Quasar VR-1000

[starbond]

Originally Posted by old_tv_nut

Well, you touched the "tarbaby" - no getting loose now!

Very true! Like I said before, I just wanted to digitize these tapes and call it a day, and the fact that I got so close before and messed something up bothered me. If I can digitize these tapes on this unit then my work here is done

[starbond]

Finally some more GOOD news after weeks of despair. I was able to get the second unit up and running, and despite a few adjustments needed, the tapes now digitize fine, no horizontal skewing! I uploaded a small clip from the commercials of the Geraldo 1980s Chicago Al Capone Vault airing to youtube.
Sadly even a small video like this had some compression compared to the original file but you still get the idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UXd...ature=youtu.be

[Electronic M]

Its looking pretty decent. The true litmus test of working as new is probably to take a good blank tape (or the cartridge of a lousy tape filled with VHS tape stock spooled onto the reels) make a 10-30 min recording and see if it plays back without distortion.

[old_tv_nut]

great!

[Dave A]

The little tracking hits at the bottom of the playback look like classic edge damage/warping on the tape (VHS world). They seem to be rhythmic as the tape spools out.

[WCV82]

I wonder how many people were actually recording on a Quasar VR1000 in 1986 (date of Geraldo Special). It is kind of like how many people are still using the CED format, besides me of course.

[starbond]

Originally Posted by WCV82

I wonder how many people were actually recording on a Quasar VR1000 in 1986 (date of Geraldo Special). It is kind of like how many people are still using the CED format, besides me of course.

I have so many questions I'd ask my late father if I could now. From his reciepts (he kept everything for tax purposes) he purchased at least TWO VHS recorders before 1986. One was a top loading Magnavox from the early 80s, and other was a 1984 Panasonic PV-1430. Yet the dates on some of these recordings are clearly from 1985 and 1986.

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by WCV82

I wonder how many people were actually recording on a Quasar VR1000 in 1986 (date of Geraldo Special). It is kind of like how many people are still using the CED format, besides me of course.

Click to visit flickr and click again to play video.
DSCN2988 by Tom Carlson, on Flickr

[starbond]

Now that I've had two units for some time I've been noticing some common trends between the two.
Firstly, The second unit I bought seems to be slightly newer than my first one. Some capacitors at the same ratings are now smaller physically. But it seems any "47uf 16v" cap is suspect for leakage on both units and 99% of the time its just that one type, I don't know why.

Secondly the bottom of the unit is horrible unprotected from damage. Only a thin metal plate separates the bottom three circuit boards from being exposed. Any inpact, or drop (or placing the unit on an uneven surface) will case the frame to push upward and crack the PCBs. This was the case on Unit 2, two PCBs had some major cracks that fortunately were easily repaired.

Thirdly, I'm a little perplexed at the RWD/FF engineering design, perhaps someone here can enlighten me. If you look in the image there are three major parts to RR/FF: The idler wheel, the takeup/supply hub, and a thin plastic column powered by the drive motor. Obviously the idler wheel is rubber but the plastic on the drive column and the supply hubs are SMOOTH PLASTIC. There is VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE needed to make the hubs stop moving, hence the tape not rr or ffd. I dont know if this was done as a safety so the tape doesnt break by having the rrw/ff force the hubs to move at high speed or what, but I feel like there isn't enough grip on the idler wheel to the supply and takeup hubs to allow tapes to move at their proper speed. Last month I cheated by oiling the reels INSIDE each tape so they can roll against each other without friction but that is not a good solution.

[Electronic M]

Most VCRs of the 70's and 80's had very slow rewind times (there was a reason beta and VHS rewinding machines were a thing).

There should be some manner of safety clutch in any video tape rewinding mech to make it so that if the tape jams or the end of the tape is not sensed that the tape does not stretch or snap.
Is the idler surface good and soft/sticky or is it hard and glazed? If the latter it should probably be changed or go to an auto parts store and grab a can of CRC belt dressing (also get a can of Goof Off from a hardware store), wipe the rubber with goof off to disolve the outer hard glazed rubber layer, then after dry follow up with the belt dressing, once that has had a few minutes the idler should be sticky again. I use that process regularly for glazed phono idlers and sometimes for VTRs.

It is possible the tapes do need to be lubed...I've taken to adding a bit of white lithium grease to some cassettes where the spools shriek in motion and good mechs struggle to spin them, and some 8-tracks where the spool or idler wheel shrieks or binds...Plastic on plastic friction surfaces are not as long-lived as metal on metal.

I suppose a last-ditch effort might be to lightly scuff the plastic surfaces the idler contacts perpendicular or on angle to rotational direction with fine sandpaper to give it a surface the idler can better grip.

[starbond]

On the first unit I ordered a new idler rubber ring for the spool, so what I will probably do is swap the two idler wheels.
If you look at the image, the one on the bottom has a new rubber tire, the one on the top is the Unit2's idler tire turned inside out. Both seem to have a fair amount of grip but the one on the top is much shinier.

But i agree, worst case, maybe rough up the plastic a bit for better gripping.

[colectorad]

Originally Posted by starbond

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UXd...ature=youtu.be

Good audio, but there's still flagging, chroma desync, and tracking lines in the video. Open the drum (no tools needed), and clean + lubricate the shaft & bearing.

[old_tv_nut]

Have you tried fast forwarding and rewinding the whole tape before playing?
There's a periodic variation in tension going on that may be reels rubbing at a certain point in rotation, and a good rewind might relieve some of it. Or, a little lube of the reels.

[starbond]

Thanks TV_NUT i've found that rewinding and fast-forwarding the tapes seem to loosen it up. Again the Orange 120 tapes seem to have an easier time while the Blue 100 tapes are more prone to getting stuck and i have to help the tape along during re-winding.

I've been slowly digitizing tapes, to mixed success, but at the moment I have TWO VR1000s if anyone is interested in the other one for parts

[Electronic M]

Originally Posted by starbond

Thanks TV_NUT i've found that rewinding and fast-forwarding the tapes seem to loosen it up. Again the Orange 120 tapes seem to have an easier time while the Blue 100 tapes are more prone to getting stuck and i have to help the tape along during re-winding.

I've been slowly digitizing tapes, to mixed success, but at the moment I have TWO VR1000s if anyone is interested in the other one for parts

If when you complete digitizing your tapes you feel like selling both decks and some tapes I may be interested...A parts deck without a good deck does not make for a good path to having a working unit.