Ferguson 3V00 Video Recorder

[BriancuffRest In Peace]

As I mentioned in another thread, I looked after 200+ of these early JVC machines which were being used in a copying facility. The fact that the drums were driven by belt caused no problems that I can remember. The machines were extremely reliable even though they were being used constantly for 7 hours per day. Very good machines and easy to work on.

[Katie Bush]

I've not worked on a 3V00 but I'm sure there were other early VHS models that had belt-driven heads. I came across one once (the only one) and suspect it may have been an Akai ? Still possible it was a JVC clone though.

Philips N1500/1502, 1700/1702 were belt driven, and those head drums had a lot of mass, and therefore inertia, to control, but even those early machines were on the job.. It beggars belief how the servo can ever keep a constant drum RPM when you take into account things like; tape friction (theoretically none) against the drum, constantly varying mains voltage, elasticity of the drive belts and the intertia of that massive (approximately 4") drum, yet those machines were no worse than any of the others (VHS, BETA, V2000) that followed.

Video performance wise, my own feelings at the time were that the N1700/02 gave the better picture, and contrary to popular belief, these machines did actually have a drop-out compensator circuit, which was evidenced by the random vertical bands of dark and light, visible if play was engaged without a cassette in place.

These 3Vxx machines were very reliable, and I can remember buying quite a few from the various "junk" auctions hereabouts, and fettling them up for sale at the local car boot sales.. I can't remember ever having one that could not be repaired, just a few that were too scruffy to send out again - these became donors for the better looking machines.. If truth be told, it was most often the scruffy machines that worked best of all! Nicotine was the worst enemy of the video recorder - filthy stuff.

I can remember replacing maybe two or three head drums out of forty or fifty machines - not bad at all, given that some early pundits reckoned that VHS heads were good for five to six hundred hours (five to six thousand more like!)

The worst machine fault I had to sort out was a dead bias oscilator in the audio record circuit.. In the end, I cheated and rebuilt about 80% of the circuit.

Who was it ("Television" magazine) who referred to these as the "clunk and twang brigade"? LLJ, perhaps? And when did the precision machined die-cast tape decks give way to the "bit o' bent tin" variety?

Wonderful old machines, these were.

Marion

[sideband]

And when did the precision machined die-cast tape decks give way to the "bit o' bent tin" variety?

...or worse still, 90% plastic decks with plastic gears that sheared if you sniffed on them and plastic tape guide moldings that broke and couldn't be replaced, writing the machine off....

[BriancuffRest In Peace]

The NV1500 series used a couple of plastic gears to thread the tape. The smaller of the two was prone to failure - it split off the brass bush it was pressed on to. They were easy to get hold of then but now!!!! I even had a go at machining one out of brass but couldn't get the right size of tooth (DP). Eventually, I gave up and got rid of the machines.

[Katie Bush]

Hey....!

I've located one of the 3Vxx machines that I have, but it will take a little digging out.. I wouldn't hold out much hope for its chances, but I reckon it could be interesting to have a look at.

It's in a rough looking condition, covered in spider webs and dust, and for all I know, it could be missing parts, or may have had faulty parts from other machines put into it.

Marion

[marc]

Hi Marion,

Judging by others stories and my own experience it's got to be worth a try no matter what it looks like. It seems that these old beasties are as tough as old boots once their laces (belts) are sorted. Mine is working great

Marc.

[Katie Bush]

Hi Marc,

Once I'm done with MOTting the car, I'll have a look at it, but the first thing it will need is a good vacuuming and dry out.

Marion

[marc]

Hi Marc,

it will need a good dry out.

Marion

Your newly discovered "Moggy Process" might come in handy then ?
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=9228

Marc.

[Katie Bush]

Oh aye....

Marion