Panasonic PV-4800 VCR Timer Recording Issue

[jaugu...@verizon.net]

Hi,

My 1988 Panasonic PV-4800 VCR has an issue with Timer Recording.

I can set a time to make a recording, turn off the VCR and the Timer
indicator is lit. However, when the time to record arrives, the VCR
does NOT record. The Timer indicator is still lit.

I had tried this Timer Recording more than once with the same
results. Of course the tape is recordable (tab not removed).

Any ideas?

Thank You in advance, John

[Peter W.]

> Any ideas?

Back in the day, we would never turn off the VCR. That would be lame-idea #1.
Then, turn off and unplug the unit for a couple of hours to reboot it. That would be lame-idea #2.
Lastly, make sure that the VCD "knows" there is a tape in the machine. The tab on the tape is one thing. But the arm/indicator/device on the VCR that reads the tab (to a microswitch?) may be non-functional, worn or dirty. That would be lame-idea #3.

About it for now.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[Lucifer]

You should switch to a DVR.

[David Farber]

How's that AM/PM setting look?

Good luck.

--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA

[Tim Schwartz]

To the best of my memory (which can be foggy) you must also program the
stop time. Perhaps find a copy of the owner's manual and re-read the
section about programming?

Regards,
Tim

[jaugu...@verizon.net]

Hi,

FYI, because of the replies I have received so far, I want everyone
to know that I use to repair TVs, VCRs, stereos, etc.

I do NOT have the SM for this VCR, and I have never serviced a VCR
(serviced many) with this issue.

John

[Keegan Major]

jaugu...@verizon.net wrote:
> FYI, because of the replies I have received so far, I want
> everyone to know that I use to repair TVs, VCRs, stereos, etc.

And how did you expect anyone here to know this bit of detail when you
omitted it from your initial post? Not one group member here can read
minds....

[b...@ripco.com]

Keegan Major <keegan...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> And how did you expect anyone here to know this bit of detail when you
> omitted it from your initial post? Not one group member here can read
> minds....

I can read his mind easily, insanity for trying to fix a 30+ year old, low
or mid range VHS machine that can be replaced with a $10~$20 one from the
nearest Salvation Army or Goodwill retail store. Probably will be 25 years
newer too.

However I do have a suggestion...

Take it apart and examine the clock board/front panel circuit boards and see
if you can spot something like a cmos battery like you would find on a
computer motherboard. Small (quarter sized but thicker) and probably wrapped
in plastic. It's not a battery but a supercap of sorts (like .5F, half a
farad).

I think (but not sure) those had somewhat of a battery back up for the clock
where if the machine lost power for a while, the clock wouldn't return with
the 12:00 blinking but the correct time instead.

I'd guess if that thing is dead or otherwise shot, it could cause the timer
to malfunction. Who knows, maybe the timer relies on it so it, like the
clock, doesn't get reintialized on power loss.

Dead power source, dead timer.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[jaugu...@verizon.net]

>However I do have a suggestion...
>
>Take it apart and examine the clock board/front panel circuit boards and see
>if you can spot something like a cmos battery like you would find on a
>computer motherboard. Small (quarter sized but thicker) and probably wrapped
>in plastic. It's not a battery but a supercap of sorts (like .5F, half a
>farad).
>
>I think (but not sure) those had somewhat of a battery back up for the clock
>where if the machine lost power for a while, the clock wouldn't return with
>the 12:00 blinking but the correct time instead.
>
>I'd guess if that thing is dead or otherwise shot, it could cause the timer
>to malfunction. Who knows, maybe the timer relies on it so it, like the
>clock, doesn't get reintialized on power loss.
>
>Dead power source, dead timer.
>

Hi Bruce,

This VCR is plugged in when the record timer was set. There was NO loss
of power. Therefore, there was NO need for a battery (does NOT have one).

After the VCR failed to record at the appointed time, the time and date
was checked and was correct.

John

[b...@ripco.com]

jaugu...@verizon.net wrote:

> This VCR is plugged in when the record timer was set. There was NO loss
> of power. Therefore, there was NO need for a battery (does NOT have one).
>
> After the VCR failed to record at the appointed time, the time and date
> was checked and was correct.

Doesn't matter.

If it does have some kind of power backup device, either battery or
supercap, after 35+ years it's probably chemically broken down and is likley
holding one of the lines to the cpu low.

You might think you are programming a record event but the cpu is ignoring
it.

If you are absolutely sure there is no such device, take my other
suggestion and go visit the nearest Salvation Army or Goodwill outlet store.

There are two of those on ebay now, one for $12.50 and the other for $20 (or
best offer) but of course there is $20 in shipping charges on either.

Overpriced.

Assuming everything else is working correctly and it is just a timer
problem, it's so unlikely to find a replacement clock/timer board these days
and probably priced at 10x what the machine is worth, there really is no
other solution except to replace the whole machine.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[jaugu...@verizon.net]

Hi Bruce,

Since I do not have the SM for this, and I have other VCRs that I can
use for Timer Recording, I will only use this VCR without the Timer
Recoding function.

Regards, John

[Lucifer]

I still have a working VHS VCR. It has a stereo sound decoder,
Hi-Fi sound, half speed record and playback, NTSC playback
on PAL TV, G-Code programming, and on screen programming.

However, if I play a five hour tape it folds the top of the tape
over!(?) Three hour or less works OK.

>-bruce
>b...@ripco.com

[Jeroni Paul]

If it has a year setting it could it be out of range.
You could set a past year to try.