OMG! Thank you so much for letting me know. Hopefully I don’t have any issues from the grease I did remove. (edit, i think I’ll definitely need to regrease it. seems like lithium grease is the way to go?) My channel is under review for advanced features because it’s new, but once I can, I will pin this comment so nobody makes the same mistake 😭
@@Pizza_showtime121 I found some molykote on amazon :) that seems to be the preferred grease for Japanese electronics. It didn't have much grease left to begin with so I'm hoping there's no issues
The best vcr’s came out of the early to mid 80s. Later they stripped down all the extras. The lit up panel was gone and hi fi. You got this so that’s good.
I'd confirm your opinion. I bought a Fisher Studio Standard 4-Head Stereo VCR at Franklin Music in the Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, October 1983. I'd never seen anything so beautiful. Lights, switches, buttons, front loading, etc. They wanted $1000 for the machine I described. I didn't have that kind of money burning a hole I'm my pocket so I financed it. I put One American Dollar down on this VCR. The store's manager who had overseen the transaction said (verbatim), "Only in America can you put down one dollar and walk out of the store with something worth a thousand bucks." That VCR reigned supreme in our home, working flawlessly, until 1994.
I have to say, I cannot BELIEVE how many of you guys found this video!!!! These comments have been so fun to read, and I can’t wait to make more videos. I have a few in the works, but if you see this comment please let you know what you’d like to see from me💖
In Australia during the 1990s, the G-Code was the equivalent to VCR Plus+ system and was always found in our local TV guides. Having said that, by the 1990s, on-screen programming and scheduled recoding procedures were so intuitive and straightforward that G-Codes did not really make proceedings that much easier. I always used this manual method as I preferred to add a 5 minute buffer end time in case a delayed program start. The simple solution to maximise the longevity of your 2000 Panasonic VCR is to make digital masters of your VHS media, especially of home made videos, then watch these remasters at will. Like audio cassette tapes from the 1980s, apart from sheer nostalgia, there is no real reason to delve into these long obsolete analogue formats too often at all. This explains that even for those of a certain age, VHS is all but a forgotten format from a previous era, which is rapidly becoming less relevant and meaningful as the years progress.
I bought this exact VCR used at Goodwill a couple years ago for 10 bucks. I wanted a single unit as I also have three VCR/DVD combos and I needed this one to fit on the shelf under my projector. So far it works great. Nice video.
Few years ago (soon after Covid restrictions were off), I came across an add where this sweet old lady wants to get rid of her VHS cassette collection for dirt cheap, so I went to see her, she had about 50 tapes in their original housings. She's not stating a price and asking me to do so. So I shot an arrow in the dark and said 20 bucks, and she agreed, not only that, she said she has a VCR that she doesn't use anymore and she'll throw that in as well for the same price, and it was this exact VCR with the original remote. I have it as a spare as in my stack I have two Sony Hi-Fi high end VCR's connected already. Guess I hit the jackpot. Nice VCR and nice video by the way.
I recently inherited a VCR from my great uncle. I didn't even think VHS tapes were a big thing still but I looked on Ebay and it seems like the VHS scene is alive and thriving! And also here on RUclips. Glad to see that. Haven't really touched any VHS tapes in DECADES but I always loved the look and feel. Anyway, great video!
I don't quite know how to say this, but first off I'm an old timer who grew up with those devices, I always chased excellence, better picture quality and in the end we went with the 6 heads VHS machines (often S-Vhs, because of the better resolution) and it was always to have the latest best, high fidelity movie experience at home. At that time as you pointed out, sound was ahead of the picture quality and you could even use it as a HiFi means to CD replacement if you did not mind the rewinding process. Had DAT too when it came. But here's my point, I too had a fascination on my older days with my nostalgic devices, I think partly because we where so fond of them, spent so much money, time, and restoration efforts in order to have the top notch stuff and remember good times with it, kind of like older people and Hi-Fi if you like. Same for video games and older computers. It was just a part of our evolution back then. That said - I'm still with the latest and greatest, which means today high end graphics card, superfast computers and high speed fiber internet. It's essentially the same game as before but in quality we never even dreamed of in our youth. For example, your high end Smartphone today makes better video than broadcast gear 15 years ago - and that fits right in your pocket. How amazing is that? I find it it interesting that young people like yourself are fascinated with these historical devices, for me they are just a part of history now and highly impractical, but it's fun to see you and others appreciate history and try to see and relive what we experienced, albeit with todays bias you already know the better stuff we have today.
Yeah, I bought two VCR, DVD recorder combination machines in 2016, but they both started refusing tapes this year. I've been watching videos to fix them, but I don't really care like I used to. Going to be tossing closets full of VHS tapes.
Thanks for sharing this comment, it was a fun read! Hearing different perspectives in the comment section here is exactly what I want from this channel 😊
It may have been a revolution for us growing up with this old technology but man it was great. I own several SVHS VCRs - JVC from the mid 80s to early 90s. Lasted me a long time with regular maintenance. I then move up to dvds and couldn't believe the hi resolution compared to that of the best SVHS formats. At that point I came to a complete stop on all VHS formats and never look back until recently when I got bitten by the nostalgic bug of the VCRs. So I purchase some JVC SVHS VCRs for the fun of it to transfer my tapes to DVDs.
@@lox_5017 I had two or three Panasonics that looked like this one in the video, that is why I clicked. Nostalgia. I remember I bought the last one and kept it in the closet for years until I had a break down with the one I was using. I knew they were going to stop making them. I really never noticed the quality problem, but I do see that the movie clips of my old favorite movies on youtube are often much, much, better than I ever dreamed possible. Sorely tempted to get the latest and the greatest technology of the day. I saw the other day that Roman Polanski (boo, hiss) said he could never stand to watch VHS movies at home and only used laser discs until DVDs came out. So, I guess I won't argue with people anymore about how lousy or good VHS was. :)
A few things - the 'battery' is the main power supply smoothing capacitor and is on the DC side of the line voltage (after it's rectified) so will have over 100v across it. Panasonic are good with their bleed resistors but it could still have that potential across it after the power is removed. It also has 'HOT' right beside it meaning it's the line voltage 'live' side of the power supply. Others have said this but the glue is grease and shouldn't be removed. You cleaned the head chips but nothing else in the tape path. It is a clean machine but really cleaning everywhere tape touches is the way to go including the ACE (Audio Control Erase) head and especially the capstan and pinch roller. I never use chamois cleaning sticks now as the quality can be dubious. Using the filters t clean them risks adding lint. These days I just use a cut (not ripped) piece of paper soaked in 99% isopropyl to clean the video heads. The higher the percentage isopropyl the less residue so I'd say no to 70%, maybe at a push for 90% but go for 99%. The first tape you tested appears to have either been right at the start with a long lead-in or at the end as you could see a slightly miss-tracked portion at the bottom of the blank playback. The thumb was misleading too as you have 'unboxing a brand new VCR' when it really isn't - it's just a low-hours unit but it worked I guess as I wouldn't have watched it if it was just a 'low hours VCR unboxing'. Really hope your channel takes off and it's great to see someone so young loving this kit too - it would be so great to keep this kit going for as long as possible especially as you can get so much media for so little money and actually own it. PS - It's a video recorder and not a player 😊
Thank you for this awesome comment! I’ve been wanting to get into tapes/VCR repair for awhile now, but have been limited by money and or experience. I haven’t really worked on any tech ever, but I want to learn. One of my goals with this channel is to open up discussion for things I don’t quite understand yet and/or can’t find reliable info on. There are so many awesome people on here with great stories and important info. Also hoping if anybody makes the same mistakes, they can find solutions. I do plan on greasing up the parts I mistakenly stripped, and I see conflicting answers on what to use. What would you recommend? It seems like Molykote EM-30L is a fan favorite, but being a novice I don’t want to damage anything further. Hoping this can be my daily and I can start trying to acquire older models that might need some TLC. Also, yup. The Alaska tape (first tape shown) was fully rewound and taking a bit to start up. It’s in the worst playable condition out of my collection, and I find the content extremely boring so it’s my test tape. If it gets eaten I also have a backup.
Unfortunately, due to abuse, the high percentage iso is highly restricted. Usually the quantity is limited and you have to get it from the pharmacy counter.
Love to see these old school stuffs. It takes me back in my mid ‘80’s. One of the most complex cassettes mechanism which cannot ever be compared with these days confused geeks. Appreciate for uploading this.
I actually have the Magnavox VCR/DVD combo you show at the beginning but mine was actually manufactured in 2013 (which is really good considering VCRs in general were completely discontinued in 2016), and I got a really good deal on it at Goodwill for $13. I will say it’s always a good idea to stock up like you have on VCRs as what’s left out there is all we have. Great video and awesome find! You struck gold!
