A VCR Delima

[LBPete]

I don't get over to VideoKarma much since it split off from AudioKarma. I miss you TV guys and now need to enlist your help.

My 1998 vintage Panasonic PV-8664 VCR is getting wonky and I'm facing the classic repair or replace question.

I also have a pair of JVC HR-D566U VCRs circa 1986. I bough one of them new and paid more than $700 for it. It started eating tapes and the local TV shop couldn't or wouldn't fix it. That's when I bough the PV-8664.

I've held on to the JVC with the idea of restoring it but it's never happened. Over time I found another one in a thrift store and bought it for a backup. These are really heavy over built VCRs. They were the first generation of the HQ and HiFi audio technology. They even have separate audio record level pots and LED VU meters. At the time they were sold as a better alternative to reel to reel tape and I used to use mine to record albums off my FM receiver.

I want to hold on to a good working VCR for a few reasons.

1st, the thrift stores are full of old movies that can be had for $1 or less. I found a copy of This is Spinal Tap yesterday.
2nd, I have a bunch of VHS home movies that I'd like to transfer to DVD.

So looking at my choices.
1) Buy one of the current Funai built VCR/DVD combo players. This is the simple way out but I'm concerned about the playback quality for archiving the old home movies.
2) Restore the PV-8664 or the HR-D566U. I don't have time to tackle this so I'd appreciate a recommendation for someone in the LA/Orange County area to do it
3) Buy a different VCR and have it restored.

So what do you think? Any recommendations?

- Pete

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by LBPete

So looking at my choices.
1) Buy one of the current Funai built VCR/DVD combo players. This is the simple way out but I'm concerned about the playback quality for archiving the old home movies.
2) Restore the PV-8664 or the HR-D566U. I don't have time to tackle this so I'd appreciate a recommendation for someone in the LA/Orange County area to do it
3) Buy a different VCR and have it restored.

So what do you think? Any recommendations?

- Pete

Stay away from choice #1. A new Funai would be the poorest decision a person can make in life. In these older VCRs, if it's eating tapes, 95% of the time it would need new belts and idler tire cleaning or replacement, as well as pinch roller cleaning. Definitely a do-it-yourself repair.

Studio Sound Electronics, the world's-largest #1 VCR parts retailer, has belt-kits available for JVC HR-D566U. Idler tires are no longer available, but you can easily clean them with rubbing alcohol and bring them back to life. You can purchase this kit at:

http://www.studiosoundelectronics.com/mbk-41.htm

JVC had a very-good reputation on reliability during the 1980s, in fact Consumer Reports rated JVC #4 most-reliable Japanese video-electronic manufacturer overall, after Panasonic, Toshiba, and Sanyo (in order). JVC rated higher in reliability than Symphonic, Mitsubishi, Sony, Sharp, RCA, NEC, Emerson, and Fisher (again in order). So, it's worth repairing.

My choice would be #2 for you. Restore the JVC HR-D566U, but throw-out the Panasonic PV-8664 as it's sort of disposable.
.

[Telecruiser]

I agree with the previous post. My experience with Funai products has been less than wonderful.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by LBPete

I don't have time to tackle this so I'd appreciate a recommendation for someone in the LA/Orange County area to do it.

If you live in Long Beach, CA, I will be more than happy to install the belt kits and idler-tire/pinch roller cleaning for you for a flat-rate of $25 (tax and tip included). I also live in the Long Beach area. I also bought extra unused MBK-41 belt kit from them, and I can sell you one for only $5 (retails for $9 shipped at their website). Total everything is $30, 24-hour service, 30-day warranty included. PM me if interested.
.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by Telecruiser

My experience with Funai products has been less than wonderful.

Quite the contrary for me unlike most people, but my experience with Funai products made from the 1980s were some of the most-reliable, longest-lasting I have seen.

[Ed in Tx]

Oops ! One generation off on the mechanism mode switch problem after looking at a diagram. It has the optical phototransistor-LED mode sensor. Never mind!

[LBPete]

Thanks for the response. Waltchan, that's certainly a reasonable offer. Can't hurt to change out the belts but I was thinking more would need to be done. Don't heads need to be aligned, tape transport adjusted and some kind of color balance hocus pocus? I'm looking for the full Monty not just a repair.

For what it's worth Studio Sound lists a "full rubber kit" with the belts, idler tires and pinch rollers. Here's a link.

- Pete

[mstaton]

Originally Posted by LBPete

At the time they were sold as a better alternative to reel to reel tape and I used to use mine to record albums off my FM receiver.

- Pete

You must of been recording "The 7th day" on KLOS

[LBPete]

Something like that. They played whole albums all the way through. As I remember it, the sound quality was good but it was really hard to find the beginning and end of several albums on the tape. It never really caught on as a audio recording medium.

- Pete

[LBPete]

To follow up, I contacted a couple of folks on the internet that do VCR restorations and got estimates of $80 to $200 to restore the old JVCs. I though I might give it a go myself and ordered a belt for the Panasonic and a full rubber kit for the JVC.

The day after I placed that order I was in Goodwill and they had two Sony VCRs, an SLV-775HF and an SLV-679HF for $10 each. I bought both of them and they seem to work well. These models don't use belts so they shouldn't wear out. I'll probably give them a cleaning and use them. Now all I need to find is the remotes for them.

- Pete

[Ed in Tx]

Originally Posted by LBPete

r I was in Goodwill and they had two Sony VCRs, an SLV-775HF and an SLV-679HF for $10 each. I bought both of them and they seem to work well. These models don't use belts so they shouldn't wear out...

Don't recall if those share the same mechanism. The 775 can have a couple of mechanical problems. One, the little plastic coupler on the cam gear motor can crack, and it will spin the motor trying to operate, or shut down when it tries to load but doesn't have the torque to the worm bear because of the crack. Second one the long rack gear on the side of the front load ass'y can jump teeth and get out of timing. Both problems can be fixed if they ever happen.

[LBPete]

Thanks for the advice. That's part of the reason I bough both of them, backup. Between the two I think I have my VCR needs covered for the foreseeable future.

- Pete

[tvtimeisfun]

Hello those sony vhs machines are also known to have power supply problems as well when not in use you should un plug them after mine shorted out I decided to swich back to rcas and jvc those seem to do better than sony...Timthy

[Ed in Tx]

Yep I wrote down a list on the cover of the service manual of the capacitors that were common failures in the power supply, also in the video circuit. "C182, C103, C202, C204, resolder Q101 for power problem". Another note I made: "Lines in PB video- 3 10uf/16v SMD caps on the video sub board."

Good ol' electrolytics.