He isn't looking over anyone's shoulder. He died a few years ago. Cancer. His oldest son also lost his battle with cancer at only about 37 years old and his only other son couldn't cope with life. I feel bad for his ex wife as she was really nice and lost both her sons.
I worked on vcrs for years. Something in addition to cleaning for longer lasting mode switch between service is after cleaning is use a fiberglass pen and clean until the groves in metal are gone-just don't go too deep. Then clean any fiberglass debris before reassembly.
Very nice service videos about these machines, both of them. I guess these machines were under Philips name here in Europe, bought a Philips VR140 vcr in August 2003 for 89 Euros and I guess it's got Funai machinery inside as well, still working fine, altough there was some minor issues couple of years ago. My machine has front panel display (and of course on screen display too), even this is just very basic vcr with mono audio. I too was impressed at the time how small and light weight a modern VHS vcr can be compared to the big and heavy 80's VCR my parents had. Certainly big steps forward in dvelopement of VHS vcr, simplified and streamlined, cheaper to manufacture and buy. I'd like to say image quality is also better, but I guess tv antenna signal strength and quality may have something to do with the grainy and soft image in the recordings done with the old 80's vcr, it had old school manual tuner wheels even. Used the new one to record tv-shows from cable tv, which most likely had much better signal quality in the first place. These modern vcr's seem to be more reliable too compared to the old ones, our 80's vcr had to be sent for repairs at least twice during it's first ten years. My modern one has never needed anything done to it so far, those minor issues I mentioned earlier were intermittent, and disappeared by themselves. I think at one time it had a bit dirty heads, but I guess the automatic cleaner fixed that problem. Also at one point in time, it intermittently shut itself down and started flashing error code "2", but started immediatly back on again without problems, and worked normally, so not sure what that issue was. It hasn't happened for a long time now. Perhaps some minor dirt on the mode switch? At present time, it works just fine :)
These late Funai VCRs have OK picture but their tape transport is not too reliable. The vertical lines are wiggly on this one, probably not a fault, just the tape transport is not stable by design. As you lightly tapped on it that also shown up on the picture. Also the pinch roller often cracks in them well before 20 years. I think my favorite from late VCRs in terms of build quality is an Orion: 1998-2000, sturdy looking tape transport with metal bases for the tape guides, and overall a lot more metal in the transport compared to Panasonic Z and these Funais. That's my main problem with Panasonic Z: the adjustment threads are in plastic, they wear out after about 3 adjustments... The other common failure point (aside from the easily fixable loading motor coupling) is the control arm for the clutch which quite often fails and destroys the clutch in FF/REW mode on Panasonic Z machines (but late Samsung is the worst with these clutch failures).
Cheap to make, affordable when sold and compared to other brands easy to service. VHS provided a good income for us until it all came to an end very quickly. The same happened with Laserdisc, but due to it's high price that was a limited niche market. Thankfully i am now fully retired, i got out just in time before the crazy sized TV's became the latest must have item. It's great when you can pick and choose what to repair as a hobby.
I left the business in 2003. Started new career that I am getting close to retiring from now. Electronics just a hobby now. I can pick and choose what I want to look at. No money in it these days.
@@12voltvids We were lucky to have made a reasonable income during the boom from the early 70's until the decline started in the 90's. After then as you say there was little money in it, now we live in a throw away age. I hope you can enjoy your retirement, it's great to look out of the window and watch others going to work.
Yup, for me i started in 83 and left in 2003. The last few years were rough. I got out just when the big decline started. A few guys I knew told me I was crazy that they were going to make lots of money with all these flat panel TV set we're going to be breaking down. I started working a second job to make ends meet installing satellite dishes and found that I was making more money putting up dishes afterwork and on the weekend I was fixing TVS and VCRs during the week so it didn't take long to make the decision to get the hell out. I enjoy the outside work even though it was a lot of driving because I was doing all the Out of town installs but the day just went by very quick when you're working outside. The next year one of my friends told me that the phone company was going to be hiring as he knew someone who was working at 1 of the big tech schools and the phone company had gone to them put on courses to train new techs. So I applied went through the grueling 4 months of testing and evaluations the whole bit and got on with the phone company which does a lot more than phone, internet and security these days. I've been there 19 another year or so left all decide I kind of promised myself when I was hired that I was going to do at least 20 so that comes up next year and then once I get to 20 I'll decide whether it's time to hang them up or not. Then I sing as I work local to where I live so I don't have to commute that's a big factor right there if I had to commute then yeah I'd be chomping at the bit to go but I'm thinking about it I just say it's nice to look out the window and watch other people going to work I'm on holiday so I get to do that now, But I work a compressed shift so 4 days on 3 days off so it's like having a mini holiday every week and with that shift I don't mind it or bonder days but I don't mind it I work my way we can shift and have my days off during the week well everybody else is working. But you never know what's gonna happen right I mean the company offered packages to a lot of people over the last year and they took it it wasn't offered to my group maybe if it does get offered to my group I'll be doing the same.