Always a good reminder!!!! It makes me sad to remember we have a finite amount of these babies left, best to save them. My goodwills have virtually no tech…we have one of their spin-off stores called the grid where they sell some retro tech at pretty much ebay prices. Its super cool but I suspect they are throwing out a ton of crts/vintage computers and it hurts my heart to think that!!😭
The problem with new electronics in storage for a long time like that is that you have to recap them (to replace all the electrolytic capacitors with the correct ones). Brown, green, blue ones are low ESR types and black are regular ones. If you want to keep a collection of them, then is better to replace all electrolytic capacitors with aluminum polymer capacitors, electrolytic capacitors are wet inside and they dry out over time, polymer types are dry, last longer and are also a bit expensive in comparison with regular ones.
I really admire you for your knowledge of maintaining VCRs I've done a lot of them in my time, very well done indeed, ❤️❤️👍😃 Leighton Pickering from South Wales UK
Thank you so much! If you have any fun stories from your VCR repairs feel free to share. The internet is an awesome place, I’d know very little without it. Thanks for watching😊
Just a suggestion, when removing dust, it's better to use a vacuum cleaner and a small brush, put the vaccum nozzle right up to where you want to clean and use the brush to agitate the dust and dirt, the vacuum will keep everything nice and clean, if using a can of compressed air like you did, all this is doing is blowing dust everywhere, some of that dust might get past your hand and into the head drum, or into another mechanism causing wear, I personally use 99% IPA, this evaporates so quickly that there's no need to wait a day for it to dry, as for the remote control, when I service them I take them completely apart and clean everything except the PCB in Windex and a tooth brush, this gets rid of all dirt and makes the buttons like new again, this is also a good time to clean the contacts on both the PCB and the rubber buttons, the Windex won't affect anything, if you're looking for retro goodness, try finding a HiFi VCR which has audio recording level control, I used to use units like that back in the early 90s for recording music to, could get many hours listing time, great for parties! units like the Pioneer VH-780D or the National NV-H70
Good taste in Panasonic for a VCR. They made some of the most reliable units back in the day. Even RCA used to contract Panasonic to make their late 70's and 80's VCR's.
Nice to see young woman to be interested in analog technic. A hint: you shouldn't clean metal casing beneath sliders which pulls the tape. They should be greased, otherwise through time will deteriorate and make problem.
😊😊 once I get the ability to use advanced channel features (the channel is too new) I will pin the comment pointing out the grease issues. I will be re-greasing it! So thankful this error was caught before any real damage was done
Hi, I just wanted to interject regarding the "Made in Japan" sticker. I'm actually old enough to remember a time when that term would have been a big mark against the product. Back in the 60s, and the 1970s to an extent, we viewed Japan much as we do China today. However looking back we realize that Japanese stuff, for lack of a better word, was never as bad as the typical Chinese garbage today. Also, Japanese audio equipment of the 1970s was some of the best in the world, so there you go lol.
Americans in the past saw the japanese cars and technology as something bad back in the day, when it was the oposite way, superior in a lot of things, I always prefered something made in Japan>every other southeast asian country>USA>Taiwan>China
Panasonic in my opinion made the highest quality VCRs. I recommend this brand to anyone that’s new to VHS. This isn’t to say that there aren’t other companies that haven’t made good VCR’s, but Panasonic was definitely one of the best companies to make them
Do not use those swabs to clean the heads, normal printer paper and alcohol works best. Just wet the paper with the alcohol and put a very slight pressure with your finger behind the paper while you rotate the drum, just make sure you never do a vertical movement while you do it. Hell, you can even use dry printer paper and clean the heads while the VCR is playing. And yes, you do want to use q tips to clean the ridge where the tape sits on the lower drum. Did you seriously got rid of the mechanism grease thinking that it was "glue"? You're going to have to get back inside and put some back for the tape guides to slide at least xD A very important thing I noticed, was that at least it didn't had that horrid head "cleaner" inside, being 20+ years old, the sponge they used for those "cleaners" pretty much disintegrates and can destroy the heads.
In Australia VCR Plus was called G-Code. The only problem with using it was if your show ran over time you would miss the end so you would have to manually add some recording time to what the code programmed the VCR for.
In the U.K. we had PDC (Program Delivery Code), you programmed with VideoPlus, but a signal was sent at the start and end of a broadcast, so if it overan it would automatically compensate.
This was the last VCR I owned. I bought it in 2000 or 2001. It was excellent for recording because it puts a stamp on each new recording so that you can go directly to a specific spot in the tape. Almost like using a DVD. It can fast-forward & rewind to a record-stamp very quickly. It was easily the best VCR I ever owned. Unfortunately, it didn't have a great lifespan. It died after a couple years of use. I hope that doesn't happen to yours because it offers a great picture through the S-video output.
No matter how the age of technology evolves, the VCR will remain the most fascinating. I love it because of the complexity and the perfection of the execution. I have two video recorders that work like the first day. -- A Toshiba player and an Aiwa recorder. -- Young people have no way of understanding it because they haven't experienced it 
Thanks for watching! And lol this is very true. When I lived in PA I never thought of bugs, but after moving to the south and having some traumatizing experiences at thrift stores…I should know better 😂
That's a nice VCR you have there. I even remember that "Principles of Design" with Gerald F. Brommer tape that my old middle school art class used to have back in the early 2000s. That brings back so many memories.
Okay that’s incredible. I bought it at a goodwill in North Carolina and the other lessons that came with it!!! I would like to archive my tapes at some point, happy to send the full copy. I also adore the weather channel, so cool channel. Local on the 8s is my jam.
I have one of these! It has served me well and seen a ridiculous amount of use, besides the typical watching movies and TV stuff it did in my childhood, i stream and speedrun old video games on twitch and use it as a lagless video splitter for my TV with RF out and streaming capture device with composite out since 2012. Still cranking! Great VCR! Funnily enough the LCD digits on the front are extremely faded but it is working as good as ever.
Came across one of these 6 years ago at my local thrift store that still had the remote for 10 bucks. Needless to say it's been my go-to since then. I also got gifted that Magnavox combo you showed in the beginning a few years ago, but the DVD player didn't work, had no remote, and yeah the VHS quality was kinda trash. Great channel, and I love seeing people collection old and physical media in this era. I hate that so much is reliant on being online, and in my opinion that's a total negative. You've got a new sub!
These were the last really well-built VCRs before DVD completely took over. The previous generation (PV-9450) was slightly better but also slightly bigger. I've had a 9450 and a V4520 from new and they are both excellent machines in terms of performance, reliability and features. I also had the excellent AG-1980 professional machine, with lots of controls, and the picture quality (in standard VHS mode) was very close. Only things I miss on the consumer machines are the manual level control and jog/shuttle dial.
Glad you made a video on this! I enjoyed the CRT videos, and now that I got a rad Magnavox CRT from 2005 and refurbished Panasonic camcorder from 1998-2000 ish, all I need now is a VCR!
Congrats on your new VCR. Panasonic makes pretty nice units. A few years ago I upgraded to a Panasonic DMR-ES46VS VHS / DVD unit. It has composite video, s-video and wait for it, HDMI video, so I can connect it up to modern LCD TV's. You can also use it to convert VHS tapes to digital since it's a recorder.
You got to take the account of interlace scanlines as well because new TVs are progressive and would accommodate interlace through post-processing which does a bad job at that. Turning off Film Mode might help a little, but still not the best picture quality. CRT TVs are interlace base from the get-go, so of course you already know that VCRs work best with CRTs.
I was lucky enough to get a Panasonic DVD Recorder with VHS and TV tuner. Along with HDMI. I also have a Sony unit with the same things. These units now go for more than I bought them new for! And I don’t plan to ever sell them. 😁
Not sure if this has been commented, but the cleaning that is necessary other than heads, is tape path, so that's guides capstan and ensuring the pinch roller isn't too shiny and has a nice satin finish. Never clean remotes with Isopropyl, use something like water based baby wipes for remotes that are 20+years old
My family and I used VCR+ for years, getting the codes out of the Radio Times. Still used to put ten mins on the start and end times in case the station was off-schedule...
I had that VCR, I remember the picture quality was not that great, and when I recorded it had a slight buzzing sound when i played it back. The Sylvania VCRs always were Superior
cleaning the heads was very delicate i used to work in a hifi repair shop etc , take the time cleaning and dont use q tips cotton buds also heads can go out off alignment "azimuth" so they need to get adjusted , brings back memories to that time. good stuff
i used to own a very lookin like VCR like this one in early 2000 ! i am not sure if was the same model but I remember it was looking like this , I moved out and leave it behind .. but was working well I didn't use it alot !
