Possible problems with Sony VCR (model slvn750)

[Al 2048]

Hello. A couple of months ago, I bought a Sony VCR. The model is SLV-N750.
The price was $80.

I have basic-cable tv. I do not have a cable box. So, I plug the cable wire
into the vcr, and then I connect the vcr to the tv. I live in Chicago, and my
cable company is Comcast.


Here are the issues:

1) When I watch tv via the vcr tuner, I notice that some channels look worse on
the vcr tuner (more graininess) than they do when I watch them via the tv
tuner.

Some channels that look worse on the vcr are channel 5 (NBC affiliate) and
channel 7 (ABC affiliate).


However, some channels look *better* on the vcr tuner than they look on the tv
tuner. One such channel is channel 26 (Fox News Channel). The vcr tuner gerts
rid of the graininess that exists when I watch the channel via the tv tuner.

Channel 28 (Spike TV) is another channel that is less grainy on the vcr tuner
than on the tv tuner.


I was under the impression that the vcr tuner is always supposed to make a
channel look better than the channel looks on the tv tuner. So, is my vcr
malfunctioning when it's making some channels look worse?


2) When I watch tv via the tuner, sometimes the picture will turn into static
for a few seconds. I thought that maybe the cable was the problem. However,
this static phenomenon started happening after I bought this vcr. And I think
the phenomenon occurs only when I watch the tv via the vcr tuner.

I will probably disconnect the vcr and connect the cable directly to the tv
just to make sure.



By the way, I watch tv mainly via the vcr tuner because the vcr remote control
is SONY and the TV is Mitsubishi.

To change channels on the tv tuner with the SONY control, I have to press the
channel +/- buttons. If I am watching tv via the vcr tuner, then I can press
any numerical buttons to change a channel.


Anyway, I wanted to know whether anyone else has had the same problems with a
SONY slv-n750 vcr.

This vcr is the most expensive vcr that I have seen at any store. I am talking
about pure vcrs only. I am not talking about vcr/dvd combinations. I bought the
vcr at Target. Since this vcr is the most expensive, I think that other vcrs
may be even worse.

So, are there any pure vcrs that are better? Or should I buy a vcr/dvd
combination?


Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

Alex K.

 

[Jerry G.]

First of all, $80 is not expensive for a VCR. The expensive models which the
store where you went, they probably do not handle.

I would suggest to try another piece of cable wire to see if that makes a
difference. To keep things simple, the RF signals are critical to handle,
and some devices may react a little different to the same signal for many
complicated reasons.

If you want to see a descent Sony consumer VCR of good quality, then visit
this site. http://www.dvnation.com/10k.html This level of VCR would have a
very good performance, compared to the ones sold by most of the consumer
stores. This level is the starting level of a descent VCR. This model
displayed here is from last year. Sony does however make newer models along
the same quality level.

A more recent version of the Sony SLV-R1000. This level is starting to be of
descent quality.
http://www.freetradephoto.com/SONYSLV-R1000S-VHSVCR.htm

Some higher end of the home type VCR's. When playing tapes on these, the
pictures are very impressive.
http://www.freetradephoto.com/VCRSDV.htm


--

Jerry G.
=====

Hello. A couple of months ago, I bought a Sony VCR. The model is SLV-N750.
The price was $80.

I have basic-cable tv. I do not have a cable box. So, I plug the cable wire
into the vcr, and then I connect the vcr to the tv. I live in Chicago, and
my
cable company is Comcast.


Here are the issues:

1) When I watch tv via the vcr tuner, I notice that some channels look worse
on
the vcr tuner (more graininess) than they do when I watch them via the tv
tuner.

Some channels that look worse on the vcr are channel 5 (NBC affiliate) and
channel 7 (ABC affiliate).


However, some channels look *better* on the vcr tuner than they look on the
tv
tuner. One such channel is channel 26 (Fox News Channel). The vcr tuner
gerts
rid of the graininess that exists when I watch the channel via the tv tuner.

