Just picked up a Panasonic PV-1730 Hi-Fi VCR

[djfivos]

Hi. The PV-1730 was probably Panasonic's answer to the Sony SL-2700 Beta hi-fi. Like the 2700, it has direct drive reel motors and electronic servo-controlled back-tension. The same mechanism was incorporated into some Panasonic portable VCRs from the same time. The NV-180/PV-8000 being a good example.

Fivos

[Ed in Tx]

Originally Posted by djfivos

The same mechanism was incorporated into some Panasonic portable VCRs from the same time. The NV-180/PV-8000 being a good example.

Fivos

And the stereo Hi-Fi PV-9000 portable, can't leave that one out!

[djfivos]

Originally Posted by Ed in Tx

And the stereo Hi-Fi PV-9000 portable, can't leave that one out!

Yeah. Quite amazing how they managed to cram the AFM circuits inside a unit that small in 1984.

[Ed in Tx]

Originally Posted by djfivos

Yeah. Quite amazing how they managed to cram the AFM circuits inside a unit that small in 1984.

Yes! But at the same time they didn't figure out how to keep the 8000 and 9000 VCRs from coming un-docked from the PV-A860 docking tuner charger power unit, until Panasonic came up with a modification kit a while later. Don't know how many of those I installed that kit in but it was a bunch!

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Ed in Tx

Yes! But at the same time they didn't figure out how to keep the 8000 and 9000 VCRs from coming un-docked from the PV-A860 docking tuner charger power unit, until Panasonic came up with a modification kit a while later. Don't know how many of those I installed that kit in but it was a bunch!

Zenith and JVC in the 1980s had some pretty interesting Hi-Fi and Mono VCRs (one of them was a sideways loading front loading VCR) and most of those were also direct drive units as well.

[Ed in Tx]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Zenith and JVC in the 1980s had some pretty interesting Hi-Fi and Mono VCRs (one of them was a sideways loading front loading VCR) and most of those were also direct drive units as well.

Was warranty service for JVC and Zenith, HR-D470 sideways load, and those did not have direct drive reels. DD capstan motors, yes, and the cylinder of course. Even the relatively sophisticated HR-S5800 and S6700 that you could use two together with a remote controller for editing didn't. ☺ The big industrial VCRs might have though, we didn't see many of those.

Matsushita owned a large stake in JVC but they sure didn't share any chassis or anything else.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by Ed in Tx

Was warranty service for JVC and Zenith, HR-D470 sideways load, and those did not have direct drive reels. DD capstan motors, yes, and the cylinder of course. Even the relatively sophisticated HR-S5800 and S6700 that you could use two together with a remote controller for editing didn't. ☺ The big industrial VCRs might have though, we didn't see many of those.

Matsushita owned a large stake in JVC but they sure didn't share any chassis or anything else.

I've had a few JVC (and JVC's Rebadged as Zenith) that did have direct drive mechanisms (mostly the really high end prosumer grade Hi-Fi units.)