It's really tough to find good ones, where are you located? I'm in the us and I find that facebook marketplace is your best bet. There are less scalpers on there and you can find ones that people haven't beat up like you would in goodwill. I have never had luck with electronics at thrift stores.
Il tuo videoregistratore e' un bel modello,uno degli ultimi ancora di buon livello,i migliori sono degli anni 80 e 90,ma il tuo se la cava bene credimi
Well done on this video blowing up for such a young channel! Came to me in the RUclips Recommended sidebar. Big fan of Panasonic machines here in Australia and agree, up to 2000 is the best units when still made in Japan - then they take a huge nose dive. Your tape head cleaning technique was on point too (though I keep a tiny amount of alcohol in an old jar and dip into that, easier than pouring a big bottle!), so many people use cue tips and kill their heads. The picture on the second Roku TV looks great via composite; never seen a TV auto-resize aspect ratio automatically like that, I fully blame the HDMI converter lol
Thanks so much for watching! I am incredibly shocked that this video has so many views. Warms my heart to see it’s a topic people want to see. I grew up with panasonic everywhere, CRTs vhs camcorders vcrs etc etc. I think I developed some brand loyalty I will def pour it in the cap next time😂😂
Lol, i have this vcr, bought in 2001. It still works bcuz im a very good care taker of electronics. Its funny & cool seeing you open a brand new model in 23'. 👍😉😁
Thank you. I enjoyed this a lot. And boy do I have a lot of old original tech...still working. Some I have had to buy or repair. I think I also noticed your new machine has the commecial feature. After your show is recorded it scans the video and places markers in the DARK SPACES (usually happens when going to a commercial, a fade to black. ) Then on playback, your machine fast forwards itself to skip past the commercial break. But there are times where the marker could be wrong, but by pressing play will stop the fast forwarding commercial skip feature. I love it all. - Toronto, Canada.
Thanks for sharing 😊 it’s amazing how long these pieces last if you keep them up. I believed for too long that tech was disposable in a way. Toronto is my favorite place I’ve visited so far!!
i remember back in tha day when my parents was gettin a VCR, i begged them to make sure it had a red white and yellow cables not just yellow and white! thankfully they listened and they ended up gettin' a Hi-Fi VCR which i still own till diz day! there was many day i was tryin' to play DDR on many TVs without an AV input or a stereo input/output through a friggin' Hi-Fi VCR lol
Great video! I'm in the process of converting older rock and metal concert bootlegs on vhs to digital files. I bought a multimedia converter on Amazon, because I had issues through the years burning to blank dvds, then having my computer be picky reading certain types. Retro electronics are tons of fun.
On the TV u need to make sure that SMART view mode is turned OFF set it to 4:3 Mode if it's an option... as for the CRT be very careful when opening it as they can store a lot of power and a very nasty shock can easily happen 😮
My made-in-Japan-by-Panasonic-in-1988 General Electric VG-7720 VCR is "year 2000 compliant" too, though it isn't advertised as such. However, it isn't "year 2007 compliant." Its date/time maxes out at 12-31-06, 11:59 PM. If you set it to that date/time then a minute later it will roll over to 01-01-87, 12:00 AM. I think it's interesting (and bizarre) that that date coincides exactly with the original digital TV broadcast transition date in the US: "The Congressional deadline to transition to digital broadcasts was pushed back several times. Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 with the original transition date of December 31, 2006." The only reason to set the date/time on a VCR is to be able to program it to record upcoming TV shows, but a VCR can only record analog TV broadcasts. Had analog TV broadcasts actually ended on 12-31-06 as originally intended, then _no_ VCR would have been able to record anything from TV past that date (not without using a workaround anyway, such as an ATSC-to-NTSC tuner/converter box), so there would be no need for being able to set the date past 12-31-06. The bizarre part is: that original December 31, 2006 digital TV broadcast transition deadline was established by an act of Congress in 1996, 8 years after my VCR was manufactured. So how did Panasonic know the significance of December 31, 2006 in 1988?
Its nice to see other people my age that like old tech like this. As for the batterycompartments where batteries have leaked. If u come across one of those u can clean it using something acidic like lemonjuice. This is because the stuff leaking from batteries are alkalic and can be solved in acid.
Great buy you have there! I loved VCR's back in day and still have a boxed JVC HRS6955 SVHS Video Recorder. It did everything and remember the great picture quality though have not used it for years
That Magnavox combo unit is still popular because it has an HDMI output that allows it to be connected to a modern tv without use of a converter. Unfortunately the VCR side of the ZV427MG9 is extremely cheap and unreliable. I'm old and lived through the Betamax period (owned two) and then the VHS time. I've had VCR's ever since. About five years ago everyone started selling their VCR's and I picked up three Panasonics at my local farmer's market. Two I got for $10 apiece and the third cost $5. I cleaned them similar to what you did in this video and greased them and they all still work well. I got a PV-V4620, PV-V4520S, and a PV-V464S.
I didn't know for a long time that they made VCRs with HDMI out . Here is the model I use and others made some as well . SANYO Year 2016 NO. FWZV475F , this is a VCR/DVD Rewritable Combo and I absolutely love it, the only thing that puzzles me about it is they decided not to include auto tracking, but other then that it's a very nice unit . I've owned many Combo units over the years and they all had HDMI for the DVD side , but never both so I was blown away when I found this at Goodwill and was even more surprised that it worked perfectly.
I just found this video on the yt home page. Vhs Is one of the best formats ever created. For one you can record or over record on any time. With DVDs you can’t just pick up any and record over them.
It'd be a miracle if you could find a DVDR that still works. I owned 2 or 3 of them, but they never lasted more than a year. It was cool when they did work though. A lot less hassle than dealing with tapes. But then TiVo and DVR came along and nixed that.
I have a pile of DVDR disks I got at a goodwill, should’ve seen if a player was lurking. I know very little about this technology since we never ever recorded things anywhere growing up😅
Here's someone you might try thats cool! If you copy your audio onto the vcr via the audio inputs, you're basically using it as a cart reel, or a sudo- reel-to-reel. You can get two hours of audio onto one tape in sp, other modes will give you 4-6 hours. It will definitely lend some analog mojo to your music. Just ignore the video input.
@@YasmineCollects that’s exactly right. Ignore the video input and you have an audio tape recorder. You can store a lot of music at the four hour setting, even more at the 6 hour setting, but with both these tape hiss will increase. At the two hour setting you can get much more on a recording than with a reel to reel, and you’ll be surprised at how close it sounds to a reel to reel analog recording. It’s a very cheap way to get analog storage. A 40 minute reel of tape will cost you $75-$100 +- . You can erase old vcr tapes and record audio on them at no cost. You can also buy new vcr tapes online, takes a bit of looking, and at flea markets,etc. Put a cd onto a vcr tape and it’s as close as you can get to analog reel tape sound. Finding a really good vcr is not hard to do, I’ve got about 15-20, some are dvd- vcr combos. Dvd recorders are hard to find , but have a ton of features more than a computer dvd. Another thing Ive done is run an old camcorder into the dvd recorder Inputs. You get an old film style video that’s really cool. You can use the camcorder sound or input something else to the audio inputs of the dvd recorder, with me it’s a recording console. Have fun messing round with it!!! All the best, Sonny T
@@YasmineCollects blank tapes are best, but you can erase old tapes by covering the hole on the outside with tape, or use a tape eraser such as radio stations have, or did have. I use one vcr to only erase tapes , others to record on.
@@thesonnytackettshow7949this is so awesome, thanks for taking the time to explain. I have a large collection of vaporwave playlists that I’d love to hear in true analog glory. Also eyeing a few camcorders that take vhs-c tapes. The recording/transferring side of VCRs is still new and somewhat overwhelming to me, so this summary is very helpful. I have the combo but its doesn’t even have the record feature like this unit does. Perhaps this can be covered in a future video 👀
Once I realized that Hi-Fi Stereo VCRs recorded in CD quality, I started recording a lot of MUSIC on the 8 hr tapes, thus having a "digital but analog" 8 hour source for non-stop listening pleasure! Sources were vinyl, CD, cable music stations, etc. Of course you needed to use the composite output jacks to get the stereo audio.
Nice brand Panasonic. I found one almost the same model and look as yours at a Goodwill in a higher class area. This unit was mint condition with remote. I have took it apart and serviced it using same products and yes no Q-tips ever on any heads. I like vintage electronics. The Panasonic was like $10.49 and same week same Goodwill I found a mint working JVC super VHS/DVC unit. These were made in 2000 or so as mine is a 2001 date. These retailed around 2K back then. I got it for $12.49 what luck I got.
