Old VHS VCR, fundamentals and does it work?

I found an old Panasonic PV-V4611 VHS VCR at work. I still have a couple tapes with home movie footage on them and I wanted to see if I could play them. This VCR is from 2001 and is extremely cost reduced.

I take a look at the VCR in operation and talk about some VHS fundamentals.

[Kylefassbinderful]

VCRs are just super cool in the way they function. The pulling the tape out and wrapping it around a spinning head is impressive to watch.

[krisx]

Great vid Adrian, I used to sell VCRs in the mid 80s, so popular, loads of different manufacturers, and expensive back then! We had an inhouse mechanic, who said if you encounter a visual problem (cheap tapes sometimes), pop open the flap and take a good look at the heads. This explains so much more about the transport system!
Modern day tech is so dull compared to this and Hi-Fi, so it's great to see an enthusiast explaining, thanks !

[infinitecanadian]

I have taken apart many a VCR in my time for recycling (I was volunteering at a charity). Some of them were real works of art, especially the older ones.

[kyokochan]

2:05 I had several of those Sony branded VHS tapes, but with the newer packaging design from 2007. TDK was my go to brand for VHS tapes when used to record shows at the time.

[elhasaneelhafidy]

nice video man! and it was smart that you test that VHS VCR first before you put your tape in it!!
thanx for sharing!!!

[pedromacedo]

I could swear that was Edina from Absolutely fabulous! Great video! All the best

[Halterung]

Even though these late Panasonic VCRs have cheap cases and (compared to the aluminum diecast chassis of older generations) cheap mechanisms, they are shockingly reliable.
I have never experienced a Z mechanism (like the one shown) that failed over time. Of course it does happen, but if you compare that to Funai or Samsung models, they are excellent.

As for the squeeking noise, like every other VCR it needs lubrication on the plastic gears that drive the mechanism. This is definitely not a belt issue. I am more of an expert for the K-mechanisms, but if I remember correctly, the Z-mechanisms only use a single belt that goes from the direct drive motor of the capstan to the reels, this belt then drives the takeup, the fast forward and the rewind. I am about 99% sure this noise comes from plastic rubbing on plastik at the gear on the bottom side that drives the state of the mechanism. (You will recognise that gear as soon as you see it, it looks really weird.)

Also, the magnetic pickup on Panasonic units is superior to most I've seen. Even on the last HiFi VCRs they made, they hardly ever produce audio glitches on HiFi tracks, even when the tapes weren't recorded on a good machine or the tape is worn.

Also, it is just not correct that these late units were made as cheaply as possible. As you can see, the pinch roller first moves down and then moves to the capstan. This is a really complicated way of designing it. Most manufactureres just had the capstan on the back side of the tape and the rubber pinch roller on the metal particle side of the tape where the information is saved.
Doing it that way, a failing pinch roller can contaminate a tape with dirt. Panasonic never did that.

[isaacposselt]

I try to fix vcr players, we still use them because my mentally disabled sister refuses to go to anything newer, also it would be too hard for her.
So I have sometimes fixed them by just adding grease or by just getting the videos out of the player!
Most of the time the belts are getting stretched out : I can't find any good belts they're all for cassette tape players. Grrrr!

[colinj]

Our first VCR was a Symphonic made in 1985 or 1986. Heavy metal case, dozens of buttons, etc. By 2000, they were so light and cheap.

[branhicks]

They were all made like that eventually. Still a nice VCR. HiFi Stereo and such...

[paulhenry]

Thank you Adrian. Your channel helped my grandson write a report for his high school fixit project. Our VHS is eating tapes.

[probnotstech]

Those Mini-DV cameras sometimes had a setting where you could switch the composite video output to an input, and capture composite video to firewire.

[MathewLerandeau]

I have a new VCR I bought a year ago at my local Wal-Mart and I use it a lot.

[peterhancox]

i love vcr's i used to repair them and crt tv's for over 20 years shame they died out try find a panasonic G deck very complicated loading mechanism underneath

[mctv]

VHS was such a Success the VHS VCR's outlived the tapes themselves

[joeb]

This has to be a later model. 80s vcrs were tanks. Especially the ones built by Matsushita(panasonic, GE, Sylvania, Maganavox, some RCA's, etc.) Toshiba, Hitachi, and JVCs were tanks as well. Hitachi made a really good machine.

[RodreckChuma]

Same as mine i got today, I am glad to get lessons

[zigzigfuck]

on a Panasonic VCR NV-HS900 what are the functions about the adjust buttons soldered on the left vertical card ?
( what does mean " PB " ? )
VR5 REC C ?
VHS REC Y ?
S VHS PB LEVEL 1 ?
VHS PB LEVEL ?
S VHS REC Y ?
VHS REC Y ?

[VideoWorldWaterford]

Hi Fantastic Video, Very Informative Thanks For This Upload

[W-Ostr]

I just bought something similar from 08.2000. Philips VR600. There was need to replace cog and set aligment, but after that it run smooth. I am planing record old home movies and then record new movies on tapes and also Hi-Fi audio. :)