Channel 28 (Spike TV) is another channel that is less grainy on the vcr
tuner
than on the tv tuner.


I was under the impression that the vcr tuner is always supposed to make a
channel look better than the channel looks on the tv tuner. So, is my vcr
malfunctioning when it's making some channels look worse?


2) When I watch tv via the tuner, sometimes the picture will turn into
static
for a few seconds. I thought that maybe the cable was the problem. However,
this static phenomenon started happening after I bought this vcr. And I
think
the phenomenon occurs only when I watch the tv via the vcr tuner.

I will probably disconnect the vcr and connect the cable directly to the tv
just to make sure.



By the way, I watch tv mainly via the vcr tuner because the vcr remote
control
is SONY and the TV is Mitsubishi.

To change channels on the tv tuner with the SONY control, I have to press
the
channel +/- buttons. If I am watching tv via the vcr tuner, then I can press
any numerical buttons to change a channel.


Anyway, I wanted to know whether anyone else has had the same problems with
a
SONY slv-n750 vcr.

This vcr is the most expensive vcr that I have seen at any store. I am
talking
about pure vcrs only. I am not talking about vcr/dvd combinations. I bought
the
vcr at Target. Since this vcr is the most expensive, I think that other vcrs
may be even worse.

So, are there any pure vcrs that are better? Or should I buy a vcr/dvd
combination?


Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

Alex K.

 

[Mark D. Zacharias]

The vhf tuner is bad. These have a 90 day warranty, as I recall. You need to
contact Sony for a replacement. This will involve sending yours to Laredo
Texas.

call 800 282-2848. Ask for Max.

(That's a gag. Max is their "automated attendant"

Mark Z.

 

[Ron]

Hello. A couple of months ago, I bought a Sony VCR.

The model is SLV-N750.

::
I bought the same model a couple of month ago with a similar problem.
Lots of "sparkling" interference on many channels, and squiggly lines
on and off. Returned the SLV-N750 for another unit, which also had
the "sparkling" snow-like interference (not as bad as the first one),
though it did not have the lines. The problem seems to improve a bit
once the VCR heats up.

Phoned Sony, and they said that they were not aware of any defects
with that particular model.
Seems like the previous Sony VCRs with the mechanical Ch3/4 switch
at the back were ok, but this one is changed via the menu, and maybe
that introduced some circuit defect.

I'll probably phone Sony again in the new year to see whether they
have come up with a fix in the meantime for that model.

Regards, Ron

 

[Al 2048]

Returned the SLV-N750 for another unit, which also had
the "sparkling" snow-like interference (not as bad as the first one),
though it did not have the lines. The problem seems to improve a bit
once the VCR heats up

In one instance, I experienced the three-second static on the vcr tuner
when I first turned on the vcr.

However, in other instances, the problem occurs after the vcr has been on for
some time.

Phoned Sony, and they said that they were not aware of any defects
with that particular model.
Seems like the previous Sony VCRs with the mechanical Ch3/4 switch
at the back were ok, but this one is changed via the menu, and maybe
that introduced some circuit defect.

Some of my relatives have a sony vcr model slv-478.

This model has a mechanical ch. 3/4 switch on the back. As far as I know, this
model has never experienced the three-second static that I mention. However,
this vcr has never been connected to cable tv. Also, this vcr is very noisy.

These relatives have offered to let me have their vcr. However, I would have to
connect the vcr to the cable and run a test. Also, the noise of the vcr motor
can be very bad. The noise on the slv-n750 is very minimal.


I have to make a decision soon because the deadline for returning the slv-n750
is January 5, 2005.


Regards,

Alex K.

 

[Al 2048]

I would suggest to try another piece of cable wire to see if that makes a
difference. To keep things simple, the RF signals are critical to handle,
and some devices may react a little different to the same signal for many
complicated reasons.

I only have one cable wire that comes into the home from the outside and that
goes into the vcr.

However, I have several wires that can be used to connect the vcr to the tv.
Currently, I am using the wire that came with the vcr. However, I could try
using a different wire I have, a wire I used to connect my old vcr to the tv.

