This articles aim is to show some of the video recorders you might have seen or even owned in the early or late 1980’s. As and when I find more examples I will add them to the article.
If you have any memories of owning, servicing that you would like to share, then please leave your comments below.
I remember seeing every one of those Ferguson,JVC,BAIRD VHS decks the 2nd top loader VHS 3V30 deck was my very 1st VHS deck but it was in jet back wearing BAIRD logo. The funny thing is the telly had a Ferguson Logo which is unusual for radio rentals to rent out Ferguson brand rather than a Baird badge.
This was my best and my favourite VCR of all time., I still have the VHS deck its still working as good as new. Shame I didn’t keep the wired remote as the dog chewed it up, never mind.
The second VHS deck was my all time favourite, it was the Ferguson 3V32 with Long play. It was brilliant as I could record 8 hours worth of TV programmes on one 4 hour tape. As a kid I was the only one who understood timer programming lol. My mum and dad didn’t have a clue no matter how many times I showed them it didn’t sink in so I was the master of video timer recording.
The 3V32 had the best pause/freeze frame, shame I didn’t keep this, I sold it to my friend. The rest of the VHS decks were seen at my school they also rented television and video from Radio Rentals. Instead of the BAIRD logo it had R. R. C stands for Radio Rentals Contracts.
frank humphris banbury oxon uk
Guest
9 years ago
Hi Frank from MultiBroadcast,
The first VHS I saw was the 8900 top loader, on this I gained my advance grade. Age 22 I went on a two week course in Richmond Surrey and was taught by a JVC engineer sent over from Japan. Then the exam on the VCR to gain the advance tech status.
MultiBroadcast had an engineer grading system starting at trainee then TV3, TV2 then at that time TV1 was the top grade. However when the JVC VCR came along, the new ADV Tech grade came in.
Any members from Radio Rentals etc here? Did they have any sort of grading system? It would be interesting to know.
Regards from Frank
Steve
Guest
6 years ago
I worked for Colorvision as a Bench Improver in the 90’s before its closure, happy times and memories of CRT changes, cleaning dirty tuner drawers, head cleaning in vcr’s, rejuvinating the old loan set CRT’s ! All good memories.
The 3V30 was one of the best ones built like an old Volvo. These went on and on apart from service items and occasional cassette lamp. The 3V43 was also good and had a very good picture quality and simple design and a decent cassette housing better than anything Grundig and Philips can manufacture.
Dave Slater
Guest
5 years ago
Just finished refurbishment of a 3v43 and 3v48. Stood the test of time. Excellent machines
Had a fair few Ferguson videos from MultiBroadcast/Radio Rentals – they proved very reliable, with none breaking down at all other than one on which the Hi-Fi sound was inoperative from the start (I think it was a 3V48) and another due to a dodgy tape my dad put in. However, I certainly remember friends having problems, particularly with the more mechanical models like the 3V16.
michael
Guest
4 years ago
hi does anyone know where i can get a video hed drum fur a 3v32 thanks
Same place we all keep our eyes on, e-bay, though heads turn up from time to time they are rare items now. Your best bet is probably picking up another player and using it for spares, including getting its heads.
If you search the part no. PU20850G there appears to be some left out there but there is a high chance these are pattern parts and not genuine JVC. The quality of non-genuine heads can be variable.
Squirrel
Guest
1 year ago
I still have a 3V43, bought reconditioned from Rumbelows back in 1993. I changed the belts and the upper drum on it a few years back, along with the pinch roller and back tension band.
Plugged it in last week and fed it a hi-fi VHS cassette. Still works perfectly. It’s now 38 years old. How much modern tech will still be working in 38 years I wonder?
colin spence
Guest
1 month ago
My Uncle Stan Spencer was CEO of J2T the cooperative venture that produced Ferguson VCRs until his retirement in 1989. He was also Production director for Thorn consumer electronics ( Ferguson )
I remember seeing every one of those Ferguson,JVC,BAIRD VHS decks the 2nd top loader VHS 3V30 deck was my very 1st VHS deck but it was in jet back wearing BAIRD logo. The funny thing is the telly had a Ferguson Logo which is unusual for radio rentals to rent out Ferguson brand rather than a Baird badge.
This was my best and my favourite VCR of all time., I still have the VHS deck its still working as good as new. Shame I didn’t keep the wired remote as the dog chewed it up, never mind.
The second VHS deck was my all time favourite, it was the Ferguson 3V32 with Long play. It was brilliant as I could record 8 hours worth of TV programmes on one 4 hour tape. As a kid I was the only one who understood timer programming lol. My mum and dad didn’t have a clue no matter how many times I showed them it didn’t sink in so I was the master of video timer recording.
The 3V32 had the best pause/freeze frame, shame I didn’t keep this, I sold it to my friend. The rest of the VHS decks were seen at my school they also rented television and video from Radio Rentals. Instead of the BAIRD logo it had R. R. C stands for Radio Rentals Contracts.
Hi Frank from MultiBroadcast,
The first VHS I saw was the 8900 top loader, on this I gained my advance grade. Age 22 I went on a two week course in Richmond Surrey and was taught by a JVC engineer sent over from Japan. Then the exam on the VCR to gain the advance tech status.
MultiBroadcast had an engineer grading system starting at trainee then TV3, TV2 then at that time TV1 was the top grade. However when the JVC VCR came along, the new ADV Tech grade came in.
Any members from Radio Rentals etc here? Did they have any sort of grading system? It would be interesting to know.
Regards from Frank
I worked for Colorvision as a Bench Improver in the 90’s before its closure, happy times and memories of CRT changes, cleaning dirty tuner drawers, head cleaning in vcr’s, rejuvinating the old loan set CRT’s ! All good memories.
The 3V30 was one of the best ones built like an old Volvo. These went on and on apart from service items and occasional cassette lamp. The 3V43 was also good and had a very good picture quality and simple design and a decent cassette housing better than anything Grundig and Philips can manufacture.
Just finished refurbishment of a 3v43 and 3v48. Stood the test of time. Excellent machines
Had a fair few Ferguson videos from MultiBroadcast/Radio Rentals – they proved very reliable, with none breaking down at all other than one on which the Hi-Fi sound was inoperative from the start (I think it was a 3V48) and another due to a dodgy tape my dad put in. However, I certainly remember friends having problems, particularly with the more mechanical models like the 3V16.
hi does anyone know where i can get a video hed drum fur a 3v32 thanks
Same place we all keep our eyes on, e-bay, though heads turn up from time to time they are rare items now. Your best bet is probably picking up another player and using it for spares, including getting its heads.
If you search the part no. PU20850G there appears to be some left out there but there is a high chance these are pattern parts and not genuine JVC. The quality of non-genuine heads can be variable.
I still have a 3V43, bought reconditioned from Rumbelows back in 1993. I changed the belts and the upper drum on it a few years back, along with the pinch roller and back tension band.
Plugged it in last week and fed it a hi-fi VHS cassette. Still works perfectly. It’s now 38 years old. How much modern tech will still be working in 38 years I wonder?
My Uncle Stan Spencer was CEO of J2T the cooperative venture that produced Ferguson VCRs until his retirement in 1989. He was also Production director for Thorn consumer electronics ( Ferguson )