RCA VR643HF manual

video cassette recorder user's guide VR643HF[...]

Import ant Informa tion WARNING T o r educe the risk of fire or shock hazard, do not expose this product to rain or moisture. Caution: T o reduce the risk of electric shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, fully insert. Attention: Pour éviter les chocs électriques, introduire la lame la plus large de la fiche dans la borne correspondante d[...]

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS 1 7 First Things First .............................................................. 3 Setting up the VCR ......................................................... 7 Using the Menu to Set Up Featur es ................................................. 8 Language ...................................................................[...]

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS 2 Pr ogramming the Remote ............................................ 35 T o Contr ol a TV .................................................................................. 36 Other Features .............................................................. 37 COMMERCIAL AD V ANCE ..................................................[...]

Fir st Things First 3 Hi, m y name is Roger... and I wr ote this User’ s Guide . It’ s m y job to see that y ou ha v e a r ewar ding user manual experience. And, I think y ou’ll be pleased with the featur es that can be accessed through the on-scr een menus. Read the First Three sections The first thr ee sections of the man ual intr oduce you[...]

Fir st Things First 4 Step 1: Unp ack the Bo x The following items come packed in the box: • VCR • Remote control • RF coaxial cable STEP 2: Inst all Ba tteries In the Remote C ontrol Follow these steps whenever you need to install or change the batteries in your VCR remote. 1. Remove the cover of the battery compartment. 2. Place batteries i[...]

Fir st Things First 5 STEP 4: PLUG IN THE VCR Match the wide blade of the plug with the wide slot in the outlet. Be sure to insert the plug completely . STEP 5: TUNe THE TV T une the TV to the VCR viewing channel. The VCR viewing channel is channel 3 or 4 or the TV’ s video input, depending on the connection you’ve chosen. • If you connect yo[...]

Fir st Things First 6 1. Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU. VCR MAIN MENU 1 VCR Plus+ 2 Timer Recordings 3 Time 4 Channels 5 Preferences 6 Audio 7 Language 0 Exit 2. Press 5 to display the PREFERENCES menu . PREFERENCES 1 Remote Control: VCR1 2 Auto Play: ON 3 Auto TV/VCR: ON 4 Front Panel AUTO 5 Commercial Advance 0 Exit 3. Press 2 to switch[...]

7 Setting Up the VCR Set-up fea tures Belo w is a list of features that y ou ma y want to set up befor e you begin using y our VCR for the first time . • Select a Langua ge • Set Up for a Cable Bo x • Set up VCR Channel List ( A uto C hannel S ear ch) • Set Time Zone and Da ylight-Sa ving Time (Auto Clock) • Set the Time and Date Man uall[...]

8 Setting Up the VCR USING THE MENU to set up fea tures Y ou can set up features by using the menu system. The featur es you may want to set up before you begin using your VCR are explained in this section. langu age Select your preferred language, and the on-screen displays will appear in that language. 1. Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU. [...]

9 Setting Up the VCR CABLE BOX SETUP Do you use your cable box to receive ALL channels or only SOME Channels? 1 ALL channels 2 Only SOME channels 3 Cancel setup 4. If you selected ALL channels, enter the output channel of your cable box, usually 03, 04, or video line input and press MENU. CABLE BOX SETUP On what channel does the VCR receive signals[...]

10 Setting Up the VCR VCR CHANNELS LIST If you use a cable box for all channels , this step is not necessary . Y our VCR may come with a channel list pr eset at the factory . Even though your VCR may come with a list, it’ s possible that you may want to add or eliminate some channels depending on whether they are active. T o A uto Channel Sear ch[...]

11 Setting Up the VCR AUTO CHANNEL SEARCH Now scanning channel 14 Press any key to cancel The VCR begins scanning for the available channels—this takes about one to two minutes. The lowest channel is tuned once the search is complete. Now pressing CHANNEL up or down should only select the active channels. T o Change the Signal T ype 1. Press MENU[...]

12 Setting Up the VCR Time and D a te The VCR gives you two ways to set the time and date. The Auto Clock feature which enables the VCR to update the clock each time you tur n off the VCR. The Auto Clock feature is advantageous because it updates the time for you automatically . The second way is entering the time and date manually into the menu sy[...]

13 Setting Up the VCR 3. Press 3 to display the SET TIME ZONE screen. SET TIME ZONE What is your Time Zone? 1 Eastern 2 Central 3 Mountain 4 Pacific 5 Alaska 6 Hawaii 7>Automatic Press MENU to continue 4. Select your time zone. If you select Automatic for your time zone, the VCR sets the clock using the first Coordinated Universal T ime infor ma[...]

