1987 GE 3 Head Hi-Fi Stereo VCR Acquired Today

[dishdude]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Ok, so what's the difference between a "HiFi" and and a "Stereo" VCR? I thought a HiFi VCR was Stereo?

Also I thought Non-HiFi VCRs didn't have Stereo Tuners? This one has a Stereo Tuner complete with MTS Stereo decoding and two different SAP modes.

This VCR has the Same exact features as my JVC HR-D630U Which is a HiFi VCR from 1987.

Anyways just asking out of curiosity.

This is a great explanation. You have a linear stereo deck.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHS#Or...r_audio_system

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by dishdude

This is a great explanation. You have a linear stereo deck.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VHS#Or...r_audio_system

Interestingly enough that article said that Linear Stereo Decks were Superior to HiFi Decks because the audio channel heads don't have to switch back and forth like HiFi decks do.

[KentTeffeteller]

They are inferior, not superior. Regular linear track was bad enough, splitting it in half for Stereo even worse. Want VCR based audio, get a Sony U-Matic or Beta deck, and a PCM F-1 and do it right.

[Jeffhs]

My Panasonic 4-head "Omnivision" VCR, which I bought new some time in the 1980s, still works great with my 32" Insignia TV. This Panasonic VCR has, IIRC, just one belt, which is still in one piece and shows no signs of wear. The only reason I still have a VCR in this age of DVDs, streaming, etc., is I still have 60-some VHS videocassettes, most of which are old ('70s-early '90s) TV series and a few movies; however, since most of those shows are now available on DVD, streaming, etc., I don't use the VCR much anymore.

When the VCR finally quits, I probably won't have it repaired, but will as I mentioned gradually replace the VHS tapes with the same programs on DVD, as my LG DVD player, purchased new some years ago, still works every bit as well as when it was new.

BTW, I've heard of 4-head VCRs (as I mentioned in another post, my Panny PV-4002 has four heads), but VK member Vortalexfan's 3-head deck is a new one on me. How did Panasonic get away with using just three heads in this deck? I would think at least four heads would be the minimum number required to make a usable VCR.

[dishdude]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

BTW, I've heard of 4-head VCRs (as I mentioned in another post, my Panny PV-4002 has four heads), but VK member Vortalexfan's 3-head deck is a new one on me. How did Panasonic get away with using just three heads in this deck? I would think at least four heads would be the minimum number required to make a usable VCR.

The third head is only used during pause and scan to clean up the image. For normal playback and recording it operates like a two head.

[WCV82]

I hope you don't trash those tapes when you have no use for them anymore as I do collect the old home recorded stuff, especially if they have commercials.

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

My Panasonic 4-head "Omnivision" VCR, which I bought new some time in the 1980s, still works great with my 32" Insignia TV. This Panasonic VCR has, IIRC, just one belt, which is still in one piece and shows no signs of wear. The only reason I still have a VCR in this age of DVDs, streaming, etc., is I still have 60-some VHS videocassettes, most of which are old ('70s-early '90s) TV series and a few movies; however, since most of those shows are now available on DVD, streaming, etc., I don't use the VCR much anymore.

When the VCR finally quits, I probably won't have it repaired, but will as I mentioned gradually replace the VHS tapes with the same programs on DVD, as my LG DVD player, purchased new some years ago, still works every bit as well as when it was new.

BTW, I've heard of 4-head VCRs (as I mentioned in another post, my Panny PV-4002 has four heads), but VK member Vortalexfan's 3-head deck is a new one on me. How did Panasonic get away with using just three heads in this deck? I would think at least four heads would be the minimum number required to make a usable VCR.

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by WCV82

I hope you don't trash those tapes when you have no use for them anymore as I do collect the old home recorded stuff, especially if they have commercials.

I have some home recorded christmas specials that my parents recorded off the TV back in 1991 and 1993 that have some pretty amazing commercials on them, from back when TV Commercials were still cool, such as the old McDonald's Commericals that featured Ronald McDomnald and his companions like Birdie, Hamburgler, Grimace, and they are singing the song "Do You Believe in Magic?"