@@12voltvids Good luck with whatever you decide to do. If you can get a severance package that might be worth going for. As long as you are financially sound then enjoy life whilst you can. I struggled on for to long, the goverment increased the state pension age to 66 so i had to work until then , at 69 i now wish i could have retired earlier, but things don't always work out as you expect them to.
I know this is a old video but what do you use for to display that clock signal on that small b/w crt? Id love to have that same set up because thsts awesome!
@@Tech_481blackberry10 could run Android apps. You had to side load them from computer. The clock apps i am running are Android. The z10 is running from USB adapter. No batterv is in it anymore.
The 80s machines were junk compared to these. These were the best vhs machines in terms of puxtute quality and reliability. Not much to go wrong. I know I just have triggered a few but it's true.
Norcal715 has serviced many of these as they were used in the last DVD-VHS combo units. Not a lot to go wrong but the mode switch always needs cleaning.
I had this VCR which was Emerson, but it looks exactly the same as this one. But this one is a Crapnavox VCR. Both Emerson and Magnavox (or Crapnavox) were made by Funai, and so did Symphonic. Funai was the worst company that made VCR’s until they seized production by 2016.
Their '80s and '90s VCRs were mostly OK. Even these late ones are OK for what they cost. They don't have the most stable picture, the pinch roller is prone to crack early, and the clutch can fail, too.
Which was a double edge sword. Techs loved the old ones because we knew in a few months we would make another 75 bucks. The new ones didn't break and id they did they weren't repaired.
We had the same VCRs as these ones in New Zealand as well under the Philips brand.
I love VHS format and crt TV.
Hi from Russia Novorossiysk.
Your boss isn't looking over your shoulder anymore.
He isn't looking over anyone's shoulder. He died a few years ago. Cancer. His oldest son also lost his battle with cancer at only about 37 years old and his only other son couldn't cope with life. I feel bad for his ex wife as she was really nice and lost both her sons.
@@12voltvids - Damn! 🙁
I worked on vcrs for years. Something in addition to cleaning for longer lasting mode switch between service is after cleaning is use a fiberglass pen and clean until the groves in metal are gone-just don't go too deep. Then clean any fiberglass debris before reassembly.
Thanks, I have the same unit only mine is branded Sylvania brand. I like the unit because it is simple like you said. Great Video
Lots of money to be had back before I retired. VCR servicing was a big cash cow for us.
Yup and when that dried up we all got out.
This Magnavox is a different model number because the front is different.
Newer but the same inside. I like that chassis. Simple and reliable.
Very nice service videos about these machines, both of them. I guess these machines were under Philips name here in Europe, bought a Philips VR140 vcr in August 2003 for 89 Euros and I guess it's got Funai machinery inside as well, still working fine, altough there was some minor issues couple of years ago.
My machine has front panel display (and of course on screen display too), even this is just very basic vcr with mono audio.
I too was impressed at the time how small and light weight a modern VHS vcr can be compared to the big and heavy 80's VCR my parents had. Certainly big steps forward in dvelopement of VHS vcr, simplified and streamlined, cheaper to manufacture and buy.
I'd like to say image quality is also better, but I guess tv antenna signal strength and quality may have something to do with the grainy and soft image in the recordings done with the old 80's vcr, it had old school manual tuner wheels even. Used the new one to record tv-shows from cable tv, which most likely had much better signal quality in the first place.
These modern vcr's seem to be more reliable too compared to the old ones, our 80's vcr had to be sent for repairs at least twice during it's first ten years. My modern one has never needed anything done to it so far, those minor issues I mentioned earlier were intermittent, and disappeared by themselves.
I think at one time it had a bit dirty heads, but I guess the automatic cleaner fixed that problem. Also at one point in time, it intermittently shut itself down and started flashing error code "2", but started immediatly back on again without problems, and worked normally, so not sure what that issue was. It hasn't happened for a long time now. Perhaps some minor dirt on the mode switch? At present time, it works just fine :)
These late Funai VCRs have OK picture but their tape transport is not too reliable. The vertical lines are wiggly on this one, probably not a fault, just the tape transport is not stable by design. As you lightly tapped on it that also shown up on the picture. Also the pinch roller often cracks in them well before 20 years.
I think my favorite from late VCRs in terms of build quality is an Orion: 1998-2000, sturdy looking tape transport with metal bases for the tape guides, and overall a lot more metal in the transport compared to Panasonic Z and these Funais.
That's my main problem with Panasonic Z: the adjustment threads are in plastic, they wear out after about 3 adjustments... The other common failure point (aside from the easily fixable loading motor coupling) is the control arm for the clutch which quite often fails and destroys the clutch in FF/REW mode on Panasonic Z machines (but late Samsung is the worst with these clutch failures).