Great video - loved watching and reading the comments. Love the Wiggles, too! I remember getting a VCR with VideoPlus+ here in the UK sometime in the 90s. I don't think we had any success with it in all honesty - it might have recorded the odd programme but invariably schedule changes or late running events just messed things up and you always seemed to miss recording some part of it. I think you could have it record a bit either side of the published start time, or the codes may have had that inbuilt - but I just remember it being really rubbish. Thanks for sharing this and looking forward to more videos!
The Wiggles were my life! I’m not sure how many people are interested in defunct childrens media or anything of the sort, but it’s definitely something I want to cover in the future. It’s so interesting that I haven’t heard much about VCR plus in the states, but a lot of UK experiences. (All pretty bad ones lol). I’m glad you enjoyed the video 💖
FYI, The "best" VCRs are included with the DVD/VCR combo decks that have HDMI output and upscale to 1080P. Look for one of those if you want to watch VHS tapes on 1080 or higher rez TVs or monitors. Amazing difference in video quality as compared to watching VHS with composite or component output to a CRT. Also, high quality studio films on high quality tape look best as well. The TV shows folks recorded in EP (slowest tape speed) on cheap tape using the rabbit ears antenna are never going to look good. Have fun with your tecknotoys. 😊
One of mine is a similar model to that Panasonic, probably has the same features, the only difference is the button placement and the fact mine was made in 2001.
Haha omg cool! Is it the 4521? If so you can enjoy this 2001 thread about them, this is where I sourced my pricing www.audioreview.com/product/home-video/vcrs/panasonic/pv-v4520.html
@2:47 those back in 2000 or so would of been upper $300's. We bought a Panasonic back in 2002 at Best Buy for $350 Panasonic in my opinion next to Sony are reliable systems. Earlier versions in the 80's were tanks but well made and lasted years to come. I have a mint Panasonic bought at a thrift store "Church" with lighted remote for $10.00 hi/fi stereo 4 head with VCR plus. Enjoy it.
I would have also cleaned the solid part underneath the spinning part of the drum head, the tape literally rubs against that bit too! Also, the rollers, solid plastic spikes that go into the holes on the tape, the tape touches them too, the plastic flat bits are also what the tape touches and there are the 2 other heads, the erase head and the playing head on either side of the drum head. Those also needed cleaning! If in doubt, insert a tape into it whilst the top is off, and study what touches the tape when it is moving inside the machine, then you will see what needs cleaning. My descriptions above might not help you...lol Also, buy a decent 16:9 large CRT if you can, the image is far superior from a VHS VCR on that than any modern tv!! Also, have you heard of SVHS or DVHS? That is DVD and HD quality VHS - those VCRS are backwards compatible and some DVHS 1080iHD VCRs can upscale old SVHS/VHS tapes to be a LOT better video output....:)
I recorded so much stuff on VHS as a kid, Sometimes I would require 3 VCRs! I would use my own mainly but if i needed to record HBO, I would use my parents VCR (they had a "bullet" that would descramble that channel). My brother got a "bullet" for Cinemax so I would use his VCR to record off Cinemax. I got so used to the menu system of my parents VCR that I could program it with the TV off! No VCR+. I knew the menu system well enough to just grab the remote, hit the buttons and not even interrupt my parents if they were watching TV
Panasonic made pretty good stand alone VCRs back in the 1980s and early 90s. (I was there at the beginning) I still have quite a few myself. The last one I bought new was from the Navy Exchange and it was a Panasonic PV-V4612S made in 2002. I bought two of them because they were going for under $100 each so the merchant could clear his stock. Now I wished I had bought two more as they are still working 20 years later with no problems. I don't use them to record much now because the tuner in them is obsolete since broadcasting went digital in 2009, but I do use them to view my VHS tape collection (300+ titles). They (VHS cassettes) play fine on my CRT TVs and my new digital TV's playback is OK through the component input, although it isn't as sharp as DVDs and Blu-Rays. I never used the VCR Plus feature. I could set the timer just as easily to do the same thing. Some Panasonic VCRs had a commercial skip feature that would have been more useful to me, in my opinion, That allowed the viewer to slip through commercial breaks when watching the tape later, which could be handy. It wasn't totally foolproof though, especially for football games.
I have the Emerson VCR4003 From Around the Early To Mid 1990’s. However, The Take Up Spool Turner Did Not Work So I Did Some repairs to it, and it’s working again. Be sure you take good care of it.
I recently bought a VCR/DVD Combo, UNused but faulty from the year 2009... the fault i was told before buying it was the DVD door wouldn't open. it had not been used since that fault was found and it was reboxed. I bought it for £40. when it came i opened it up to see if i could work out the issue..... I saw one of the ribbon cables was slightly at an angle, i straightened it up and wow it worked.
Its crazy how silly the fixes can be. I had a cassette player that wouldn’t work, turns out there was a single piece of dried glue on part of the reader. Easiest repair ever lol
I can't believe UPS didn't just flat out reject the shipment for it being sent in a black plastic trash bag. The proper way to ship a product box is to cover it with brown craft paper or similar. Luckily UPS released the shipment to you instead of returning it to the sender.
Panasonic is the best! A few years ago I found my dad a Panasonic VHS/DVD combo with an HDMI output for both formats so he could connect it to a modern TV without a converter. I remember seeing "VCR+" on VCRs back in the day, but never knew what it meant, so thanks for the explanation. And yes, VHS tapes sounded pretty good! So did LaserDiscs. But obviously neither looks so great these days, haha. Your unit is making those tapes look pretty decent, though. Great find.
That is not glue! That is grease which is needed for it to run a long time and well. The more that’s in there, the better
OMG! Thank you so much for letting me know. Hopefully I don’t have any issues from the grease I did remove. (edit, i think I’ll definitely need to regrease it. seems like lithium grease is the way to go?)
My channel is under review for advanced features because it’s new, but once I can, I will pin this comment so nobody makes the same mistake 😭
Yer you need grease on those parts stops stuff going brittle and makes it run smoothly. Rookie mistake 😉
@@paulyh4531definitely a rookie 😂 so glad I learned this before it broke or started eating tapes!
@@YasmineCollectsyeah lithium seems right, but maybe do a little more research instead of asking me. But wd 40 works too.
@@Pizza_showtime121 I found some molykote on amazon :) that seems to be the preferred grease for Japanese electronics. It didn't have much grease left to begin with so I'm hoping there's no issues
The best vcr’s came out of the early to mid 80s. Later they stripped down all the extras. The lit up panel was gone and hi fi. You got this so that’s good.
Hoping for a mid 80s model to pop up at a thrift! Now that I have my daily, I can really get to playing around with new models😊
My mid 80’s units are still running strong. Amazing tech
@@YasmineCollectssee if you can get a 19” Sony hifi 4 head
I'd confirm your opinion. I bought a Fisher Studio Standard 4-Head Stereo VCR at Franklin Music in the Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem, Pennsylvania, October 1983. I'd never seen anything so beautiful. Lights, switches, buttons, front loading, etc.
They wanted $1000 for the machine I described. I didn't have that kind of money burning a hole I'm my pocket so I financed it. I put One American Dollar down on this VCR. The store's manager who had overseen the transaction said (verbatim), "Only in America can you put down one dollar and walk out of the store with something worth a thousand bucks." That VCR reigned supreme in our home, working flawlessly, until 1994.
Actually, this Panasonic was the last VCR Made in japan, i have one that's the same model as the video
I have to say, I cannot BELIEVE how many of you guys found this video!!!! These comments have been so fun to read, and I can’t wait to make more videos. I have a few in the works, but if you see this comment please let you know what you’d like to see from me💖
Old technology/gaming reviews.
I love you
no, not gaming reviews
@@CleoKawisha-sy5xt wait why?
In Australia during the 1990s, the G-Code was the equivalent to VCR Plus+ system and was always found in our local TV guides. Having said that, by the 1990s, on-screen programming and scheduled recoding procedures were so intuitive and straightforward that G-Codes did not really make proceedings that much easier. I always used this manual method as I preferred to add a 5 minute buffer end time in case a delayed program start.
The simple solution to maximise the longevity of your 2000 Panasonic VCR is to make digital masters of your VHS media, especially of home made videos, then watch these remasters at will.
Like audio cassette tapes from the 1980s, apart from sheer nostalgia, there is no real reason to delve into these long obsolete analogue formats too often at all. This explains that even for those of a certain age, VHS is all but a forgotten format from a previous era, which is rapidly becoming less relevant and meaningful as the years progress.