14 Setting Up the VCR SET THE TIME AND D A TE Manuall y If the AUTO CLOCK SET was unsuccessful, set the clock through the menu option. The AUTO CLOCK SET feature is set to OFF automatically when you set the clock this way . 1. Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU. VCR MAIN MENU 1 VCR Plus+ 2 Timer Recordings 3 Time 4 Channels 5 Preferences 6 Aud[...]

15 Setting Up the VCR See ne xt page for Canadian List T wo-Digit VCR Plus+ Channel Numbers for Cable TV (USA List) 35 American Mo vie Classics 39 Arts &-Entertainment 57 Black Entertainment 54 Brav o 42 Cable Ne ws Network 45 Cinemax 98 Cinemax 2 37 The Disco ver y Channel 53 The Disne y Channel 63 Enter tainment T elevision 34 ESPN Spor ts Ne[...]

16 Setting Up the VCR *Check your local or cable listing for the channel number you r eceive this station on. **Check your local listing for br oadcast or VCR Plus+ channel number assigned. Br oadcast or Cable-TV Station Name VCR Plus+ Channel Number** Channel Number Y ou Receive the Station On* Hbo 33 ESPN 34 VCR Plus + + Wo rksheet T wo-Digit VCR[...]

17 Setting Up the VCR REMOTE VCR1/VCR2 Option If you own a compatible RCA, GE, or ProScan remote that has a VCR2, VCR2•LD, or VCR2•DVD button, this feature allows you to set this VCR to respond to that button. Press 1 to select the Remote Control item. Then press the VCR2, VCR2•LD, or VCR2•DVD button to change. PREFERENCES (PRESS VCR2 TO CH[...]

18 Setting Up the VCR The VCR will only r espond to the compatible r emote’ s VCR2, VCR2•LD, or VCR2•DVD button. If you change the remote setting to VCR2, the remote that came with your VCR will no longer control it. Use the compatible remote to change the remote setting back to VCR1. Display the PREFERENCES menu, press 1, and then press VCR [...]

19 Setting Up the VCR Front p anel (vcr displa y) Y ou can change the brightness level of the fluorescent display panel on the front of the VCR. Press 4 to switch between the options. • AUTO brightens the display when the VCR is on and dims the display when the VCR is of f. • BRIGHT keeps the display bright. • DIM keeps the display at a low b[...]

20 Setting Up the VCR[...]

21 VCR BA sICS learn the b asics To get y ou st arted These VCR basics should be enough for y ou to begin enjoying y our VCR. Learning the r emote contr ol functions, pla ying a recor ded tape , and r ecording a program should do just that. Ho w e ver , there ar e other f eatures that enhance the enjo yment of y our VCR, but the y ar en’ t necess[...]

22 VCR Ba sics Remote Buttons The remote control is capable of controlling your VCR and many brands of televisions. If you have an RCA, ProScan, or GE TV , you may be able to control it without having to program the remote. C omponent Butt ons OFF T urns off VCR when r emote is set to contr ol the VCR. Also turns some compatible components on and o[...]

23 VCR BA sICS Numbers (0 thr ough 9) Select a channel up to 99 by pressing two numbers. Select a cable channel over 99 by pressing and holding 1 until 1 – – appears on the screen. Then press the other two numbers. OFF T urns off the VCR when the r emote is set to control the VCR. T urns off other components if r emote is pr ogrammed. P AUSE Pa[...]

24 VCR Ba sics Pla ying a T ape 1. T une the TV to your VCR viewing channel (3, 4, or TV’ s video input). 2. Insert a tape in the VCR. POWER EJECT CHANNEL TRACKING TV•VCR INPUT RECORD STOP PAUSE FWD REV PLAY•PAUSE If the Auto Play feature is set to ON, the tape automatically begins playback (if the safety tab on the cassette is removed). • [...]

25 VCR BA sICS Check the Safety T ab No matter which recording option you use, you need to make sure there is a tape in the VCR, and that the tape’ s safety tab is in place. Y ou cannot record on a tape with the safety tab removed. If the safety tab is removed and you want to record over it, simply cover the hole with vinyl tape. Reco rding If yo[...]

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27 REC ORDING SEVERAL rec o rding O PTIONS No w that you’ ve g one through the necessar y steps to operate y our VCR, I’ll explain the differ ent recor ding featur es that are a vailable to suit y our needs. Recor ding F eatures: • Recor ding (explained in VCR Basics section) • Express Recor ding • Timer Recording • Timer Recording with[...]

28 REC ORDING Recording fea tures There are four ways to record programs: • Recording lets you press one button to start recording a program. (See VCR Basics section.) • Express Recording lets you start recording a program you are watching, and then set the VCR to automatically stop recording after a designated period of time. • Timer Recordi[...]

