Desperate Help with Dastardly VCR.

28-09-2006, 15:11

Hello,
I got a new VHS player/recorder from Argos (and ignoring the fact it doesnt actually let you know what channel your recording) the clock is evil. My granny needs the display and clock to help her work it....but the display just displays --:-- . i.e doesnt tell you what channel your recording or anything.

I set the clock.....but when i turn it off at the plug the clock resets. I always thought the clocks automatically used teletext to set the clock...how do i get this to work?

It's a £44 funai player....so i guess i've learnt my lesson.

28-09-2006, 15:21

Another little piece of information - my VCR is connected to Freeview and TV. There is a section called "Setting the Video channel 35 as the RF out channel" . . . but my video is connected by scart and RF. Can i set the scart channel to 35? What's this mean :'(.

Do any of the 5 Terrestrial channels use a PDC signal for clock.

Nellie1000 · 28-09-2006, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntl:rocks

Hello,
I got a new VHS player/recorder from Argos (and ignoring the fact it doesnt actually let you know what channel your recording) the clock is evil. My granny needs the display and clock to help her work it....but the display just displays --:-- . i.e doesnt tell you what channel your recording or anything.

I set the clock.....but when i turn it off at the plug the clock resets. I always thought the clocks automatically used teletext to set the clock...how do i get this to work?

It's a £44 funai player....so i guess i've learnt my lesson.

On the remote is there a button called "display" or something similar? If so try pressing this and see if it changes the display on the clock.

Arcas · 28-09-2006, 16:00

Video recorders are designed to be left on permanently. Some have batteries to maintain clock and other settings if the power fails or is turned off. Your cheap model probably does not have a battery so keep it powered up 24/7. It shouldn’t use more than a tiny trickle of juice.

The RF link is an old and crude way of linking a video to a TV by emulating a broadcast signal.

If you are using a Scart, just ignore the RF settting. You don’t need it.

Astaroth · 28-09-2006, 16:01

I have never heard of a VCR that sets the clock automatically from anything and yes, they all lose the time if you turn it off at the wall. It has been a long time since I dug my VCR out the loft to watch anything but I am fairly sure that the display doesnt work properly unless the clock is set.

The "channel 35" is to do with the frequency that the freeview sends its signel on over the RF connection (ariel). I imagine that your VCR has an auto find channels function and so knowing what the "channel" is isnt necessary - normally you would need this if you only had manual tuning or if you had 2 devices connected that broadcast over the same frequency as you would need to change one of them otherwise all you will get is interferance.

As the "channel" is only to do with the arial connection it has nothing to do with the scart connection. To get the VCR to "see" the freeview over the scart you should have an "AV" (or could be AV1 or such) channel - often there is something like an AV/TV button or Change Input button on the remote - this will tell it to ignore the arial connection and use the scart instead. Press the button again and it will use the arial and ignore the scart.

Chris Simon · 28-09-2006, 16:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astaroth

I have never heard of a VCR that sets the clock automatically from anything

Well, the Philips ones do! My old one (about 10 years old) does it, and so does a newer one I bought last year for my Mum. They also change automatically in March and October. They use teletext info from the channel on preset 01.

Scorpio · 28-09-2006, 19:28

............and so does my old Panny VCR and Panny DVDR. Yes, it uses BBC's teletext to maintain the clock.

Rgds,
Scorp

Arcas · 29-09-2006, 00:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astaroth

I have never heard of a VCR that sets the clock automatically from anything ...

All my more recent VCRs did just that. I think it was a common feature for many years on all but very basic machines. You plug them in and they auto tune and then automatically register the time.

iDan · 29-09-2006, 08:36

My old Sanyo VCR used to automatically update the clock, it even (according to the features blurb in the manual), can hold the time and timer settings for 6 months without power! That's really handy, isn't it?

