Quasar VR-1000

[starbond]

Originally Posted by WCV82

I'm amazed you had enough blank tapes to make recordings on that thing way into the mid 80s (Super Bowl XX being January 1986), from what I've heard the product was discontinued by 1979 or 1980, and I assume blank tapes and other accessories would have been gone from retail shelves by 1981.

Replacement parts will be hard to find I'd assume, I check regularly and there are usually only 1 or 2 Quasar VR-1000s up on Ebay at one time, if at all, and those are usually the same ones that were relisted 5-10x because the seller wants $400 for it.

As for tape mold, I've cleaned VHS tapes by some of the methods used on Youtube, aka running the tape in FF and take the top off the player and lightly press down on the reels with a Q tip dabbed in rubbing alcohol. It usually takes 2 or 3 passes and the tape is clean. However, some tapes are so mold laden that the reels won't move and will just snap off.

My dad has a tendency re-record over previous tapes, and I think the Superbowl tape was one he has bought years before and re-used. I'm willing to bet most tapes with 80s content were ones he bought originally in the 70s- alot of blue V100 and orange boxes V120 (strangely never a single V60 black box tape) And a fun fact, I came across his receipts for the machine that he kept in his records, I cant remember exactly but i think a blank tape then cost about $50..in 1970s dollars. pretty crazy.

Funny you mention that, there is a BRAND NEW Vr-1000 on ebay right now for over $700 bucks. Pretty neat however I would never pay that much to relive some of my dad's tape memories haha. As for the old tapes, if i need FFD to do it, this machine will not fast forward atm, (or rewind, or do anything other than play at normal speed). I have taken apart a tape once and done the tedious task of manually spooling the tape from one side to the other to loosen up a section of tape (gave up after 10 minutes, too much tape)

However some good news, my new caps and transistors arrived from digi-key last night, going to give it a shot, I think ultimately my issue that the solenoids are not engaging across any level, which is ever a 12v line issue or a component along the way is faulty. Time will tell.