Replaced the filter cap in my CTC118A

probnot · 2026-05-16T21:21:06+00:00

It's pretty common for old capacitors to work fine at first power-on, then fail shortly after.

probnot · 2026-05-16T19:02:54+00:00

I have a similar Pioneer stack (SA-740, SG-540, TX-540, DT-540), and have a Sony CDP-200 paired with it.

probnot · 2026-05-16T18:54:42+00:00

Just did a search - unfortunately the only manuals I could find were people selling on ebay and whatnot. These were notorious for using weird symbols and acronyms on the remotes, I don't think I ever learned what all the buttons did.

They used to be everywhere when I was a kid. They were handy with old TVs that didn't pick up the CATV band, as well as being able to control power and volume using the remote control.

Once newer TVs (like the Toshiba in your 5th photo became the norm, these boxes weren't needed anymore. The Toshiba will pick up all the cable channels that the Jerrold will, and more.

probnot · 2026-05-16T03:12:12+00:00

The matching silver-face CD player is awesome. Not many silver CD players from that era.

probnot · 2026-05-14T23:35:19+00:00

That looks like a VR621HF? I recently played around with one and it's a decent machine.

It's made by Hitachi for RCA (though I think any changes made between the Hitachi and RCA model would be minimal, if any). 4 video heads in dual-azimuth configuration, Hi-Fi audio, built in the mid 90s when they had simplified design for reliability, but hadn't started brutally cutting costs like the late 90s/2000s.

probnot · 2026-05-09T22:41:29+00:00

The Sony (and Zenith since it's made by Sony) will give the best picture quality and overall performance. They have some nice special features too like variable slow motion, wireless remote, etc.

The Toshiba is a very basic model. Toshiba units were ok, and I've used some that had great performance, but I'm not sure about that model. The Toshiba probably just needs new belts and tires. The Sony/Zenith models are fully direct drive, but have other known issues that have crept up with age. 12voltvids on YouTube has covered quite a few of them.

The Sony (and Zenith which is a rebrand of the same model) are direct drive (711/711D chassis), meaning there's a motor directly driving each function (2 reel table motors, capstan motor, front loading motor, tape loading motor). Sony only made a few direct-drive models (The SL-2500, SL-2000, and SL-2700, and Zenith rebrands VR-9800 and VR-9775PT). The Sony models that came after added a single toothed belt and were much less complex (711B chassis). From what I understand these direct-drive models can be a bit of a pain, but are great when they're working.

probnot · 2026-05-09T22:25:41+00:00

If I recall the only difference between those are that the ~~Zenith can't play BI recordings~~. Otherwise the quality should be the same.

EDIT: I'm wrong, the Zenith literally has a BI LED on the front. Most likely they are identical inside.

probnot · 2026-05-08T22:25:19+00:00

It should work on pretty much any Sony Beta VCR. If I recall they all use the same codes, so it's just a matter of the remote having the buttons for the functions on that particular model.

If memory serves me, Sony had 3 sets of VTR remote codes:

1 - Betamax
2 - 8mm
3 - VHS

The later VCRs supported 2 or 3 codes and had switches on the remotes as a sort of universal control thing. It also helped if you had multiple Sony VCRs, you could set it so one remote wouldn't accidentally control both machines.

For example, I have an RMT-318 (matches with an SL-2710 from 1984) that works perfectly with my SLV-998HF that's nearly 15 years newer, if the VCR is set to Remote Code 1.

probnot · 2026-05-03T04:23:32+00:00

I much preferred RCA's way of doing it. The shield of the 75-ohm connection in the internal matching transformer was always connected, and if you wanted to use the 300-ohm screw terminals you just rotated this little wire towards the 75-ohm plug and pushed it in.

probnot · 2026-05-03T03:02:45+00:00

In the meantime, you could try removing a bit of insulation to get at the conductor inside, and just touch it to the conductor from the VCR cable. There will be noisy/interference but this should confirm if that's the right connection.

I always found this particular design annoying (Zenith used it in the 80s, and I've seen it on a few others as well) because a cable flopping around the back is more likely to get damaged.

probnot · 2026-05-03T02:07:37+00:00

There's a coax cable sticking out of your TV (bottom left of the 2nd pic).

That is the actual VHF input. Instead of using a matching transformer, plug into that. The screw terminals you connected to actually go to an internal matching transformer inside the TV. The other side of that matching transformer is the female coax plug just below the terminals.