28-09-2006, 15:11	#1
aaronon Posts: n/a	Desperate Help with Dastardly VCR. Hello, I got a new VHS player/recorder from Argos (and ignoring the fact it doesnt actually let you know what channel your recording) the clock is evil. My granny needs the display and clock to help her work it....but the display just displays --:-- . i.e doesnt tell you what channel your recording or anything. I set the clock.....but when i turn it off at the plug the clock resets. I always thought the clocks automatically used teletext to set the clock...how do i get this to work? It's a £44 funai player....so i guess i've learnt my lesson.

28-09-2006, 15:21	#2
aaronon Posts: n/a	Another little piece of information - my VCR is connected to Freeview and TV. There is a section called "Setting the Video channel 35 as the RF out channel" . . . but my video is connected by scart and RF. Can i set the scart channel to 35? What's this mean :'(. Do any of the 5 Terrestrial channels use a PDC signal for clock.

28-09-2006, 15:48	#3
Nellie1000 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,574	Quote: Originally Posted by ntl:rocks Hello, I got a new VHS player/recorder from Argos (and ignoring the fact it doesnt actually let you know what channel your recording) the clock is evil. My granny needs the display and clock to help her work it....but the display just displays --:-- . i.e doesnt tell you what channel your recording or anything. I set the clock.....but when i turn it off at the plug the clock resets. I always thought the clocks automatically used teletext to set the clock...how do i get this to work? It's a £44 funai player....so i guess i've learnt my lesson. On the remote is there a button called "display" or something similar? If so try pressing this and see if it changes the display on the clock.

28-09-2006, 16:00	#4
Arcas Banned User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Arcadia of course Posts: 1,589	Video recorders are designed to be left on permanently. Some have batteries to maintain clock and other settings if the power fails or is turned off. Your cheap model probably does not have a battery so keep it powered up 24/7. It shouldn’t use more than a tiny trickle of juice. The RF link is an old and crude way of linking a video to a TV by emulating a broadcast signal. If you are using a Scart, just ignore the RF settting. You don’t need it.

28-09-2006, 16:01	#5
Astaroth Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 3,421	I have never heard of a VCR that sets the clock automatically from anything and yes, they all lose the time if you turn it off at the wall. It has been a long time since I dug my VCR out the loft to watch anything but I am fairly sure that the display doesnt work properly unless the clock is set. The "channel 35" is to do with the frequency that the freeview sends its signel on over the RF connection (ariel). I imagine that your VCR has an auto find channels function and so knowing what the "channel" is isnt necessary - normally you would need this if you only had manual tuning or if you had 2 devices connected that broadcast over the same frequency as you would need to change one of them otherwise all you will get is interferance. As the "channel" is only to do with the arial connection it has nothing to do with the scart connection. To get the VCR to "see" the freeview over the scart you should have an "AV" (or could be AV1 or such) channel - often there is something like an AV/TV button or Change Input button on the remote - this will tell it to ignore the arial connection and use the scart instead. Press the button again and it will use the arial and ignore the scart.

28-09-2006, 16:13	#6
Chris Simon Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Snowdonia Posts: 2,725	Quote: Originally Posted by Astaroth I have never heard of a VCR that sets the clock automatically from anything Well, the Philips ones do! My old one (about 10 years old) does it, and so does a newer one I bought last year for my Mum. They also change automatically in March and October. They use teletext info from the channel on preset 01.

28-09-2006, 19:28	#7
Scorpio Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Somerset Posts: 3,048	............and so does my old Panny VCR and Panny DVDR. Yes, it uses BBC's teletext to maintain the clock. Rgds, Scorp

29-09-2006, 00:14	#8
Arcas Banned User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Arcadia of course Posts: 1,589	Quote: Originally Posted by Astaroth I have never heard of a VCR that sets the clock automatically from anything ... All my more recent VCRs did just that. I think it was a common feature for many years on all but very basic machines. You plug them in and they auto tune and then automatically register the time.

29-09-2006, 08:36	#9
iDan Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 8,812	My old Sanyo VCR used to automatically update the clock, it even (according to the features blurb in the manual), can hold the time and timer settings for 6 months without power! That's really handy, isn't it?

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Desperate Help with Dastardly VCR.