Does anyone know about this VHS VCR?
 

It's a Philips (North American Philips) labeled VCR from December of 1987. Model is VPH733TS01. Appears to have the same one belt mechanical chassis (G Chassis If I'm correct on the name) as the late 80's Panasonic and relabeled slim VCRS do. I didn't think Panasonic manufactured any Philips VCRS. I did a google search and nothing much comes up about this model. It's also got the famous problematic power supply as the mid 80s Panasonics have, as it's giving trouble in video playback.

I also did a search at studiosoundelectronics and the in belt section shows a different chassis under this model with different belts offered, I did a search at partstore and nothing.

http://vintageelectronics.betamaxcol...h733ts01_1.jpg

I probably have the micrd fiche on that guy.

That's a Panasonic made unit. They made VCRs for NAP in the late '70s-'80s. "G Chassis" pretty sure you are correct sure looks to be one, and the right vintage.

That was a pretty pricey VCR when new. It's a S-VHS with audio level controls.

I'm one manual number away from that one. May still have it; possibly misfiled. May also have it in the GE/RCA label.

It looks to be a rarer VCR.. I would even like to find the remote, but can't come up with a part number or model, due to the lack of info any site has. Most sites don't list any Philips VCRs with the models beginning with "VPH". It's also rare to find any Panasonic NAPs lying around in any thrifts. I tend to see alot of the mid 90's Philips/Magnavoxes garbage.. For $3 i couldn't pass this one by..

Here's all the Matshushita-made brands and model numbers that use the same video head upper cylinder...

PANASONIC, CURTIS-MATHES, GENERAL ELECTRIC (GE), MAGNAVOX, QUASAR, PHILCO, PHILIPS

PV-S4854, CV-785, VG-7785, VG-7795, VR-6785AT01, VR-6885AT01, VR-9668AT01, VR-9770AT01, BV-785, PV-S4764, VH-5985UW, PV-S4864, PV-S4864PX, PV-S4880, VPH-733TS01, VPH-733T, VR-6785AT01, VH-5677UW, VR-9780AT01

That's a nice model. Pana-built and rare, indeed. I might recommend you re-cap the switch-mode power supply. Hard to believe it hasn't already been done by now, but, when they blow... they can really blow.

I'm waiting for my order of Electrolytics from Mouser, Should be Monday when the order arrives, I will be recapping most of my Panasonics that have problems in the Power Supply

This Philips VCR is the clone-model of Panasonic PV-S4764. It retailed for $1,200 new and was the top-of-the-line. It has problems with the video circuit with pictures turning dark, usually caused by weak surface-mount caps on the hybrid IC board.

The OP can sell this on eBay at anytime for over $100 buy-it-now price only before shipping. Recently, a person bought a Toshiba DX-900 PCM VCR from me today on eBay for $750 total (wow). I bought this for only $50 shipped because it needed a belt. Vintage VCRs often can get amazing resale value.

Sold: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MESOX:IT

Yep that is an unfortunate thing with those late '80s Panasonics. I have an AG-1830 S-VHS machine that I bought new in 1988 for a little over $1000 that is plaqued with bad electrolytics in the video circuits. It made absolutely beautiful recordings in its day. I even have a NOS upper drum, bought that thinking this would be my forever machine and I might actually wear out the heads someday. Caps failed way before the heads wore out. It is a nightmare to work on those boards. :sigh:

I went in and replaced all but one electrolytic cap in the Power Supply, due to not having the right value. It was indeed a nightmare, Power supply is soldered into the main board, and the main board pops out and has to be unhooked from a few places. Ended up breaking off a chip from the board which I had to rig with wires and solder it, with out that chip there was no video period during tape play or tuner. The video is distorted, as mentioned, like a dirty head though during playback, But i don't think it's the heads, VCR still picks up Hi-Fi from the tape and goes into normal mode if i adjust the tracking to where tracking is off. I'll have to look for those surface mounts and see what else I need to order.

It's shocking to see these old VHS VCRS go for a lot, but that Toshiba is a high end machine. I guess people are starting to collect VHS like Beta. I only like the old 80s machines, some people still use VHS, unlike Beta is pretty much only for people who collect them... I was questionable about this machine until i plugged it in at the thrift store, and when I inserted a tape I Noticed by the mechanical sound that's it's got the same mechanical Chassis as the late 80s Slim Panasonics, so i had to get it, especially it only being at $3

That's truly astonishing!
I know those s-VHS models were expensive,I bought a super VHS back in the late 80's new and it was nearly $1000 then...I didn't know they could still bring decent money.

Looks like someone posted a video guide on youtube on how to fix the power supplies in these old Panasonics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFnqFNwbV9I

I took apart the VCR again to find the surface mounts.. I didn't see any, and also having trouble locating the video board.. I did a thorough look on what i can see on the whole main board and the small boards attached to it, still cant see any surface mounts. There's a couple of servo sections, audio section, sap, and others, but nothing labeled video. There's also a few circuits that are in metal housings like the tuner circuit. I didn't bother to look through those, as i would need to unsolder them and pry them open, and also didn't want to go into something unnecessary..