Get yourself a good 27" Sony Trinitron Wega and forget about that flatpanel rubbish. Those newer sets, just don't do the vintage equipment justice. The pictures are too "grainy" AFAIC. :thumbsdn:

This machine has bad electrolytic capacitors in the switching power supply. If you use this frequently, the capacitors will degrade and the picture will become unstable. Eventually the machine will not power up. I have several Panasonics from this time period with that problem.

Interestingly enough I don't think this unit has a switching power supply, I think it has a cold chassis non-switching power supply because its not the usual removeable switching power supply like I've seen in other Panasonics from the same time period... :scratch2:

I actually do have a 27" Sony Trinitron in my basement that's from 2000. :yes: And it works quite well considering where I got it from.

I still marvel at the picture quality of the Sony's.
I always wonder, just what makes them so damned heavy. :D

I have that model somewhere here.I love those Panasonic VCRs.I agree with dieseljeep.Use the older CRT monitor sets for VCR repair or watching.Any 1970's to 1990's CRT sets will work great for the job.

Those linear stereo VCRs were OK if you record at SP but if you record in SLP/EP .They sound like AM radio or a crappy online webstream.

The HiFi stereo units started coming out around the same time so I picked up the Panasonic PV-9600 HiFi portable then and the NEC HIFi tabletop VCR 8 months later..

I heard that what makes the Sony's so heavy is their shadow masks because they're designed quite large compared to a normal TV. And what's funny is that when I first found my Trinitron I thought it was a 19" at first but it turned out to be a 27" once I got it home and got to looking at the model number.

I do have one Hi-Fi Stereo VCR in my Collection a Sony Prosumer Grade unit from about 1990 a model SLV-575UC which does work quite nicely yet considering it was a goodwill find, it even came with its original remote.
The rest of my VCRs are mono units besides this linear stereo unit, which has pretty nice sound for what it is when you playback a prerecorded tape.
I mostly just use my VCRs for playing prerecorded tapes only because I have no way to record anymore, so even a linear stereo unit is just fine for what I need.

I have the same vcr it works good i had to replace the idler tire in it
i have a parts one also it has bad heads i got it for $15 with remote from goodwill

Even though it may not be the rectangular removeable power supply utilized in later models I believe it is one of the early SM power supplies. I'm surprised it doesn't need capacitors. Maybe they've already been replaced. On any event, have fun with it!

Thanks, I have been having fun with it, its interesting watching period movies on it because it definitely has the stereotypical "1980s" VCR look to it when its playing tapes.

Panasonic PV-1730 was the 1984 4-head Hi-Fi stereo model, first one built.

I was going to buy that model but waited to get the PV-9600 portable in 1985.I had it setup along with the Realistic MTS stereo receiver.

I would get more use out of the portable then the home deck at the time.

Ah yes.. the PV-A860 docking station that came with. Fixed a-many of those. Some mechanical problems with the docking latch mechanism, others with multiple burned components on the board.

Does yours still work?

Thats a good question.It probably needs recapping and a overhaul. I had no problem with the deck latch but it had its share of problems with the dock .As you sail burned parts on the board. The docking station had blown one of those green special SIP chips within a year of purchase .The deck had its share of issues of going out of alignment and HIfi motor boating.Over the years I pick up a couple of them and equiv models of the 9600.

Since you dont get much time out of the internal battery .I end up powering it with a 12volt 7 amp alarm battery from Radio Shack along with the Panasonic 12 volt car battery adapter.Got alot of recording time with that setup.

With the PV-1730.I should of picked up that model or the PV-1740 instead of the NEC 965U in 1987 but the built in MTS decoder which I was looking for was in the NEC .The NEC was broken down more than used.

With the 9600 /Realistic MTS tuner combo .Got alot of timer set programs screwed up and silent movies and TV shows recorded with the separate MTS tuner when for getting to turn it on and or putting it on the right channel.