Then they had a bunch of commercials for some what I thought looked like really cool toys when I was a kid and watched these old tapes, including commercials for the NES (the NES was still being produced in 1991 when the christmas specials tape from 1991 was recorded) and SNES (which was out a year by the time the 1993 Christmas specials tape was recorded).

I'll have to get those tapes out and get some screen shots off of them for the commercials.

[vortalexfan]

Well Unfortunately my VCR's Power supply Died, I'm not sure what's wrong with it, because I thought maybe some of the caps had died in it, and I replaced what I thought were the bad caps and sure enough it is still blowing fuses, so I'm not sure what's going on with it.

Any ideas as to what might be wrong with this unit?

[vortalexfan]

Originally Posted by KentTeffeteller

They are inferior, not superior. Regular linear track was bad enough, splitting it in half for Stereo even worse. Want VCR based audio, get a Sony U-Matic or Beta deck, and a PCM F-1 and do it right.

Yeah and pay $1500 for a machine that was about that much brand new? No Thanks.

U-Matics don't even have commerically available movies titles available for them, it was strictly a commercial grade recording format that was used for TV Studio Archival Purposes.

I've had some Betamax Machines and while I agree they produce great audio and video, they are a pain in the butt to service with their odd-ball loading mechanisms, plus trying to find movies for them is super hard and costly, let alone trying to find a decent Hi-Fi Beta Machine for a good price (I had one once that I picked up from Goodwill but I ended up selling it to a friend of mine who needed one to replace his that the video heads died on it).

I'm more happy I got this VCR because I remember my Great-Grandparents having this VCR hooked up to their old Console TV they had in their Family Room in their old Farm House (which by the way was a 1960s vintage Zenith Color TV that they had given to my parents when I was little so they could have a second TV but it ended up blowing up on them when they tried to use it).

[KentTeffeteller]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

Yeah and pay $1500 for a machine that was about that much brand new? No Thanks.

U-Matics don't even have commerically available movies titles available for them, it was strictly a commercial grade recording format that was used for TV Studio Archival Purposes.

I've had some Betamax Machines and while I agree they produce great audio and video, they are a pain in the butt to service with their odd-ball loading mechanisms, plus trying to find movies for them is super hard and costly, let alone trying to find a decent Hi-Fi Beta Machine for a good price (I had one once that I picked up from Goodwill but I ended up selling it to a friend of mine who needed one to replace his that the video heads died on it).

I'm more happy I got this VCR because I remember my Great-Grandparents having this VCR hooked up to their old Console TV they had in their Family Room in their old Farm House (which by the way was a 1960s vintage Zenith Color TV that they had given to my parents when I was little so they could have a second TV but it ended up blowing up on them when they tried to use it).

Big issues with PCM digital audio on VHS. Tracking less reliable. And HQ no go. In terms of VHS VCR machines are concerned, you have a Panasonic built machine from when they built a really good VHS VCR, then the most reliable VCR on the market for consumers . VHS HiFi is excellent, but without a picture, sometimes interchange between machines suffers. And the non Defeatable DBX type compander (to conceal the head switching cycle) does suffer from audible pumping and breathing sometimes. You've got a nice VCR here built when they were still made to last. Before they went downhill.

[vortalexfan]

I think I may have figured out what failed on my VCR's Power supply, the Safety Cap (which in this VCR's Case was an X3 style safety cap rated at 130 pF and 2.7 MΩ) failed.

I would guess that a failed safety cap would kill a VCR power supply?

[probnot]

Originally Posted by vortalexfan

I think I may have figured out what failed on my VCR's Power supply, the Safety Cap (which in this VCR's Case was an X3 style safety cap rated at 130 pF and 2.7 MΩ) failed.

I would guess that a failed safety cap would kill a VCR power supply?

Those are usually installed across the line and neutral and are designed to fail "open". Long term it should be replaced, but the VCR should run fine without it.

If somehow the safety cap shorted, then that would definitely pop a fuse upstream.