VCR Ferguson 3V20A Camera & 3V24 VCR

@crustytv I'll look forward to reading this as my 3V24 doesn't play ball: I do wonder if it's down to the myriad of tiny electrolytics on the syscon board (operation is, errr, somewhat erratic) but I'd rather not fire a parts cannon at it but, you know, get scientific!

I also have the matching tuner/charger as well; I believe the battery packs can be rebuilt with NiMH 'C' cells.

Looks like the 3V20A has a few more controls and a manual focus. Still even has the lens cap.

And look what brochure I forgot I had and had already scanned https://www.radios-tv.co.uk/1980s-ferguson-video-recorders/

p.s.

Now I know where you got that pose from John. 😉 

Well, it's arrived and, after a thorough clean, appears to be a very nice example. I just need to find myself a 3V26 AC adapter (see final pic) now, so I can power it. I don't want the 3V28 due to space limitations. Therefore, until I find a 3V26, this will be a static display item.

A very expensive bit of kit when new. Nice !

In December 1981 the 3V20 camera retailed at £499.90, the 3V24 was £518.90, the 3V25 was £179.90 and the 3V26 was £59.90. 

The 3v25 was a 9 day tuner/timer which updated to the 3v28 which was a 13 day/8 event timer and retailed at about £220.

Ouch! That really was a phenomenal amount of money back then.

3V20A £499.00
3V24   £518.00
3V25   £179.90
3V26   £ 59.90
____________

Total £1.256.90

Priced up for the 3V20A & 3V24

A blank E180 tape had dropped from about £15 in 1978 to around £6 ish in 1982. 

@crustytv I seem to recall doing something "creative" to get my 3V24 to work in the absence of the correct item - I'm pretty sure I documented it here.

The price of that outfit defies belief.

Posted by: @cathovisor

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I seem to recall doing something "creative" to get my 3V24 to work in the absence of the correct item - I'm pretty sure I documented it here.

@cathovisor indeed you did, you're probably going to be shocked, it was 8-years ago!

A couple of interesting posts here.

https://www.radios-tv.co.uk/community/vintage-vtr/ferguson-3v24-jvc-hr-2200/#post-81458
https://www.radios-tv.co.uk/community/vintage-vtr/ferguson-3v24-jvc-hr-2200/#post-81495

@crustytv Eight years?!

Whoever nicked that time from me, I want it back and NOW!!

Dear Lord... Tempus Fugit and all that... 🙄 

When I look at this machine - and I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me can answer this - it almost looks like Thorn/JVC turned the 3V23/HR7700(?) into a component system?

Well, I did say space was a premium, and it is, but when a bargain comes along at £7.50 each what is an old crusty meant to do?

The Tuner will at least now allow me to power the original 3V24 and in turn the 3V20A. The second 3V24 will however be only for spares. Looking inside, it speaks to the fact it has been stored in less than ideal conditions, lots of rust and ally disease on parts, also the upper drum is totally seized. Whereas the first, 3V24, is clean and the upper head drum freely spins. Hence, why it will serve as a spares machine. Hopefully a little later, I can power up the tuner+deck +camera to see a) the camera works and b) how the VCR behaves.

p.s.

The box sitting on top was another stroke of luck, a NOS VCR head for my Ferguson 3V16.

The belly of the beast with the seized head. After getting inside, I've freed the motor a bit. It now moves but is tough to move, I can only surmise it's dried in grease in the bearings as it does not feel crunchy rusty bearings. I wonder if some servisol sprayed in might free it, but It looks sealed.

It really is a PCB sandwich!

Wow, that is well crammed in! Worth a shot with the Servisol, or even a tiny drop of WD40 might help loosen up any dried grease.

Regards,

Lloyd

Well, isn't that sods-law!

The first 3V24 I got is totally dead (the top one), however, the second 3V24 (the one in the middle) with the partially seized head and that's been in damp storage, powers up!

It's always the nice condition stuff that causes problems!!

Posted by: @lloyd

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Wow, that is well crammed in! Worth a shot with the Servisol, or even a tiny drop of WD40 might help loosen up any dried grease.

Regards,

Lloyd

No, no NO! WD40 is evil stuff and also dries out solid. If anything, proper penetrating oil e.g. PlusGas.

Hmmmm...... The tidier 3V24 is still totally lights out, but the 3V24 with the partially seized head motor, despite having the power light on, is not happy either.

It has the power light illuminated, but it looked quite dim, the LCD shows a digit, but nothing else appears alive. Without a tape, I would have expected the tape lamp to be clearly visible and the stop light, but nothing. No transport controls actuate, either.

I then started to wonder if the supply from the tuner module via the 7-pin DIN was giving the 12V supplies to the 3V24. I checked the cct and there appears to be two 12V rails the normal 12V supply pin-6 and the 12V charging supply to the battery pin-1. pin-2 is common.

When I checked these I was getting all sorts of weird readings, sometimes 12V sometimes 0V, sometimes 4.7V. I thought OK so the 12V supply rail is dancing for some reason, that's not right.

Whilst I pondered, do I really want to get into this tonight and looking at the circuit, sometime had passed. During this pondering time, I had left the tuner on. I then decided to put back the dead, tidy 3V24, still nothing. I tried a few power cycles and then blow me, it powered up, and I mean powered up. I have full control illumination, LCD, cassette lamp and stop light.

So I'm no left wondering, intermittent fault in the tuner 12V supply to the 3V24 ? Caps reforming, dodgy power contact in the 3V24? As this impacted both 3V24's I'm inclined to say this is the tuners 12V to the 3V24. I'll leave it powered for a couple of hours and then see if it power cycles OK before deep diving into the supply.