use a VHS Hi-Fi VCR for tapings off of TCM, IFC, etc.(as well as 'events' like the recent election). I feel IF you get good tape stock(current fav is Sony), a viewing copy on DVD-R will suffice for distribution & the VHS "master" gets stored away til needed again. I had wanted to get a nice JVC SVHS VCR for better picture resolution, knowing that digital TV & DVD-Rs would take over, but by the time I started waving money around retailers no longer had any in stock :(

My oldest VHS tapes are from June, 1983, when I rented a Sharp VC-9500 VCR to tape my brother's high school graduation in Reston, VA. We attended the ceremony, & our local cable company played the tape of this several times over that weekend on the public access channel.

I've been looking for a Sharp VC-9500 for more than 5 years on eBay but with no luck so far. :tears:

Waltchan and everyone else here: I also own a Sanyo VHR 1900. I need what is called a “Reel Motor”. At least that’s what I think it’s called. The Part numbers on the bottom of the motor are V-02500 and underneath that 860620 11. I scratched the label getting it out so the V-02500 is no longer ledgeable but I made note of it a while back. This part number / motor number may also be known as 4527V02500 or SO4527V02500. Also a 4527V02400 may work. If you know where I can find one or a complete VCR with one in it…I’m Looking. Here is a link to some pictures of the motor. Thanks Yall http://img850.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=motor4n.jpg

The link in my above post is to an album containing 5 pictures of the motor I need.

If the motor does not turn you might be able to revive it with some oil and or grease. I was able to fix(it was still a tad sticky but did work) a motor on a top load beta deck in that manner once.

Yeah Tom...I think that's what I'm going to have to do. What type grease? I'm thinking maybe some white lithium or even standard bearing grease or dilectric like I used to use on plug wires, rotor buttons, etc. I took the motor apart and cleaned up the brushes and adjusted them so they make better contact. It now runs but it's a little louder than before. When I removed the houseing I was not expecting plastic washers to fall out. So I don't know exactly where they go although I don't think they are critical. Lubrication definately sounds good though as both ends of the shaft are dry as a bone.

I have 2 vcrs. One is an old panasonic top loader, the other is a digital dvhs jvc deck that records and plays back hdtv. Hate to say it but for playback the dvhs deck is much better even on my old tv set, mainly because it has a built in time base corrector. But for reliability the panasonic wins.

Yeah Tom...I think that's what I'm going to have to do. What type grease? I'm thinking maybe some white lithium or even standard bearing grease or dilectric like I used to use on plug wires, rotor buttons, etc. I took the motor apart and cleaned up the brushes and adjusted them so they make better contact. It now runs but it's a little louder than before. When I removed the houseing I was not expecting plastic washers to fall out. So I don't know exactly where they go although I don't think they are critical. Lubrication definately sounds good though as both ends of the shaft are dry as a bone.

I used Labelle 106 because it was what I had on hand at the time. I don't really know if it is the proper stuff for the job tough it did seem to help.

I'm convinced that my late-80s Sanyo VCR will never die. It's built like a tank.

Waltchan and everyone else here: I also own a Sanyo VHR 1900. I need what is called a “Reel Motor”. At least that’s what I think it’s called. The Part numbers on the bottom of the motor are V-02500 and underneath that 860620 11. I scratched the label getting it out so the V-02500 is no longer ledgeable but I made note of it a while back. This part number / motor number may also be known as 4527V02500 or SO4527V02500. Also a 4527V02400 may work. If you know where I can find one or a complete VCR with one in it…I’m Looking. Here is a link to some pictures of the motor. Thanks Yall http://img850.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=motor4n.jpg
I have this Sanyo VHR-1900 model also. This was Sanyo's first and oldest VHS VCR model with 4-Head, Hi-Fi stereo feature, manufactured in 1986. It has this really unique large Hi-Fi LED audio level meter display placed directly on top of the cassette tray door (see attached photo below), and the door flips downward. Despite it's skeptical looks, this model is definitely far more reliable than the Fisher models.

I have two working spare reel motors for it, but I decide to keep both of them, as I plan to use this model for the next 20-30 years in service.

The owner that regularly sells VCR belt-kits at studiosoundelectronics.com successfully confirm the "Sanyo" brand as being the most-reliable "famous-brand" VHS VCR manufacturer in the world, based on their 30-year average repair-rate trend. His statement encourages me to hang on to my Sanyo VHR-1900 longer. The #1 most-reliable VHS VCR manufacturer in the world is actually Shintom, but no one has heard of this company. Sanyo is #2.

(Copied from Magnetic/Tape forum...)

I e-mailed Studio Sound Electronics, the largest online VCR part-store, on his opinion on 1980s to 1993 VHS VCR reliability, and he sent me this:

FEWER REPAIRS
<<<<<

01 -- Toshiba/RCA/GE/ProScan (most-reliable)
02 -- Shintom/Multitech/Toshiba
03 -- Funai/Symphonic/Multitech/TEAC/XR-1000
04 -- Panasonic/Quasar/Canon/GE/Magnavox/JCPenny/RCA/Sylvania
05 -- Sanyo/Sears
06 -- NEC/Marantz/Yamaha
07 -- Sharp/Montgomery Ward/Signature 2000
08 -- JVC/Zenith/Kenwood
09 -- Orion/Emerson/Broksonic/Sansui/TMK
10 -- Samsung/RCA/GE/Toshiba
11 -- Sony
12 -- Hitachi/RCA/GE/ProScan/Sears
13 -- Mitsubishi/MGA/Video Concepts
14 -- GoldStar/Zenith/LXI/JCPenny/Totevision/
15 -- Daewoo/Capehart/Daytron
16 -- Fisher (least-reliable)

>>>>>
MORE REPAIRS

Toshiba/RCA/GE/ProScan were the most-reliable, while Fisher was the least-reliable. Would all of you (as techs) find this (his rankings) more preferable and accurate?