29 REC ORDING Timer Rec ording Y ou can set up as many as eight timer r ecording programs. 1. Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU. VCR MAIN MENU 1 VCR Plus+ 2 Timer Recordings 3 Time 4 Channels 5 Preferences 6 Audio 7 Language 0 Exit 2. Press 2 to display the TIMER RECORDINGS menu. TIMER RECORDINGS 1 Create a New Program 2 Review Existing Progs[...]

30 REC ORDING Timer Rec ording with VCR PluS + Y ou can use VCR Plus+ to simplify timer programming if you have cable TV and don’ t receive all channels thr ough a cable box, have a cable box the VCR can control, or if you get your TV signal off-air . Setting Up the Channel List If you did not set up the VCR Plus+ channel list, you can do it now [...]

31 REC ORDING 3. Enter the VCR PlusCode shown in your local television programming guide. VCR PLUS+ Enter PlusCode Number (from TV listing) 12876 Press CLEAR to correct Press MENU when done 4. Press MENU to enter the VCR PlusCode number . How often should this program record? 1 One Time 2 Daily (every day) 3 Weekdays (M-F) 4 Weekly (Once per week) [...]

32 REC ORDING TIMER RECORDINGS 1 Create a New Program 2 Review Existing Progs. 3 Use VCR Plus+ Code 0 Exit 2. Press 2 to display the Review Existing Progs. screen. Program 1 (One Time) Channel 104 CABLE Start Time 12:00 AM End Time 01:30 AM Start Date 10/24/97 Fri Tape Speed SLP Press CLEAR to erase Press MENU for next prog 3. Press CLEAR to erase [...]

33 REC ORDING 3. If your VCR viewing channel is 3 or 4, make sure the VCR indicator appears in the VCR’ s display panel. If not, press TV•VCR to turn it on. 4. Use the SPEED button on the remote to select a recording speed. The tape speed indicator appears on the TV screen. 5. Select the channel or line input to be recorded. 6. Set the Receptio[...]

34 REC ORDING Using Two VCRs for Copying and Editing T apes Use one VCR as the playback VCR and the other as the recording VCR . 1. T urn on the TV and VCRs. 2. T une the TV to the VCR viewing channel (either 3, 4, or TV’ s video input). 3. If you connected your VCR using the IN FROM ANT and OUT TO TV jacks, tune recording VCR to channel 3 or 4?[...]

35 programming the remote contro l your Televisi on The r emote ma y also operate your TV . Initiall y , it is programmed to contr ol RCA, GE, and ProScan models. Other manufacturers’ brands need to be pr ogrammed. ➣ ➣ Setting Up the VCR 2 First things first 1 ➣ reco rding 3 VCR B asics 4 ➣ ➣ OTHER FEA TURES 6 PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE 5 7[...]

36 Programming the Remote Using the Remote with a TV Y our remote can control most RCA, ProScan, and GE TVs. T o use the remote with other manufacturer’ s brands, it must be programmed. If the TV does not turn on when you press the TV button, the remote needs to be programmed. Follow these steps to program the remote to control your particular TV[...]

37 OTHER FEA TURES fea tures t o enhance VCR opera tion • COMMERCIAL AD V ANCE • MO VIE AD V ANCE • Pictur e Search Options • T racking • Time Counter • On-Screen Displa ys • Audio Reception • Audio T a pe Pla yback 7 5 ➣ ➣ Setting Up the VCR 2 First things first 1 ➣ reco rding 3 VCR B asics 4 ➣ OTHER FEA TURES 7 6 Connecti [...]

38 OTHER FEA TURES C OMMERCIA L ADV ANCE COMMERCIA L AD V ANCE is a patented technolo g y that detects and marks most commercials on your tape for any recording that is more than 15 minutes long. After recording, the VCR rewinds the tape to the beginning of the recording and determines where the commercials are located. It then marks the beginning [...]

39 OTHER FEA TURES 2 . Press 5 to display the PREFERENCES menu. PREFERENCES 1 Remote Control: VCR1 2 Auto Play: ON 3 Auto TV/VCR: ON 4 Front Panel AUTO 5 Commercial Advance 0 Exit 3 . Pr ess 5 to display the COMMERCIAL AD V ANCE men u. COMMERCIAL ADVANCE 1 Marking: ON 2 Playback: AUTO 3 Display: BLUE 4 Mark an unmarked tape 0 Exit No w , you can se[...]