Easy when you know how.
I'd keep them of I was you Dave, for archiving
I have probably 20 machines so I doubt i need more.
Cheap to make, affordable when sold and compared to other brands easy to service.
VHS provided a good income for us until it all came to an end very quickly.
The same happened with Laserdisc, but due to it's high price that was a limited niche
market.
Thankfully i am now fully retired, i got out just in time before the crazy sized TV's became
the latest must have item.
It's great when you can pick and choose what to repair as a hobby.
I left the business in 2003. Started new career that I am getting close to retiring from now. Electronics just a hobby now. I can pick and choose what I want to look at. No money in it these days.
@@12voltvids We were lucky to have made a reasonable income during the boom from the early 70's until the
decline started in the 90's.
After then as you say there was little money in it, now we live in a throw away age.
I hope you can enjoy your retirement, it's great to look out of the window and watch others going to work.
Yup, for me i started in 83 and left in 2003. The last few years were rough. I got out just when the big decline started. A few guys I knew told me I was crazy that they were going to make lots of money with all these flat panel TV set we're going to be breaking down. I started working a second job to make ends meet installing satellite dishes and found that I was making more money putting up dishes afterwork and on the weekend I was fixing TVS and VCRs during the week so it didn't take long to make the decision to get the hell out. I enjoy the outside work even though it was a lot of driving because I was doing all the Out of town installs but the day just went by very quick when you're working outside. The next year one of my friends told me that the phone company was going to be hiring as he knew someone who was working at 1 of the big tech schools and the phone company had gone to them put on courses to train new techs. So I applied went through the grueling 4 months of testing and evaluations the whole bit and got on with the phone company which does a lot more than phone, internet and security these days. I've been there 19 another year or so left all decide I kind of promised myself when I was hired that I was going to do at least 20 so that comes up next year and then once I get to 20 I'll decide whether it's time to hang them up or not. Then I sing as I work local to where I live so I don't have to commute that's a big factor right there if I had to commute then yeah I'd be chomping at the bit to go but I'm thinking about it I just say it's nice to look out the window and watch other people going to work I'm on holiday so I get to do that now, But I work a compressed shift so 4 days on 3 days off so it's like having a mini holiday every week and with that shift I don't mind it or bonder days but I don't mind it I work my way we can shift and have my days off during the week well everybody else is working. But you never know what's gonna happen right I mean the company offered packages to a lot of people over the last year and they took it it wasn't offered to my group maybe if it does get offered to my group I'll be doing the same.
@@12voltvids Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
If you can get a severance package that might be worth going for.
As long as you are financially sound then enjoy life whilst you can.
I struggled on for to long, the goverment increased the state pension age to 66
so i had to work until then , at 69 i now wish i could have retired earlier, but things don't always
work out as you expect them to.
I know this is a old video but what do you use for to display that clock signal on that small b/w crt? Id love to have that same set up because thsts awesome!
It is an old blackberry z10 smartphone. It has hdmi output. Runs click apps pulls time from GPS on the network even thought it is not activated.
@@12voltvids oh cool! I might copy you then!
@@Tech_481blackberry10 could run Android apps. You had to side load them from computer. The clock apps i am running are Android. The z10 is running from USB adapter. No batterv is in it anymore.
@@12voltvids awesome thanks for the info!
09:12 - Funny how the linear cam sticks out over the PSU area in loaded position. PSU in this machine just wasn't given any privacy. LOL.
I have never seen a VCR with so little inside it before
The 80s machines were junk compared to these. These were the best vhs machines in terms of puxtute quality and reliability. Not much to go wrong. I know I just have triggered a few but it's true.
Norcal715 has serviced many of these as they were used in the last DVD-VHS combo units. Not a lot to go wrong but the mode switch always needs cleaning.
Yes I have 3 combo with similar if not identical chassis but those are a hell of allot more work to disassemble.
Great! When you do something a lot, it may reduce the time it takes to do it next time.
This is only the second one of these.
I had this VCR which was Emerson, but it looks exactly the same as this one. But this one is a Crapnavox VCR. Both Emerson and Magnavox (or Crapnavox) were made by Funai, and so did Symphonic. Funai was the worst company that made VCR’s until they seized production by 2016.
Their '80s and '90s VCRs were mostly OK. Even these late ones are OK for what they cost. They don't have the most stable picture, the pinch roller is prone to crack early, and the clutch can fail, too.
Not much to these modern VCRs they really got the tech down to nothing compared to those older VCRs.
Which was a double edge sword. Techs loved the old ones because we knew in a few months we would make another 75 bucks. The new ones didn't break and id they did they weren't repaired.
@@12voltvids good point