I bought this exact VCR used at Goodwill a couple years ago for 10 bucks. I wanted a single unit as I also have three VCR/DVD combos and I needed this one to fit on the shelf under my projector. So far it works great. Nice video.
We're in the same boat, then! I really like how quiet this one is as well. You can barely tell it's on
I feel nostalgic! I had one of those around the years 2000-2001! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
@@YasmineCollects I loved your reaction when you thought the VCR was not working! NOOOO!!!
Few years ago (soon after Covid restrictions were off), I came across an add where this sweet old lady wants to get rid of her VHS cassette collection for dirt cheap, so I went to see her, she had about 50 tapes in their original housings. She's not stating a price and asking me to do so. So I shot an arrow in the dark and said 20 bucks, and she agreed, not only that, she said she has a VCR that she doesn't use anymore and she'll throw that in as well for the same price, and it was this exact VCR with the original remote. I have it as a spare as in my stack I have two Sony Hi-Fi high end VCR's connected already. Guess I hit the jackpot. Nice VCR and nice video by the way.
Thanks for watching! Those moments are the best, getting a good deal and saving something from the landfill.
@@YasmineCollects If you want an easier way to hook up your Wii to your HDTV, get the Hyperkin Wii HDMI cable.
I recently inherited a VCR from my great uncle. I didn't even think VHS tapes were a big thing still but I looked on Ebay and it seems like the VHS scene is alive and thriving! And also here on RUclips. Glad to see that. Haven't really touched any VHS tapes in DECADES but I always loved the look and feel. Anyway, great video!
I don't quite know how to say this, but first off I'm an old timer who grew up with those devices, I always chased excellence, better picture quality and in the end we went with the 6 heads VHS machines (often S-Vhs, because of the better resolution) and it was always to have the latest best, high fidelity movie experience at home. At that time as you pointed out, sound was ahead of the picture quality and you could even use it as a HiFi means to CD replacement if you did not mind the rewinding process. Had DAT too when it came. But here's my point, I too had a fascination on my older days with my nostalgic devices, I think partly because we where so fond of them, spent so much money, time, and restoration efforts in order to have the top notch stuff and remember good times with it, kind of like older people and Hi-Fi if you like. Same for video games and older computers. It was just a part of our evolution back then.
That said - I'm still with the latest and greatest, which means today high end graphics card, superfast computers and high speed fiber internet. It's essentially the same game as before but in quality we never even dreamed of in our youth. For example, your high end Smartphone today makes better video than broadcast gear 15 years ago - and that fits right in your pocket. How amazing is that?
I find it it interesting that young people like yourself are fascinated with these historical devices, for me they are just a part of history now and highly impractical, but it's fun to see you and others appreciate history and try to see and relive what we experienced, albeit with todays bias you already know the better stuff we have today.
Yeah, I bought two VCR, DVD recorder combination machines in 2016, but they both started refusing tapes this year. I've been watching videos to fix them, but I don't really care like I used to. Going to be tossing closets full of VHS tapes.
Thanks for sharing this comment, it was a fun read! Hearing different perspectives in the comment section here is exactly what I want from this channel 😊
It may have been a revolution for us growing up with this old technology but man it was great. I own several SVHS VCRs - JVC from the mid 80s to early 90s. Lasted me a long time with regular maintenance. I then move up to dvds and couldn't believe the hi resolution compared to that of the best SVHS formats. At that point I came to a complete stop on all VHS formats and never look back until recently when I got bitten by the nostalgic bug of the VCRs. So I purchase some JVC SVHS VCRs for the fun of it to transfer my tapes to DVDs.
@@lox_5017 I had two or three Panasonics that looked like this one in the video, that is why I clicked. Nostalgia. I remember I bought the last one and kept it in the closet for years until I had a break down with the one I was using. I knew they were going to stop making them. I really never noticed the quality problem, but I do see that the movie clips of my old favorite movies on youtube are often much, much, better than I ever dreamed possible. Sorely tempted to get the latest and the greatest technology of the day. I saw the other day that Roman Polanski (boo, hiss) said he could never stand to watch VHS movies at home and only used laser discs until DVDs came out. So, I guess I won't argue with people anymore about how lousy or good VHS was. :)
Please revise your statement so it’s easier to read
A few things - the 'battery' is the main power supply smoothing capacitor and is on the DC side of the line voltage (after it's rectified) so will have over 100v across it. Panasonic are good with their bleed resistors but it could still have that potential across it after the power is removed. It also has 'HOT' right beside it meaning it's the line voltage 'live' side of the power supply. Others have said this but the glue is grease and shouldn't be removed. You cleaned the head chips but nothing else in the tape path. It is a clean machine but really cleaning everywhere tape touches is the way to go including the ACE (Audio Control Erase) head and especially the capstan and pinch roller. I never use chamois cleaning sticks now as the quality can be dubious. Using the filters t clean them risks adding lint. These days I just use a cut (not ripped) piece of paper soaked in 99% isopropyl to clean the video heads. The higher the percentage isopropyl the less residue so I'd say no to 70%, maybe at a push for 90% but go for 99%. The first tape you tested appears to have either been right at the start with a long lead-in or at the end as you could see a slightly miss-tracked portion at the bottom of the blank playback. The thumb was misleading too as you have 'unboxing a brand new VCR' when it really isn't - it's just a low-hours unit but it worked I guess as I wouldn't have watched it if it was just a 'low hours VCR unboxing'. Really hope your channel takes off and it's great to see someone so young loving this kit too - it would be so great to keep this kit going for as long as possible especially as you can get so much media for so little money and actually own it. PS - It's a video recorder and not a player 😊
Thank you for this awesome comment! I’ve been wanting to get into tapes/VCR repair for awhile now, but have been limited by money and or experience. I haven’t really worked on any tech ever, but I want to learn. One of my goals with this channel is to open up discussion for things I don’t quite understand yet and/or can’t find reliable info on. There are so many awesome people on here with great stories and important info. Also hoping if anybody makes the same mistakes, they can find solutions.
I do plan on greasing up the parts I mistakenly stripped, and I see conflicting answers on what to use. What would you recommend? It seems like Molykote EM-30L is a fan favorite, but being a novice I don’t want to damage anything further. Hoping this can be my daily and I can start trying to acquire older models that might need some TLC.
Also, yup. The Alaska tape (first tape shown) was fully rewound and taking a bit to start up. It’s in the worst playable condition out of my collection, and I find the content extremely boring so it’s my test tape. If it gets eaten I also have a backup.
Unfortunately, due to abuse, the high percentage iso is highly restricted. Usually the quantity is limited and you have to get it from the pharmacy counter.
@@dougbrowning82just buy a bottle of mg chemicals 99 per cent alcohol
Love to see these old school stuffs. It takes me back in my mid ‘80’s. One of the most complex cassettes mechanism which cannot ever be compared with these days confused geeks. Appreciate for uploading this.
I actually have the Magnavox VCR/DVD combo you show at the beginning but mine was actually manufactured in 2013 (which is really good considering VCRs in general were completely discontinued in 2016), and I got a really good deal on it at Goodwill for $13. I will say it’s always a good idea to stock up like you have on VCRs as what’s left out there is all we have. Great video and awesome find! You struck gold!
Always a good reminder!!!! It makes me sad to remember we have a finite amount of these babies left, best to save them. My goodwills have virtually no tech…we have one of their spin-off stores called the grid where they sell some retro tech at pretty much ebay prices. Its super cool but I suspect they are throwing out a ton of crts/vintage computers and it hurts my heart to think that!!😭
The problem with new electronics in storage for a long time like that is that you have to recap them (to replace all the electrolytic capacitors with the correct ones). Brown, green, blue ones are low ESR types and black are regular ones. If you want to keep a collection of them, then is better to replace all electrolytic capacitors with aluminum polymer capacitors, electrolytic capacitors are wet inside and they dry out over time, polymer types are dry, last longer and are also a bit expensive in comparison with regular ones.
I love your enthusiasm for retro tech. I would love to see more. I would also look forward to unique not very common gems.
I can’t wait to make new videos, thanks so much for watching!
In this digital age it's nice to see that some people are still interested in good quality VCRs and VTRs.
