I inherited a BetaMax ... :D
 

Behold the the Sanyo BetaCord VTC-5000 !
http://www.palsite.com/tech.py?model=5000tech.html
I have the mark 2 in "Champagne Color" with Video Line-In !
8kg's of metal and plastic and it only produces mono sound :yes:
I feel so nostalgic getting this from my dad, it had a tape inside with the news ,weather and wheel of fortune recorded 20 years ago.

http://i60.tinypic.com/x9ic0.jpg

What i have done so far:
- Get the dust out
- Cleaned the heads and rollers with Isopropyl alcohol
- Cleaned the clock window
- Lubed any shaft and bearing with Sewing machine oil and a cue-tip.

Everything works except rewind and fast-forward. When i give an extra push to the idler wheel with a screwdriver it does grip and rewinds, otherwise the tape wheels stop turning.

After an hour of 2, trying to tune this thing just right onto my Samsung LCD tv this is the best picture i can get through a standard coax cable:

http://i58.tinypic.com/2n71idc.jpg

Can i get a better picture with a bnc to composite cable?
Its a 220v EU model and the coax cable fits very snug, still its not a sharp as it can be and the color blobs are really unsatisfying.

Thanks for looking!

Edit:

I just found an idler kit for 20 pounds which is really expensive, don't know if i should go for it.

Find out if it is "NOS" or "New." If they've been sitting on a shelf for the past 20 years I'd say probably not worth much more than 99p. If they are recently manufactured, then it is a fair price for refitting a family heirloom.

Those machines were known for idler failure and the small belt that drives it. Other than that a very reliable machine!The newer TV's don't like videotape in some instances. I would check it on a CRT set.
Love BETA!

It's true. LCD's don't show vcr pictures as good as a crt.

I'v been googling for 3 days now and turns out there is no new idler kit available anywhere in the world, only old stock at 20 british pounds! And the belts cost 18 pounds including shipping!

But i'v learned a little trick: Turn the idler tire inside out and now it works like a champ.

I made an instructable on this and already 300+ people have watched this within 24 hours! :D

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...R-for-nothing/

I also contacted the person selling the old stock idlers but he will not negotiate about the price.

And i ordered a bnc to rca cable, it should arrive tomorrow, hope i can get a clear picture on my lcd.

Quite often, you can buy just new idler tires, at least here in the USA. PRB and Russell Industries are two names that I know, now maybe part of the same company. There have been cross-reference lists, but maybe only for USA models, however you may be able to measure the exact diameters and thickness of that tire and find a replacement that way. In the UK, a company called Farnell was probably a supplier of VCR parts, at least in the past.

I have contacted shops in the us, none is available for my model.
And anything that comes overseas is very expensive in shipping.

Update: I just got a BNC cable and the picture is perfect clear on my LCD :D

Indeed, I did not expect any USA dealer to have your model listed. The way to do it (if possible) would be to remove and measure the size of your idler's tire, and then try to find one that matches from the specifications of different tires.

It is nice to hear that the picture is good with a direct video cable.

I've got the Sears brand American version of that machine. They are real tanks reliability wise.

A very late update here:

I flipped the idler tire inside out and its working great now!

Nice machine! I have the 5000 MK1 (silver color). The tape counter doesn't work and the clock can't be set because there's a crack on the front panel PCB :(

TO ALL OWNERS
:banana:
It's COOL
Do You TRY THIS

For EXAMPLE HERE no AM/PM illuminated in the display

https://youtu.be/dwqsCF2Fgiw?t=263