• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Who has the oldest working VCR?

> Was/is there a real advantage for Beta over VHS? I think
> some TV news crews use them but I never see the tapes sold
> anywhere.

I don't know if they still do but in recent years I still saw Beta tapes at Radio Shack.
 
> Getting back to the subject at hand...anybody remember VCRs
> made by Akai and Funai? I've had them before (Akai from
> Christmas 1986 to 1987 and Funai from 1988 to 1990).
>

They both still exist. Akai's website is at http://www.akai.com/index.asp

Funai makes equipment under several brands, including Emerson, Sylvania, and Symphonic. Their website is http://www.funai-corp.com/

Since we're bringing up histories, my first VCR was a used Sharp in I bought in 1989, that worked until some time in the late 90's, and I used for dubbing in later years. The next one I bought was a new Sharp in 1993, which worked until around 2002. I bought a GE in 1999, right before I got married, and it's still working good other than that some tapes take longer to rewind. Then I got the used Emerson TV/VCP combo I told about earlier, which still works. I bought a Toshiba in 2002 that is still working good, and a Symphonic TV/VCR combo in 2004. The only ones I've had any problem with were a Sanyo VCR/DVD combo at Christmas 2003 that started eating tapes after a power outage and an Emerson that I bought to replace it and had the same problem last year. In February I bought a Panasonic to replace the Emerson that is still working good.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ccmfan on 08/02/05 04:04 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> > With the thread below about old TVs that still work, I got
>
> > to thinking about who has the oldest working VCR? My
> oldest
> > one is an Emerson TV/video cassette player combo from 1989
>
> > that I found at a Goodwill store for $25.00 about 5 years
> > ago. We still use it in my daughter's playroom.
>
> My Goldstar VCR circa 1985 is still around here somewhere...
> no hi-fi there, and the thing had to weigh close to 20lbs.
> My grandparents had (and that's also around here somewhere)
> a Panasonic VCR from 1983 or 1984 with a row of buttons for
> selecting channels you wanted to record (you had thumbwheels
> to turn to scan through the stations until you found them).
> I think there were 10 or 12. It was a top loading VHS and
> had a wireless remote that could manage to skip through the
> 10-12 channels you could program the thing with.
>
> Mine got a lot of use recording WPIX "11 Alive" overnight
> when they used to run sci-fi shows and such
> pre-infomercials. Beautiful Mount Airy Lodge indeed.
>
Still have mine. Actually 2. 1985 model from Sears. Basic model. Still works. 1999 Panasonic. My Aunt is so reluctant too make the move to dvd. Took her a few years to go from records to cassettes.
 
> With the thread below about old TVs that still work, I got
> to thinking about who has the oldest working VCR? My oldest
> one is an Emerson TV/video cassette player combo from 1989
> that I found at a Goodwill store for $25.00 about 5 years
> ago. We still use it in my daughter's playroom.
>
> I know that there has to be something older than mine out
> there. Anyone else?

I got my first VCR as a high school graduation gift in 1985. It was a Sears top loader with channels 2-13. It lasted for about five years. I don't remember the make make of my second one that I bought in 1990. In 1993 I bought a Radio Shack Hi-Fi machine with VCR-Plus. The following year I picked up a JVC and started using that with the RS VCR for dubbing tapes. Safe to say I've done my part to keep the VCR people in business over the years. I'm still using the JVC, even though I can only record at SP speed(which doesn't bother me these days) and the timer no longer works which means If there's something I want to record("Rescue Me" on FX and "Battlestar Galactica" on Sci-Fi) I have to be right there to hit record. I'm hoping to get a new VCR and a DVD recorder in the near future.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
"Always on the move." Obi-Wan Kenobi in Revenge Of the Sith</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by MegoMan on 08/02/05 05:29 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> KTLA ran a two-hour 50th anniversary special in 1997...

Hmmm. Must have missed it. Oh, well, the 40th special was great.

Wonder if they'll do another one in 2007? I bet not.
<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
1983 Panasonic 2 Head top loader with manual tuning, and wired remote. Weights about 30 lbs! Its always been regularly cleaned, and I once replaced a belt in it a few years ago, it sill works, but is rarely used, in favor of the $39 RCA that I am using now.

Also, I have a 78 Sony Betamax with a seperate timer unit, and mechanical tape changer, still in working order. I recently had it hooked up to transfer old home movies to DVD.

> With the thread below about old TVs that still work, I got
> to thinking about who has the oldest working VCR? My oldest
> one is an Emerson TV/video cassette player combo from 1989
> that I found at a Goodwill store for $25.00 about 5 years
> ago. We still use it in my daughter's playroom.
>
> I know that there has to be something older than mine out
> there. Anyone else?
>
<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by mikebatchelor on 08/02/05 01:58 PM.</FONT></P>
 
The 50th anni special was OK... but they spent too much time hyping their connection with the WB. At that point, the WB was barely two years old, so it seemed strange that they would take much time to promote something that had been just a fraction of its history...
the old news clips were great, though...



> > KTLA ran a two-hour 50th anniversary special in 1997...
>
> Hmmm. Must have missed it. Oh, well, the 40th special was
> great.
>
> Wonder if they'll do another one in 2007? I bet not.
>
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom