Recently I added to the collection a 1987/88 Granada C51EZ4 (Salora 20L30) I wanted to also find a period correct Granada VCR to go beneath it. As luck would have it one turned up towards the end of last week complete with remote, needless to say I managed to snaffle it, and it turned up today.
The Granada model number is VHSFY1, which, using the Granada decode guide above, equates to a Sharp VC131HM.
The VCR appears to be in reasonable condition, full of cruddy balls of fluff, was that the 'B'-side to "Great Balls of fire"? Peering through the flap I could see there was a tape stuck inside, OH god please, no porn! Considering that last statement of that sentence, the opening line was most unfortunate. 😊
With the top off, and manually fingering the load/unload drive, (Oi! Less of the sniggering) I managed to extract the tape. To my nerdy delight, it's a BBC Videotape from 1989, The Six Wives of Henry VIII 'Catherine Howard'. I love old BBC drama, and I'm hoping this is the re-release of the 1970s production.
Anyway, back to the VCR, this is going to need a fair bit of cleaning and investigation, obviously the loading/unloading mech is not working, who knows what else lies within. I don't have the service manual, so I'm on the lookout, and my request is here.
Now to one unfortunate thing, how many times have people been told "never leave batteries in unused items". I noticed the bottom of the remote was discoloured, curious!
Upon opening up the battery compartment, it became clear ---- insert swear word.
Well, that remote is well and truly dead! I'll keep an eye out on the usual places, who knows, one may well turn up. Thankfully, the controls are fully populated on the VCR itself.
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Well that didn't take long, the man I usually get all my rare/hard-to-find remotes from, came to the rescue with the original manufacturers one.
Granada version
Sharp version
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To my nerdy delight, it's a BBC Videotape from 1989, The Six Wives of Henry VIII 'Catherine Howard'.
Most likely this: https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ef0940fbcbd611d66701f53508289d9f
First broadcast on 29/1/1970.
Apropos the remote: are you thinking of transferring the PCB from the Sharp remote into the Granada one - once you've cleaned it up, of course?
Not too sure about your model number, the layout looks like a VCA615 or something along those lines but I could be wrong.
OK, I just looked in an old catalogue and there is a sharp VCA131.
Don't suppose you have the service manual for the VCA131?
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Possibly, one thing you need to be aware of though, sharp produced a base model with a full service manual and then loads of different spin off models in which the service manual only shows the differences so if you were to find a manual for the set you want it may well be pretty useless for doing a repair, I'm not sure about this but the catalogue page I just sent seems to suggest the base model is a VCA100HM and in this case I have this one, I can take a look for the 131 but even if I do have it I may not even be able to find it.
Here is an example of what I mean.
Well, at least I managed to get this one working.
The cassette loading seems to be direct drive, but did not work until I replaced the one and only belt below. Tape loaded so tested FF, it worked as did REW, however, when Play was actioned no rotation from the pinch roller despite the capstan turning. Fitted a new pinch roller then play also worked.
At least the heads appear to be good, and they've not been cleaned yet. Now I can clean this insides as it's full of crud. If only the 3V23 & FV21R were as simple. OH, and the replacement remote works.
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The loading motor and belt are at the rear left of the deck, nice and easy to change. Very well laid out and easy to work on. Good to see you get one that just needed some simple TLC for a change. My favourite Sharp was the VC381H with it’s Star Trek idler😄
John.
The loading motor and belt are at the rear left of the deck
Wow, that got me, I wondered what that was, so used to it being on the side of the carriage. Indeed, this was at the other end of the spectrum, with the 3V23 at the opposite extreme, difficulty-wise.
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Sorry, think we are at crossed purposes here due to naming conventions of different manufacturers. There is also a motor on the carriage which has a worm drive to load and unload the cassette into the machine. What I called the loading motor is how it’s described in JVC machines, not sue what Sharp call it. This is responsible for tape threading and positioning for Play/REW/FF etc.
John.