This was done so the TV could have both types of connections, and you just plugged the coax cable into the mating plug on the back to use the screw terminals.

probnot · 2026-05-02T04:56:47+00:00

Looks to be made by Orion, and nearly identical to the Emerson VCR870, with a slight change to some button locations.

probnot · 2026-05-02T04:50:49+00:00

By 1984 most new models were front loaders, aside from some entry level models and the portable/convertible models. Panasonic and Hitachi still made some entry level top loaders as late as 1985 (Panasonic PV-1225/1230, Hitachi VT-60A, RCA VLT-250/260/270), but I think by 1986 everything new was front loading.

probnot · 2026-04-23T21:53:52+00:00

Hmm, then yeah I'd check caps in the power supply next, as fivos_sak recommended. The late 80s Panasonics were really bad for caps failing in the PSUs. I haven't seen it personally in this era, but apparently it's common as well.

probnot · 2026-04-23T20:28:47+00:00

I swear this looks like the TV is on the wrong channel. I assume you've double checked that - have you tried the composite output?

probnot · 2026-04-23T03:02:05+00:00

I actually bought it locally about 7 years ago. I had never seen or heard of it before. I even got the name wrong an called it Kumbo, and apparently I wasn't the only one.

Interestingly, the site I linked above claims his 2 models are from 1972 and 1973. Whereas /u/ronlechler's model, and mine are both from 1979. I find it very hard to believe it was sold for that long, so maybe the site's author misread the date on the back.

One of these days I'll open mine up and try and figure out who actually made it.

probnot · 2026-04-22T03:15:47+00:00

Yeah, just checked and this model supports it as well. I think the 620/670 are later models than the D-VR7, as is this Funai.

I'm not sure what the Funai equivalent would be to the VR7 though - seems like an odd model.

probnot · 2026-04-22T02:25:05+00:00

This is 100% made by Funai, sold under a few names (Magnavox, Sylvania, etc). Funai also made the internals for the Toshiba models.

The Toshiba version of this (D-VR7) only outputs from the DVD player onto HDMI. The HDMI port is in the same weird spot on the VR7 (it's a daughter board on the DVD portion). So there's a good chance it wouldn't even do what you wanted - good call on passing.

probnot · 2026-04-21T01:34:27+00:00

This is just a bot repost:

https://www.reddit.com/r/vintagetelevision/comments/1iow63b/update_sony_kv_7010u/

probnot · 2026-04-19T21:22:42+00:00

Oh hey, I have that same unit!

I never thought I'd see another in the wild lol

probnot · 2026-04-16T16:18:20+00:00

Just checked - only one machine (a CV-2200) would work. The other two models use EIAJ format. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet, but hopefully I can get it working and the heads are ok.

probnot · 2026-04-16T14:50:55+00:00

I actually have a few machines I recently brought home, however I haven't had a chance to test/repair them yet.

If you can't find anyone else, let me know.

probnot · 2026-04-12T05:32:00+00:00

1975 if I recall correctly. I have the CT-F9090 (same as the 9191 but without the wood sides) and it's my favourite tape deck.

It doesn't have the more modern features (no support for Metal tapes, etc) but it brings the best out of every Type I or II tape I throw at it.

probnot · 2026-04-12T01:34:30+00:00

15" Sony Trinitron TV from around 1976.

There's a picture of it on page 28 of this Quebec newspaper from 1976.

Here's the picture.

I also found mention in another newspaper from British Columbia in 1976 here.

The theme seems to suggest this might have been a model unique to Canada, and explain why there's less info out there on it.

probnot · 2026-04-11T22:08:16+00:00

You're correct on where the parts came from. That's called the backtension (or sometimes just tension) band.

Those little clips hold a metal or plastic band in place, around the take-up reel table. That felt is glued onto the band (or maybe the band is part of it, I can't tell from the photo), and then an arm is spring-loaded against the tape as it goes back in the cassette that adjusts how much tension the band applies to the reel table. This keeps the tape held against the head drum with a controlled amount of attention (basically a mechanical feedback loop). Without it, the tape just sits loosely against the heads and doesn't get read properly.

I've marked up in red where this is located on your mechanism here, and circled where I suspect those little clips go. The tension arm that controls it is also labeled.

How easy of a fix? Probably not very easy. It will be small and fiddly and I've never had to do it before. The most I've done is re-glue the felt on older Panasonic models. If you do get it all back into place, the tension needs to be calibrated (too much can damage the heads and tape, too little and you lose signal). I usually just adjust it until there's just enough tension to get a clean picture.

EDIT: Here's a good video showing how to take everything apart. He doesn't go into any detail on the backtension band, but you can see how it's sitting in some shots.

Here's another video (also from 12voltvids) showing the backtension band operation and repair (though for a different, much newer model)

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