I really admire you for your knowledge of maintaining VCRs
I've done a lot of them in my time,
very well done indeed, ❤️❤️👍😃
Leighton Pickering from South Wales UK
Thank you so much! If you have any fun stories from your VCR repairs feel free to share. The internet is an awesome place, I’d know very little without it. Thanks for watching😊
Just a suggestion, when removing dust, it's better to use a vacuum cleaner and a small brush, put the vaccum nozzle right up to where you want to clean and use the brush to agitate the dust and dirt, the vacuum will keep everything nice and clean, if using a can of compressed air like you did, all this is doing is blowing dust everywhere, some of that dust might get past your hand and into the head drum, or into another mechanism causing wear, I personally use 99% IPA, this evaporates so quickly that there's no need to wait a day for it to dry, as for the remote control, when I service them I take them completely apart and clean everything except the PCB in Windex and a tooth brush, this gets rid of all dirt and makes the buttons like new again, this is also a good time to clean the contacts on both the PCB and the rubber buttons, the Windex won't affect anything, if you're looking for retro goodness, try finding a HiFi VCR which has audio recording level control, I used to use units like that back in the early 90s for recording music to, could get many hours listing time, great for parties! units like the Pioneer VH-780D or the National NV-H70
Awesome comment, thanks for your insights 🙏 didn’t think about that compressed air getting on the heads
Good taste in Panasonic for a VCR. They made some of the most reliable units back in the day. Even RCA used to contract Panasonic to make their late 70's and 80's VCR's.
We had one of these Panasonic Omnivision VCRs from around 1995 or so. The remote actually had a scroll wheel (or two) on it.
Nice to see young woman to be interested in analog technic. A hint: you shouldn't clean metal casing beneath sliders which pulls the tape. They should be greased, otherwise through time will deteriorate and make problem.
😊😊 once I get the ability to use advanced channel features (the channel is too new) I will pin the comment pointing out the grease issues. I will be re-greasing it! So thankful this error was caught before any real damage was done
why u gotta be assuming peoples gender identities bruh? 🤨
@@jessihawkins9116 wow, be a Marsian, be a worm , ruin your life on the way you like it. Sickness
Hi, I just wanted to interject regarding the "Made in Japan" sticker. I'm actually old enough to remember a time when that term would have been a big mark against the product. Back in the 60s, and the 1970s to an extent, we viewed Japan much as we do China today. However looking back we realize that Japanese stuff, for lack of a better word, was never as bad as the typical Chinese garbage today. Also, Japanese audio equipment of the 1970s was some of the best in the world, so there you go lol.
Thanks for sharing!
Americans in the past saw the japanese cars and technology as something bad back in the day, when it was the oposite way, superior in a lot of things, I always prefered something made in Japan>every other southeast asian country>USA>Taiwan>China
Panasonic in my opinion made the highest quality VCRs. I recommend this brand to anyone that’s new to VHS. This isn’t to say that there aren’t other companies that haven’t made good VCR’s, but Panasonic was definitely one of the best companies to make them
Do not use those swabs to clean the heads, normal printer paper and alcohol works best.
Just wet the paper with the alcohol and put a very slight pressure with your finger behind the paper while you rotate the drum, just make sure you never do a vertical movement while you do it.
Hell, you can even use dry printer paper and clean the heads while the VCR is playing.
And yes, you do want to use q tips to clean the ridge where the tape sits on the lower drum.
Did you seriously got rid of the mechanism grease thinking that it was "glue"? You're going to have to get back inside and put some back for the tape guides to slide at least xD
A very important thing I noticed, was that at least it didn't had that horrid head "cleaner" inside, being 20+ years old, the sponge they used for those "cleaners" pretty much disintegrates and can destroy the heads.
In Australia VCR Plus was called G-Code. The only problem with using it was if your show ran over time you would miss the end so you would have to manually add some recording time to what the code programmed the VCR for.
In the U.K. we had PDC (Program Delivery Code), you programmed with VideoPlus, but a signal was sent at the start and end of a broadcast, so if it overan it would automatically compensate.
This was the last VCR I owned. I bought it in 2000 or 2001. It was excellent for recording because it puts a stamp on each new recording so that you can go directly to a specific spot in the tape. Almost like using a DVD. It can fast-forward & rewind to a record-stamp very quickly. It was easily the best VCR I ever owned. Unfortunately, it didn't have a great lifespan. It died after a couple years of use. I hope that doesn't happen to yours because it offers a great picture through the S-video output.
No matter how the age of technology evolves, the VCR will remain the most fascinating. I love it because of the complexity and the perfection of the execution. I have two video recorders that work like the first day. -- A Toshiba player and an Aiwa recorder. -- Young people have no way of understanding it because they haven't experienced it

Great video! You could wear latex gloves for opening/investigation...you just never know what might be lurking/gunge...
Thanks for watching! And lol this is very true. When I lived in PA I never thought of bugs, but after moving to the south and having some traumatizing experiences at thrift stores…I should know better 😂
A trick to get better image: put the video format in 4:3, not 16:9 or zoom, image gets distorted and blurry
Beautiful ❤
That's a nice VCR you have there. I even remember that "Principles of Design" with Gerald F. Brommer tape that my old middle school art class used to have back in the early 2000s. That brings back so many memories.
Okay that’s incredible. I bought it at a goodwill in North Carolina and the other lessons that came with it!!! I would like to archive my tapes at some point, happy to send the full copy.
I also adore the weather channel, so cool channel. Local on the 8s is my jam.
@@YasmineCollectsNice! I also love to archive VHS tapes too.
I have one of these! It has served me well and seen a ridiculous amount of use, besides the typical watching movies and TV stuff it did in my childhood, i stream and speedrun old video games on twitch and use it as a lagless video splitter for my TV with RF out and streaming capture device with composite out since 2012. Still cranking! Great VCR!
Funnily enough the LCD digits on the front are extremely faded but it is working as good as ever.
Came across one of these 6 years ago at my local thrift store that still had the remote for 10 bucks. Needless to say it's been my go-to since then. I also got gifted that Magnavox combo you showed in the beginning a few years ago, but the DVD player didn't work, had no remote, and yeah the VHS quality was kinda trash.
Great channel, and I love seeing people collection old and physical media in this era. I hate that so much is reliant on being online, and in my opinion that's a total negative. You've got a new sub!
These were the last really well-built VCRs before DVD completely took over. The previous generation (PV-9450) was slightly better but also slightly bigger. I've had a 9450 and a V4520 from new and they are both excellent machines in terms of performance, reliability and features. I also had the excellent AG-1980 professional machine, with lots of controls, and the picture quality (in standard VHS mode) was very close. Only things I miss on the consumer machines are the manual level control and jog/shuttle dial.
Glad you made a video on this! I enjoyed the CRT videos, and now that I got a rad Magnavox CRT from 2005 and refurbished Panasonic camcorder from 1998-2000 ish, all I need now is a VCR!
Congrats on your new VCR. Panasonic makes pretty nice units. A few years ago I upgraded to a Panasonic DMR-ES46VS VHS / DVD unit. It has composite video, s-video and wait for it, HDMI video, so I can connect it up to modern LCD TV's. You can also use it to convert VHS tapes to digital since it's a recorder.
You got to take the account of interlace scanlines as well because new TVs are progressive and would accommodate interlace through post-processing which does a bad job at that. Turning off Film Mode might help a little, but still not the best picture quality. CRT TVs are interlace base from the get-go, so of course you already know that VCRs work best with CRTs.
I love this video so much! Subbed!
Thank you for this informative video. I think I will try this cleaning technique with my VCR in the future.
Totally Awesome😎 I remember when VCRs came out in the 80s .very nice find and very well done video. Keep up the great work.😁
Thanks for watching😊
@@YasmineCollects you are most welcome.🙂you do a good job.
I was lucky enough to get a Panasonic DVD Recorder with VHS and TV tuner. Along with HDMI. I also have a Sony unit with the same things. These units now go for more than I bought them new for! And I don’t plan to ever sell them. 😁
Not sure if this has been commented, but the cleaning that is necessary other than heads, is tape path, so that's guides capstan and ensuring the pinch roller isn't too shiny and has a nice satin finish. Never clean remotes with Isopropyl, use something like water based baby wipes for remotes that are 20+years old
My family and I used VCR+ for years, getting the codes out of the Radio Times. Still used to put ten mins on the start and end times in case the station was off-schedule...
I had that VCR, I remember the picture quality was not that great, and when I recorded it had a slight buzzing sound when i played it back. The Sylvania VCRs always were Superior
I remember buying that one for $49.99 I still have it like new it works
In cleaning VCR head(s). i used bond paper (those shiny ones-cut them into little pieces maybe in finger sizes) soaked in lighter fluid.
This is taking me back to my childhood all over again. I love it and can't wait for more of your content ❤
This comment made my day, stay tuned!!!
@@YasmineCollects I can't wait to see what's up next
cleaning the heads was very delicate i used to work in a hifi repair shop etc , take the time cleaning and dont use q tips cotton buds also heads can go out off alignment "azimuth" so they need to get adjusted , brings back memories to that time. good stuff
i used to own a very lookin like VCR like this one in early 2000 ! i am not sure if was the same model but I remember it was looking like this , I moved out and leave it behind .. but was working well I didn't use it alot !