(Copied from Magnetic/Tape forum...)

I e-mailed Studio Sound Electronics, the largest online VCR part-store, on his opinion on 1994 to 2005 VHS VCR reliability, and he sent me this:

FEWER REPAIRS
<<<<<

01 -- Sanyo (most-reliable)
02 -- Shintom/Toshiba/Sony
03 -- Fisher
04 -- Hitachi
05 -- Orion/Emerson/Broksonic/Sansui
06 -- Mitsubishi
07 -- Sharp/Admiral
08 -- Samsung/RCA/GE/Samtron/Toshiba
09 -- Panasonic/Quasar/GE/Memorex/RCA
10 -- Funai/Symphonic/Hitachi/Philips-Magnavox/Sylvania
11 -- Toshiba/RCA/GE/ProScan
12 -- JVC/Marantz/Philips-Magnavox
13 -- Sony
14 -- GoldStar/JCPenny/LXI/Allegro/Zenith
15 -- Daewoo/Audiovox/Emerson/Fisher/GE/RCA/Sanyo (least-reliable)

>>>>>
MORE REPAIRS

Sanyo was the most-reliable, while Daewoo/Audiovox/Emerson/Fisher/GE/RCA/Sanyo were the least-reliable. Would all of you (as techs) find this (his rankings) more preferable and accurate?

I don't know what the consensus is on Sanyos from the early '80s, but my VCR 4500 seems to be one of those tanks. I got it for $10 from a junk shop a few years ago, and low-and-behold it still worked! All it needed were new belts and an idler tire. The picture isn't stunning, but what can you expect for a 29 year old Beta-deck with an unknown history? Has played great from day one and I even have recorded on it a few times.

I have a Sanyo beta deck from '83 and it too works great, like you said not the best picture but still looks good.

I've seen a Fisher (re-badged Sanyo) almost like the with the VU meters on the cassette door.. That one is a neat on, with the tape indicator..

I don't know what the consensus is on Sanyos from the early '80s, but my VCR 4500 seems to be one of those tanks. I got it for $10 from a junk shop a few years ago, and low-and-behold it still worked! All it needed were new belts and an idler tire. The picture isn't stunning, but what can you expect for a 29 year old Beta-deck with an unknown history? Has played great from day one and I even have recorded on it a few times.

My VCR 4650(betamax) is such a tank of an machine that I did not hesitate to snag a second beat up unit for cheap. Low and behold the beat up one works just like the good one without me even having to open the case! Now that is engineering and build quality right there!

I heard Toshiba Beta was the the most-reliable Beta VCR brand. Can anyone verify? If Toshiba VHS rated higher in reliability than Sanyo, chances are, Toshiba Beta was also more reliable than Sanyo.

:nono::thumbsdn:That's great to hear. Enjoy the Canon.

its rebadget panasonic

Within one years time I found two Slimline Sony Betamax SL-30 and a SL-S600 and all of them needed no repairs what so ever and worked fine.. But of course you can't compare 30+ y/o technology to today's.. All i know most anything made today won't last 30 years like a VCR made 30 years ago..

I remember seeing one of those Hi-Fi Fishers with the VU meters on the tape door back in the 90s at a flea market. That was the last I saw one.. I run into a stereo unit here and there..

Today's offerings??? Kam you kooky old man who the hell still buys VCR's??? They've gone the way of the dinosaur, the record player and tape decks. I love my VCR and record player bud and i think they are MUCH BETTER!!! (Better audio,more accurate colours,etc)

Analogue IS AND ALWAYS WAS BETTER!!!! (And always will be in my opinion)

Another Sanyo VCR-4500 household here. Besides the occasional belt and idler replacement, its been a tank after years of recording and playback. I recently picked up a VCR-6400 (4 head version of the 4500) and all it needs is... belts and a idler. The Betaphiles HATE these decks because they don't play B-I speed, un-thread the tape every time you push STOP, and the video quality is so-so. They are miles ahead more reliable then their Sony counterparts though and seem to track all my problem tapes without issue.

I said it before and I'll say it again. The NEC, had to be the worst Beta VCR ever.
A friend of my niece has a Sanyo Beta VCR, that he is giving away. I agreed to take it. I don't remember the Sanyo's that well.

I have a Panasonic AG-1950 and Zenith VRE205 that seem to be on a mission to never harm a tape or die.

https://i.imgur.com/hhtUkan.gif

Thats GOOD but please dont say "Never" -- You dont want to jinx things for yourself!

NEC should go into the more repaired dept.I had more issues with those idler tires angle guides and mech issues with them.I have the PV-1200 somewhere here..I love those old boat anchors .