Just picked up a Zenith VRG-90 4-head VCR

[vortalexfan]

Hello everyone, the other day I picked up on facebook market place for $25 a 1990 Zenith VRG-90 4-head VCR (I think it might also be Hi-Fi as well but I'm not sure) I picked it up because the VCR my parents had when I was was growing up was a Zenith VRG-75 (2-head Mono VCR) and me and my sister basically played the crap out of that VCR and I attempted to repair it when I first started working on electronics, but I ended up making it worse so we ended up tossing it in the trash.

From my understanding the VRG-90 was the 4-head Hi-Fi(?) version of the VRG-75 and I always wanted to find one of those but never saw one in person (or had an opportunity to get one) until now.

My guess is that the usual belt replacement and head cleaning is going to be needed on this VCR, but I was wondering how this generation of Zenith 4-Head VCRs compared to the JVC made Zeniths from the 1980s?
I believe the Zenith VCRs from the 1990s (at least the early to mid 1990s) were made by Goldstar (which is now LG).

Thanks for your help and info.

[probnot]

My grandma had the VRG-75 when I was young. She won it in a contest and used it maybe a dozen times, eventually giving it to me.

As far as I can tell the VRG-90 is the same, but 4-head (dual azimuth). It is not Hi-Fi. You are correct, both models are Goldstar/LG.

I would expect the build quality to be lower than the JVC-built machines, but a lot of these 80s/early 90s Korean built VCRs seem to be holding up really well. I've found a few early Samsung & Goldstar VCRs recently and they've surprised me - belts were still good, no electronic issues, and surprisingly decent picture.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by probnot

My grandma had the VRG-75 when I was young. She won it in a contest and used it maybe a dozen times, eventually giving it to me.

As far as I can tell the VRG-90 is the same, but 4-head (dual azimuth). It is not Hi-Fi. You are correct, both models are Goldstar/LG.

I would expect the build quality to be lower than the JVC-built machines, but a lot of these 80s/early 90s Korean built VCRs seem to be holding up really well. I've found a few early Samsung & Goldstar VCRs recently and they've surprised me - belts were still good, no electronic issues, and surprisingly decent picture.

Ok, that's what I was thinking, it should definitely work nicely as a backup VCR.

[Dude111]

Looks really nice!

[Blast]

Dipping into Goldstar's products was the late 80's beginning of Zenith cutting costs beyond the more expensive products that JVC was able to offer.

It's the same thing RCA & GE did bringing Samsung in about 1988 (models as examples: RCA VPT200, and GE VG7500).

[dishdude]

Originally Posted by Blast

Dipping into Goldstar's products was the late 80's beginning of Zenith cutting costs beyond the more expensive products that JVC was able to offer.

It's the same thing RCA & GE did bringing Samsung into the fold in about 1988 (models as examples: RCA VPT200, and GE VG7500).

Goldstar made a huge investment into Zenith (giving them a lifeline) in 1991 which was the same time Zenith switched from JVC to Goldstar for VCRs. The Goldstar-Zenith relationship went back to the 70's when Goldstar made a lot of clock radios and stereo equipment for Zenith.

[Blast]

Originally Posted by dishdude

--snip-- The Goldstar-Zenith relationship went back to the 70's when Goldstar made a lot of clock radios and stereo equipment for Zenith.

I didn't know that part!