RCA Selectavision model VKT385 VHS VCR issue

[djski]

The RCA's of that time period were made by Hitachi.

Two items come to mind giving a tape take up problem. The take up or reel idler could be worn and I have run into some occasions where the cassette tray assembly has a slight bend to it. That places a larger load on the reels. That can affect the supply or take up reel depending on which side the carriage is bent. Obviously your problem is with the take up reel table. Try several tapes because a bad tape can also cause that.

[B 4204 T3]

Quick update, and thanks for all the suggestions.



For the last few days, I have been using my RCA Selectavision VCR, and it's still working well, but I looked online for some new parts for it. I found a company which sells parts for VHS format VCRs, and I ordered some new O-rings, a belt kit, and a tyre kit, just to be safe.



While playing some prerecorded tapes of Hollywood movies, I discovered a bizarre quirk with the VCR, which I've never experienced with any VCR before. When I loaded the tapes & pushed the play button, the VCR started playing the tapes too slowly. The front display was showing the tapes playing at SLP speed, instead of SP speed. A few minutes later, it played the tapes normally, at the SP speed. Another time, it started playing at SLP, but when I pushed the fast forward button to search, it played at SP again.



Does any one know what could be wrong, and has any one else experienced this problem before? I also played the tapes to the very end, and let the VCR rewind automatically, and when it finished rewinding, and I pushed eject, it worked fine, with the tapes completely back in to the cassette.



Thanks again!

[Blast]

Originally Posted by B 4204 T3

--snip-- While playing some prerecorded tapes of Hollywood movies, I discovered a bizarre quirk with the VCR, which I've never experienced with any VCR before. When I loaded the tapes & pushed the play button, the VCR started playing the tapes too slowly. The front display was showing the tapes playing at SLP speed, instead of SP speed. A few minutes later, it played the tapes normally, at the SP speed.

Another time, it started playing at SLP, but when I pushed the fast forward button to search, it played at SP again. --snip-- Does any one know what could be wrong

I would guess that, at the least, the audio/control track head got some gunk (that's a technical term) on the control track portion of the head that made it difficult for said head to read the control track of the tape. A thorough cleaning of the a/ctl trk head is in order (although it sounds like the tape you were playing did that by itself- possibly passed on like a virus to the next user).

But, it can also be that the a/ctl track head of your VCR is out of alignment (or, at least out of alignment with the tape recorded on another unit).

However, since you say the speed problem seems to have 'fixed itself' as you were playing it I'm going back to the dirty head scenario and I wouldn't touch a thing related to alignment based on one tape.

Brian

[Blast]

Originally Posted by djski

The RCA's of that time period were made by Hitachi.

Yes, indeed. The VKT385 is a 1984 Hitachi built unit. I worked on many of them in the late 80's and 90's.

1984 was the second year for Hitachi built VCR's as RCA had given Panasonic the full boot a couple years prior in 1982.

And, it wouldn't be until 1989 that Thomson went back to Panasonic for several RCA models (VR480, VR620HF, VR625HF and VR700HF) scattered into the (still) mostly Hitachi corral.

The first three digits of the FCC ID# on the rear panel of the VCR will give the build away: AHA = Hitachi; ACJ = Panasonic; A3L = Samsung (1987 and later).

Brian

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by Blast

Yes, indeed. The VKT385 is a 1984 Hitachi built unit. I worked on many of them in the late 80's and 90's.

What about mid-1980s Sharp VCRs? Did you work on a lot of them too? Also, were the 1980s Toshiba VHS VCRs rarely seen or not?

[Blast]

Originally Posted by waltchan

What about mid-1980s Sharp VCRs? Did you work on a lot of them too? Also, were the 1980s Toshiba VHS VCRs rarely seen or not?

I worked on very low numbers of Sharp and Toshiba VCRs relative to other brands.

I can give you some numbers. From 1989 to 1998 out of 111 brands (mostly VCRs) that our shop took in I worked on (which doesn't mean "fix" - but at least took the top off of): 226 Toshiba; 452 Sharp; 602 GE; 1,224 Zenith and 2,758 RCA.

We had quite a following of dealers and movie rental store chains (typically in smaller cities that would ship their units in) for RCA, GE and Zenith and not so much for the other brands that mostly came to us locally.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by Blast

I worked on very low numbers of Sharp and Toshiba VCRs relative to other brands.

I can give you some numbers. From 1989 to 1998 out of 111 brands (mostly VCRs) that our shop took in I worked on (which doesn't mean "fix" - but at least took the top off of): 226 Toshiba; 452 Sharp; 602 GE; 1,224 Zenith and 2,758 RCA.

Very nice info... On the GE, do you mean the VCRs were mostly made by Matsushita or Panasonic? On the Zenith, were they mostly made by GoldStar that failed? What about Zenith VCRs made by JVC, the one with an idler-tire, high failure or not?

[Blast]

Originally Posted by waltchan

Very nice info... On the GE, do you mean the VCRs were mostly made by Matsushita or Panasonic? On the Zenith, were they mostly made by GoldStar that failed? What about Zenith VCRs made by JVC, the one with an idler-tire, high failure or not?

Since we've already crapped all over this thread I guess it appears to have played itself out anyways. So...

To answer your question I can't break it out much better than that. GE's were Panasonics up until around '88, '89 when some Samsungs were thrown in (VG7500, 7515). Then, there were some IVP's (International Video Products, a venture with Toshiba VG4218 along with some TV/VCRs 13TVR60, for one) and some Daewoos thrown in here and there in the late '90's (VG4053, VG4056)... So, I guess the majority of that number were likely Panasonic built.

Zenith's were JVC built until the late 80's when Goldstar units started appearing. But, I definitely can't break out how many of each without doing a LOT more research. And, that's above my pay grade. Sorry.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by Blast

From 1989 to 1998 out of 111 brands (mostly VCRs) that our shop took in I worked on (which doesn't mean "fix" - but at least took the top off of): 226 Toshiba; 452 Sharp; 602 GE; 1,224 Zenith and 2,758 RCA.

What is the exact number for JVC brand only that you've seen total? Can you check your records one more time? Thanks.

[Blast]

Originally Posted by waltchan

What is the exact number for JVC brand only that you've seen total? Can you check your records one more time? Thanks.

No problem. 601.

[waltchan]

Originally Posted by Blast

No problem. 601.

What about Panasonic, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi? Can you check one final time?

I shared your numbers to Studio Sound Electronics, and he's really enjoying it, actually. :-) He asks me for Panasonic, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi as well? Thanks.