Oldest VCR you've owned?
 

I currently own a Mitsubishi HS-300U VCR from 1981. It's really heavy and built like a tank. It still works well after 30 years, although one day I need to open it up and do a little TLC.

I don't have a picture of it (it's at home, a long way from here), but the video below has the same model. Surprisingly there was zero info anywhere about this VCR, except for the Youtube video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH4xylRiBng

Not shown is the optional brick-sized remote and its receiver, which plugs into the back of the VCR and has a few feet of cable so you can position it for best reception. Mine came with both, which I guess is a rare find.

It's a great setup and goes well with my Zenith TV of about the same vintage - also working great, despite my Grandma using it daily for 25 years.


What is the oldest VCR you have? I have yet to find anything that predates this beast.


-Tim

I worked on those when they were current. Not fun to work on! Talk about a rats nest of wires! They have 5 motors: Two reel motors, a loading motor, capstan motor and head cylinder motor. I remember the remote unit that went with those too. Probably some pieces of one in a box at the old shop I worked at.

My oldest VCR is a 77' Zenith jr-9000w two speed Betamax top loader with orig dust cover (the handle on the speed switch was broke off though), bought it at the ARCI donation auction for a whopping 1$. After lubing a stuck (still not too good) motor I was able to get monochrome video with red blue and purple noise which soon disapeared and left me with just mono video and audio .:sigh: I'll start a resotration thread after I finish some projects I have going.

My oldest VTR is either a circa 1975 Sony AV-5000A or a Concord (can't remember the model #) both use the EAIJ reel to reel monochrome video recording standard (hence Video Tape Recorder VTR instead of Video Cassette Recorder VCR), though the Sony has non-standard color capabilities(if you are curious check out this link labguysworld.com/Sony_AV-5000A.htm.

Got some other vintage decks, but I think I'll limit it to the oldest.

Tom C.

I have a 1979 Sharp, bought it recently for cheap just because it's big and old.

My oldest video recorder is a 1967 Sony CV-2100CE 1/2" CV format reel-reel videotape recorder http://www.troysvintagevideo.741.com/cv2100.html . I rescued it from a local scrap metal/vintage electronics recycle centre and it is cosmetically in great shape and powers up and functions well mechanically, once tried to record a picture on it but got no picture playback so I guess it's probably not fully functional. I also have a spare video head for it as well.

I own a 1976 Sony model LV-1901, combination one-hour Betamax VCR and 19" color TV.

I've still got my old Pana-built Quasar that a customer declined an estimate on in the 90's. His loss. :yes:

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i...H5100QWVCR.jpg

I believe it's the Sharp VC-6800 you mentioned earlier. This one was also the oldest VCR I used to own. Sold it for $330 shipped 4 years ago.

His loss, yes, but 90s VCR had already reached $150, and he thought that a 16 year old VCR reached the end of lifespan (not really for this one).

Sanyo's first Betacord. Knob tuner, BII only, drum servo only (brake), circa 1976, almost entirely discrete components.

At the time, only Beta with built-in electronic/LED clock. Sony's were the mechanical flip-clocks like their clock radios, an accessory that sat on top. Sold in 1981.

The oldest VCR I ever owned was a 1984 top loading JVC with big multi-colored buttons on the front. I got it in 2005. It had several blown fuses in it when I got it. I replaced the fuses but I only got it to play once. Threw it out.:sigh:

My oldest VCR (now long gone, heads failed in 1990) was a 1984 GE top-loading VHS machine built by Panasonic. It had 12-position tuning (thumbwheel-tuned 83-channel electronic tuning system), three speeds, wired remote, and it worked quite well for me the six years I owned it. I'd have kept it a bit longer if not for the fact that a local TV shop gave me a $250 estimate to repair it. :no:

the oldest vcr I ever had was an RCA Selectavision VBT 200 VHS. Hand me down when my father replaced it with one with a Selectavision 650. One of the first with a wireless remote. The 200 Is long gone. but still have several tapes that were recorded on it. Including a 1977 Elvis Concert with 1970's Commercials. Had only 2 Speeds SP and LP would not play SLPor EP tapes. Tank of a unit.

Still have my JVC HR-3300, the very first VHS deck from 1977. It has full width [59 Micron] video heads and still works fine.
Cliff

Oldest deck I ever owned was a Panasonic PV-1200 that my folks bought from Sears in 1980. I had it up to 2004 and it still played fine. Needed to downsize so I gave it away. I wish I still had it.