By the way, what are RF signals?

If you want to see a descent Sony consumer VCR of good quality, then visit
this site. http://www.dvnation.com/10k.html

I checked this website and the others you mentioned. These websites showcase
vcrs that cost at least $1000. That is WAY more than what I wanted to spend.

I was thinking of spending no more than $150 to $250 for a pure vcr.

I can even get a dvd recorder/vcr combination for $400.


Regards,

Alex K.

 

[NSM]

By the way, what are RF signals?

Cable or antenna signals - channels, as distinct from video and audio
signals.

N

 

[Jerry G.]

RF, means radio frequency, such as signals that you get from the air, or
from a cable wire, or from an antenna.

From your description of the fault you have, either the tuner in the VCR is
defective, or there is some type of interference, or some type of particular
thing that the VCR is sensitive to, that is making it react this way.

I found that most of the time I had much better results by putting a cable
TV amplifier on the incoming cable TV line, and splitting its output to the
various devices. I then use the baseband outputs A/V from the VCR directly
to the TV set, using A/V wires to the line input of the TV.

Using the A/V path to watch the VCR on the TV set will give much better
picture quality than watching the VCR through the TV tuner.

Also when looping the cable through the VCR, and then on to the TV set, you
are doing a double loop, thus reprocessing the cable signal when watching
through the VCR, which introduces some more losses. You are also depending
on how the VCR handles the cable signal internally. You have to remember
that these low cost VCR's have to be very limited in their quality, and the
amount of processing that can be done, and this is a good reason why they
are low in cost.

--

Jerry G.
======

I would suggest to try another piece of cable wire to see if that makes a
difference. To keep things simple, the RF signals are critical to handle,
and some devices may react a little different to the same signal for many
complicated reasons.

I only have one cable wire that comes into the home from the outside and
that
goes into the vcr.

However, I have several wires that can be used to connect the vcr to the tv.
Currently, I am using the wire that came with the vcr. However, I could try
using a different wire I have, a wire I used to connect my old vcr to the
tv.

By the way, what are RF signals?

If you want to see a descent Sony consumer VCR of good quality, then visit
this site. http://www.dvnation.com/10k.html

I checked this website and the others you mentioned. These websites showcase
vcrs that cost at least $1000. That is WAY more than what I wanted to spend.

I was thinking of spending no more than $150 to $250 for a pure vcr.

I can even get a dvd recorder/vcr combination for $400.


Regards,

Alex K.

 

[Al 2048]

My new Sony vcr was being used by a 13-inch Mitsubishi tv.

I have a 27-inch Sony tv in the house. We don't use it because the sound has
deteriorated. However, the picture is still good.

Anyway, I connected the 27-inch Sony tv to the Sony vcr, and the graininess
that occurred on channels 5 and 7 on the vcr tuner was gone.

The three-second static also was absent.


So, the original graininess was probably caused by one of the following:

1) The small size of the Mitsubishi tv.

2) The incomplete compatibility between the Mitsubishi tv and the Sony vcr.


So, the vcr is probably not the problem.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

Regards,

Alex K.

 

[Alan Harriman]

Also when looping the cable through the VCR, and then on to the TV set, you
are doing a double loop, thus reprocessing the cable signal when watching
through the VCR, which introduces some more losses. You are also depending
on how the VCR handles the cable signal internally. You have to remember
that these low cost VCR's have to be very limited in their quality, and the
amount of processing that can be done, and this is a good reason why they
are low in cost.

Along those lines, be sure to use good quality cables. The ones generally
supplied with the VCR are of low quality, especially those with the plastic
slip-on ends. They can cause a lot of problems with signal quality. Best to use
RG-6 coax with threaded connectors. Also, don't leave excess cable coiled up,
cut to the length needed and no more. (The coil can act as a trap)

Alan Harriman

 

[Colin McCormick]

Another possibility is that the 13" TV was sat on top of the video?
TVs generate a lot of electrical noise which a video can pick up
and cause just these sort of problems.

Colin