RCA VMT395 VCR dead
 

I got a RCA VMT395 VCR (made circa 1986) from a friend last night. I figured that it would come on, but would need belts replaced,
Heads cleaned etc. the VCR is a high end, stereo unit, nicer than most of the (working) VCRs that I own.

It is totally dead, but the fuses are not blown. I am not an electrician, nor an experienced electronic repairman, so it was not obvious to me what the problem is. Does anybody have any suggestions what I should look into?

Thanks


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Check for broken solder joints.

Additionally, 12voltsvids has some thorough VCR repair videos worth watching.

Thanks, I'll check it out.


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More than likely its a rebadged Panasonic VCR and Panasonic VCRs back then had an issue with bad capacitors in the power supply. I would check the power supply for some bad capacitors first, because its the easiest fix, I had a Magnavox VCR from the same time period that was a rebadged Panasonic and it had the same issue as your VCR is having and it turned out to be a couple of bad electrolytic capacitors in the power supply and so as soon as I replaced those capacitors it worked perfectly again.

Thanks for the reply. If I had the test equipment, id dive in. As it is, I may just keep it and give it to someone who can work on it.


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If I recall correctly, RCA branded VCR's were Hitachi, not Panasonic.

Very early RCA VCRs were Panasonic. The RCA VBT200, for example, was a rebadged Panasonic PV-1000.

Far more RCA models were made by Hitachi, however.

I don't recall any Panasonic VCRs re-badged RCA after Panasonic went with the SMPS power supplies. By then the RCAs were mostly Hitachi. That VMT395 (which does cross reference to several Hitachi models mechanical parts) pretty sure has a linear power supply with a power transformer. Then somewhere about 1988 RCA started selling RCA-badged Samsung VCRs with SMPS that failed like crazy.

The VMT395 could be dead because a capacitor is open that taps the 60 Hz line as a reference for the clock, and with no clock reference, can appear dead. You'd need to check the presence of some voltages to go further.

I'm almost certain that 83 was the first year RCA used Hitachi VCR's. The last Panasonic made RCA was the Selectavision 650 in 1982. I have one but it's broke. I also have the VBT200 (working), VDT501, VDT600, and Panasonic PV-1700, which the RCA 650 is cloned from.

I'll check it out eventually. It is sitting out in the garage for now. Was considering throwing it out, but I'll try play electrician.


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I actually had an old RCA HiFi VCR from around 1987 that was for sure a rebadged Panasonic because it had the same exact date stamp on the back of it as Panasonic put on the back of their units, so I believe RCA was still rebadging Panasonic VCRs well in to the late 1980s at least.

Matsushita was making VCRs for RCA/GE into the 2000s

Yep you're right. Gonna have to quit relying on my memory.
Matsushita made some RCAs with the stamped steel chassis and SMPS. Even Toshiba got into making some RCAs like the pos VH689HF. Terrible design.

I wonder if the OP still has this VCR. I JUST RECENTLY got all my data exported from the old database that it was in (that I haven't been able to open for about 10-15 years) and imported into Excel. :banana: I have records from 1989 to 2001. Predominantly VCR and camcorder but I did work on televisions and audio equipment, as well.

Computer says I worked on 18 VMT395's, all from 1990 to 1992. Three of them were "dead" and required that IC851, a regulator IC, be replaced. Gut feeling says that's what ails the OP's. Or, at least is the first thing I would check if I were in front of the unit.

RCA part number for the regulator IC is 177649. I believe it was a STK pack although I do not know the number.

By the way, the remaining 15 units needed belts, cleaning, a tuning IC in one and a clutch ass'y in another.

The VMT395 is most definitely Hitachi built. 16 of the 18 that I worked on were built middle to late 1986. The remaining two were built very early 1987.

Brian

Many manufacturers branded VCR's for RCA over the years. To the best of my recollection and according to my personal database file:

Panasonic built VCRs for RCA beginning from the very first models in the mid 70's until 1998. However, there may have been a large void between 1983 and 1988. I will do some more research.

There were no Panasonic-built models in 1999, then one Panasonic model in 2000 and that's about the end of my record keeping.

Hitachi made RCA VCRs from 1983 to 1995.

Hope this helps clear up some confusion.

Brian