This is an insanely common VCR these days. I actually have two of them, both picked up at garage sales over the course of 2 years.
I’ve been looking for a decent vcr for a while now but unfortunately all online ones are usually broken and cost lots for postage
It's really tough to find good ones, where are you located? I'm in the us and I find that facebook marketplace is your best bet. There are less scalpers on there and you can find ones that people haven't beat up like you would in goodwill. I have never had luck with electronics at thrift stores.
Il tuo videoregistratore e' un bel modello,uno degli ultimi ancora di buon livello,i migliori sono degli anni 80 e 90,ma il tuo se la cava bene credimi
Well done on this video blowing up for such a young channel! Came to me in the RUclips Recommended sidebar. Big fan of Panasonic machines here in Australia and agree, up to 2000 is the best units when still made in Japan - then they take a huge nose dive. Your tape head cleaning technique was on point too (though I keep a tiny amount of alcohol in an old jar and dip into that, easier than pouring a big bottle!), so many people use cue tips and kill their heads. The picture on the second Roku TV looks great via composite; never seen a TV auto-resize aspect ratio automatically like that, I fully blame the HDMI converter lol
Thanks so much for watching! I am incredibly shocked that this video has so many views. Warms my heart to see it’s a topic people want to see. I grew up with panasonic everywhere, CRTs vhs camcorders vcrs etc etc. I think I developed some brand loyalty
I will def pour it in the cap next time😂😂
I still have that VCR around, but mine is from 1999. I haven't used it in probably 4 years, but ti was still working the last time I used it
Lol, i have this vcr, bought in 2001. It still works bcuz im a very good care taker of electronics. Its funny & cool seeing you open a brand new model in 23'. 👍😉😁
Oh man, I lived in Alaska for 3yrs. I actually wanted to watch that tape...
As a kid growing up we had two VCR's both of them branded National Panasonic. Awesome stuff.
Beautiful ❤
Roku TVs still have the RF connection. You could connect the VCR that way and not have to unplug anything. That is if you wanted a VCR on that TV.
Whoa ❤ the unit is beautiful 🤩 like new!!! Wow I love old stuff 💯
Woah this is a really great video for someone just starting out on youtube!
Thank you. I enjoyed this a lot. And boy do I have a lot of old original tech...still working. Some I have had to buy or repair. I think I also noticed your new machine has the commecial feature. After your show is recorded it scans the video and places markers in the DARK SPACES (usually happens when going to a commercial, a fade to black. ) Then on playback, your machine fast forwards itself to skip past the commercial break. But there are times where the marker could be wrong, but by pressing play will stop the fast forwarding commercial skip feature. I love it all. - Toronto, Canada.
Thanks for sharing 😊 it’s amazing how long these pieces last if you keep them up. I believed for too long that tech was disposable in a way.
Toronto is my favorite place I’ve visited so far!!
i remember back in tha day when my parents was gettin a VCR, i begged them to make sure it had a red white and yellow cables not just yellow and white! thankfully they listened and they ended up gettin' a Hi-Fi VCR which i still own till diz day! there was many day i was tryin' to play DDR on many TVs without an AV input or a stereo input/output through a friggin' Hi-Fi VCR lol
Excellent video, very cool to see old things that should never have gone out of style. Hug from Brazil
So glad you enjoyed
Great video! I'm in the process of converting older rock and metal concert bootlegs on vhs to digital files. I bought a multimedia converter on Amazon, because I had issues through the years burning to blank dvds, then having my computer be picky reading certain types. Retro electronics are tons of fun.
Talk about a collecting/purchasing rabbit hole, but thats why we love it :-)
On the TV u need to make sure that SMART view mode is turned OFF set it to 4:3 Mode if it's an option... as for the CRT be very careful when opening it as they can store a lot of power and a very nasty shock can easily happen 😮
My made-in-Japan-by-Panasonic-in-1988 General Electric VG-7720 VCR is "year 2000 compliant" too, though it isn't advertised as such. However, it isn't "year 2007 compliant." Its date/time maxes out at 12-31-06, 11:59 PM. If you set it to that date/time then a minute later it will roll over to 01-01-87, 12:00 AM. I think it's interesting (and bizarre) that that date coincides exactly with the original digital TV broadcast transition date in the US:
"The Congressional deadline to transition to digital broadcasts was pushed back several times. Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 with the original transition date of December 31, 2006."
The only reason to set the date/time on a VCR is to be able to program it to record upcoming TV shows, but a VCR can only record analog TV broadcasts. Had analog TV broadcasts actually ended on 12-31-06 as originally intended, then _no_ VCR would have been able to record anything from TV past that date (not without using a workaround anyway, such as an ATSC-to-NTSC tuner/converter box), so there would be no need for being able to set the date past 12-31-06.
The bizarre part is: that original December 31, 2006 digital TV broadcast transition deadline was established by an act of Congress in 1996, 8 years after my VCR was manufactured. So how did Panasonic know the significance of December 31, 2006 in 1988?
Its nice to see other people my age that like old tech like this. As for the batterycompartments where batteries have leaked. If u come across one of those u can clean it using something acidic like lemonjuice. This is because the stuff leaking from batteries are alkalic and can be solved in acid.
Great buy you have there! I loved VCR's back in day and still have a boxed JVC HRS6955 SVHS Video Recorder. It did everything and remember the great picture quality though have not used it for years
this is your sign to pull it back out!
That Magnavox combo unit is still popular because it has an HDMI output that allows it to be connected to a modern tv without use of a converter. Unfortunately the VCR side of the ZV427MG9 is extremely cheap and unreliable.
I'm old and lived through the Betamax period (owned two) and then the VHS time. I've had VCR's ever since. About five years ago everyone started selling their VCR's and I picked up three Panasonics at my local farmer's market. Two I got for $10 apiece and the third cost $5. I cleaned them similar to what you did in this video and greased them and they all still work well.
I got a PV-V4620, PV-V4520S, and a PV-V464S.
I didn't know for a long time that they made VCRs with HDMI out . Here is the model I use and others made some as well . SANYO Year 2016 NO. FWZV475F , this is a VCR/DVD Rewritable Combo and I absolutely love it, the only thing that puzzles me about it is they decided not to include auto tracking, but other then that it's a very nice unit . I've owned many Combo units over the years and they all had HDMI for the DVD side , but never both so I was blown away when I found this at Goodwill and was even more surprised that it worked perfectly.
That’s very interesting! I usually pass up combos but I might need to change that, a 2016 unit would be really cool
I just found this video on the yt home page. Vhs Is one of the best formats ever created. For one you can record or over record on any time. With DVDs you can’t just pick up any and record over them.
I still have my JVC SVHS VCR that I bought new in 1998. Still works.
I too have a VHS VCR that my deceased dad left me. I should give it a cleaning too and try to make it work again.
It'd be a miracle if you could find a DVDR that still works. I owned 2 or 3 of them, but they never lasted more than a year. It was cool when they did work though. A lot less hassle than dealing with tapes. But then TiVo and DVR came along and nixed that.
I have a pile of DVDR disks I got at a goodwill, should’ve seen if a player was lurking. I know very little about this technology since we never ever recorded things anywhere growing up😅
Here's someone you might try thats cool! If you copy your audio onto the vcr via the audio inputs, you're basically using it as a cart reel, or a sudo- reel-to-reel. You can get two hours of audio onto one tape in sp, other modes will give you 4-6 hours. It will definitely lend some analog mojo to your music. Just ignore the video input.
Okay this sounds so cool! I'm assuming you'd be copying audio onto blank tapes?
@@YasmineCollects that’s exactly right. Ignore the video input and you have an audio tape recorder. You can store a lot of music at the four hour setting, even more at the 6 hour setting, but with both these tape hiss will increase. At the two hour setting you can get much more on a recording than with a reel to reel, and you’ll be surprised at how close it sounds to a reel to reel analog recording. It’s a very cheap way to get analog storage. A 40 minute reel of tape will cost you $75-$100 +- . You can erase old vcr tapes and record audio on them at no cost. You can also buy new vcr tapes online, takes a bit of looking, and at flea markets,etc. Put a cd onto a vcr tape and it’s as close as you can get to analog reel tape sound. Finding a really good vcr is not hard to do, I’ve got about 15-20, some are dvd- vcr combos. Dvd recorders are hard to find , but have a ton of features more than a computer dvd. Another thing Ive done is run an old camcorder into the dvd recorder Inputs. You get an old film style video that’s really cool.
You can use the camcorder sound or input something else to the audio inputs of the dvd recorder, with me it’s a recording console.
Have fun messing round with it!!! All the best, Sonny T
@@YasmineCollects blank tapes are best, but you can erase old tapes by covering the hole on the outside with tape, or use a tape eraser such as radio stations have, or did have. I use one vcr to only erase tapes , others to record on.
@@thesonnytackettshow7949this is so awesome, thanks for taking the time to explain. I have a large collection of vaporwave playlists that I’d love to hear in true analog glory. Also eyeing a few camcorders that take vhs-c tapes. The recording/transferring side of VCRs is still new and somewhat overwhelming to me, so this summary is very helpful. I have the combo but its doesn’t even have the record feature like this unit does. Perhaps this can be covered in a future video 👀
Once I realized that Hi-Fi Stereo VCRs recorded in CD quality, I started recording a lot of MUSIC on the 8 hr tapes, thus having a "digital but analog" 8 hour source for non-stop listening pleasure! Sources were vinyl, CD, cable music stations, etc. Of course you needed to use the composite output jacks to get the stereo audio.
Nice brand Panasonic. I found one almost the same model and look as yours at a Goodwill in a higher class area. This unit was mint condition with remote. I have took it apart and serviced it using same products and yes no Q-tips ever on any heads. I like vintage electronics. The Panasonic was like $10.49 and same week same Goodwill I found a mint working JVC super VHS/DVC unit. These were made in 2000 or so as mine is a 2001 date. These retailed around 2K back then. I got it for $12.49 what luck I got.
Great video - loved watching and reading the comments. Love the Wiggles, too! I remember getting a VCR with VideoPlus+ here in the UK sometime in the 90s. I don't think we had any success with it in all honesty - it might have recorded the odd programme but invariably schedule changes or late running events just messed things up and you always seemed to miss recording some part of it. I think you could have it record a bit either side of the published start time, or the codes may have had that inbuilt - but I just remember it being really rubbish. Thanks for sharing this and looking forward to more videos!
The Wiggles were my life! I’m not sure how many people are interested in defunct childrens media or anything of the sort, but it’s definitely something I want to cover in the future. It’s so interesting that I haven’t heard much about VCR plus in the states, but a lot of UK experiences. (All pretty bad ones lol). I’m glad you enjoyed the video 💖
I have something similar to that model. Mine is duel recorder/player that accommodates CD, DVD, and VHS compatible. It’s still usable.
I love old tech stuff too, keep it up and have fun! 🤣👍
Damn, i though quick flashback to 2000's when i was kid. Good old memories.👍😁
FYI,
The "best" VCRs are included with the DVD/VCR combo decks that have HDMI output and upscale to 1080P. Look for one of those if you want to watch VHS tapes on 1080 or higher rez TVs or monitors. Amazing difference in video quality as compared to watching VHS with composite or component output to a CRT. Also, high quality studio films on high quality tape look best as well. The TV shows folks recorded in EP (slowest tape speed) on cheap tape using the rabbit ears antenna are never going to look good. Have fun with your tecknotoys. 😊
One of mine is a similar model to that Panasonic, probably has the same features, the only difference is the button placement and the fact mine was made in 2001.
Haha omg cool! Is it the 4521? If so you can enjoy this 2001 thread about them, this is where I sourced my pricing www.audioreview.com/product/home-video/vcrs/panasonic/pv-v4520.html
Panasonic made the best VCR’s. They last forever if you take care of them. I still have one that works and I bought mine in the 80s or mid 90s.
I woman that knows that how to clean a VCR's heads, Priceless!! :)
@2:47 those back in 2000 or so would of been upper $300's. We bought a Panasonic back in 2002 at Best Buy for $350 Panasonic in my opinion next to Sony are reliable systems. Earlier versions in the 80's were tanks but well made and lasted years to come. I have a mint Panasonic bought at a thrift store "Church" with lighted remote for $10.00 hi/fi stereo 4 head with VCR plus. Enjoy it.
My VCR I have is a ProScan VCR bought in the same year and it was made in 1999.
If you want the remote to stay clean inside dont use Duraleak batteries.😉
I have a Panasonic PV-7670 VCR From 1997. I still own that, and I took very good care of it.
Awesome video! I'm about to get a Sony VCR this week :) Love from Argentina
❤️ thanks for watching!!
The only VCR i ever had broke when it came home used lol. Nice video
I would have also cleaned the solid part underneath the spinning part of the drum head, the tape literally rubs against that bit too! Also, the rollers, solid plastic spikes that go into the holes on the tape, the tape touches them too, the plastic flat bits are also what the tape touches and there are the 2 other heads, the erase head and the playing head on either side of the drum head. Those also needed cleaning! If in doubt, insert a tape into it whilst the top is off, and study what touches the tape when it is moving inside the machine, then you will see what needs cleaning. My descriptions above might not help you...lol Also, buy a decent 16:9 large CRT if you can, the image is far superior from a VHS VCR on that than any modern tv!! Also, have you heard of SVHS or DVHS? That is DVD and HD quality VHS - those VCRS are backwards compatible and some DVHS 1080iHD VCRs can upscale old SVHS/VHS tapes to be a LOT better video output....:)
Yes I have heard of SVHS 😍 Thanks for this info, it’s very helpful 😊
I bought my first vcr in 1981 for $600. It was a Sanyo betacord. Weighed about 10kg
I recorded so much stuff on VHS as a kid, Sometimes I would require 3 VCRs! I would use my own mainly but if i needed to record HBO, I would use my parents VCR (they had a "bullet" that would descramble that channel). My brother got a "bullet" for Cinemax so I would use his VCR to record off Cinemax. I got so used to the menu system of my parents VCR that I could program it with the TV off! No VCR+. I knew the menu system well enough to just grab the remote, hit the buttons and not even interrupt my parents if they were watching TV
Your childhood was awesome!
I have the same VCR as you and I got a 50 inch 4K ultra HD Roku TV and I got no problems
Great video, hit with a sub. Makes me want to dust off my family's old VCR to play around with it too!
Welcome!! Its so much fun😊
I am happy when i see a Lady cares about old original devices . perfect
Panasonic made pretty good stand alone VCRs back in the 1980s and early 90s. (I was there at the beginning) I still have quite a few myself. The last one I bought new was from the Navy Exchange and it was a Panasonic PV-V4612S made in 2002. I bought two of them because they were going for under $100 each so the merchant could clear his stock. Now I wished I had bought two more as they are still working 20 years later with no problems. I don't use them to record much now because the tuner in them is obsolete since broadcasting went digital in 2009, but I do use them to view my VHS tape collection (300+ titles). They (VHS cassettes) play fine on my CRT TVs and my new digital TV's playback is OK through the component input, although it isn't as sharp as DVDs and Blu-Rays. I never used the VCR Plus feature. I could set the timer just as easily to do the same thing. Some Panasonic VCRs had a commercial skip feature that would have been more useful to me, in my opinion, That allowed the viewer to slip through commercial breaks when watching the tape later, which could be handy. It wasn't totally foolproof though, especially for football games.
That's awesome that they're still going strong, thanks for sharing!
I have the Emerson VCR4003 From Around the Early To Mid 1990’s. However, The Take Up Spool Turner Did Not Work So I Did Some repairs to it, and it’s working again. Be sure you take good care of it.
Baby your tech and it will last a lifetime!
I recently bought a VCR/DVD Combo, UNused but faulty from the year 2009... the fault i was told before buying it was the DVD door wouldn't open. it had not been used since that fault was found and it was reboxed. I bought it for £40. when it came i opened it up to see if i could work out the issue..... I saw one of the ribbon cables was slightly at an angle, i straightened it up and wow it worked.
Its crazy how silly the fixes can be. I had a cassette player that wouldn’t work, turns out there was a single piece of dried glue on part of the reader. Easiest repair ever lol
I can't believe UPS didn't just flat out reject the shipment for it being sent in a black plastic trash bag. The proper way to ship a product box is to cover it with brown craft paper or similar. Luckily UPS released the shipment to you instead of returning it to the sender.
Panasonic is the best! A few years ago I found my dad a Panasonic VHS/DVD combo with an HDMI output for both formats so he could connect it to a modern TV without a converter.
I remember seeing "VCR+" on VCRs back in the day, but never knew what it meant, so thanks for the explanation.
And yes, VHS tapes sounded pretty good! So did LaserDiscs. But obviously neither looks so great these days, haha. Your unit is making those tapes look pretty decent, though. Great find.
I would LOVE to find one of those combos, it would make recording on tapes a whole lot easier. Thanks for watching ☺️
Don't forget to clean under the anti static bush on top of the rotating video head.