40 OTHER FEA TURES COMMERCIAL ADV ANCE Playback Press 2 to switch between Playback: AUTO and MANUAL. • Select AUTO to have the VCR automatically advance through the blocks of marked commercials. It works with most 30, 45, and 60-second commercials. A commercial group starting within the first two minutes or last two minutes of a recording will no[...]

41 OTHER FEA TURES 1. Insert a tape that has been previously recorded. 2. Press 4 to select the Mark an unmarked tape feature. 3. Position the tape where you want the marking to start using PLA Y , FWD , and REV buttons. Set the tape to the point at which you want to start marking. When the tape is ready, press MENU to begin. Press CLEAR to cancel [...]

42 OTHER FEA TURES Pr eview Sear ch Note Any time during the pr eview search mode, pressing SEARCH will r everse the sear ch direction. Pressing 2 or 3 gives the same response and takes you to a diff erent sear ch f eature . If y ou accidentally make a wr ong selection, press GO BACK to return to this screen. If y ou pr ess 1, the MO VIE AD VANCE m[...]

43 OTHER FEA TURES MOVIE ADVANCE Press SEARCH to reverse Press STOP to cancel Searching for preview... When a preview is detected, the VCR cues it and begins playing. MOVIE ADVANCE Press SEARCH for next Picture Search Options The most basic wa y to sear ch during pla yback is using the FOR W ARD (FWD) and REVERSE (REV) buttons. This section contain[...]

44 OTHER FEA TURES FRAME ADV ANCE Frame advance lets you view one-stop action frame after another during playback. Frame advance works best for tapes recorded at the SP or SLP speed. 1. Pr ess P A USE to “fr eeze” the action. 2. Pr ess F.AD V each time y ou want to vie w a frame of the scene . 3. Pr ess P A USE or PLA Y to r eturn to normal pla[...]

45 OTHER FEA TURES INDEX SEARCH Searching for index number 12... Press STOP to cancel INDEX SEARCH Searching for index marks... Press STOP to cancel 3. If you want to search through a certain number of index marks, press two number buttons to enter the number of marks you want to sear ch. Pr ess CLEAR on the r emote to cor r ect an entr y . 4 . Pr [...]

46 OTHER FEA TURES ON-SCREEN DISPLA YS The INFO button sho ws the status of the VCR (ST OP , PLA Y , RECORD , etc .), channel n umber , time counter , date , time , and tape speed on the TV screen. The date and time must be set before they can be displayed. 1. Press INFO to see all of the on-screen displays. These will automatically time out after [...]

47 OTHER FEA TURES 0:30:00 2 3 T ime counter only (does not time out) On-screen display off 2. Press INFO again to have only the time counter remain on the scr een. This displa y does not time out automaticall y . 3. Pressing INFO a third time disables the on-screen displays. This feature prevents you from accidently recording on- screen displays w[...]

48 OTHER FEA TURES Reception Some TV programs are broadcast with stereo audio or a second audio pr o gram (SAP) which off ers a second langua g e . The Reception feature lets you select the type of audio you want to record. Press 1 to switch between Reception : STEREO, MONO, and SAP. • Select STEREO for normal or stereo broadcast TV recording. ST[...]

49 connections Things to Know Before Connecting Components Pr otect Y our Components from Power Surges • Connect all components before plugging an y po w er cor ds into the wall outlet. • Al wa ys turn off the TV and other components befor e you connect or disconnect any cables. Position Cables Correctly to A void Audio Hum or Interference • [...]

50 connections Connecting Y our VCR Refer to these pages to help you connect your VCR. Jacks and Cables RF Jacks and Coaxial Cables (F-type) The RF jacks provide good picture and mono sound quality , and must be used if audio/video connections are not available for your TV . These jacks are required for antenna or cable-TV connections. The RF jacks[...]

51 connections Choosing a VCR C onnection There are several differ ent ways to connect your VCR, depending on whether or not you have cable service, and if you have a cable box, and whether some of the channels are scrambled, and maybe you have a satellite receiver along with cable (but no cable box), or a satellite receiver and no cable or ...well[...]

52 connections TV with rf jack onl y This connection assumes: • Y ou are connecting antenna, cable, or cable box system. • Y our television has only an RF input jack. This connection provides: • Mono sound playback from VCR. • Record one channel while watching another (except when using a cable box for all channels). T o use this connection[...]

53 connections TV with audio/Video jacks This connection assumes: • Y ou are connecting an antenna, cable, or cable box system. • Y our television has audio/video jacks. This connection provides: • Stereo sound playback from VCR. • Record one channel while watching another (except when using a cable box for all channels). T o use this conne[...]

54 connections TV with audio/Video jacks and Cable box to unscramble p a y channels onl y This connection assumes: • Y ou are using a cable box only to unscramble premium channels. • Y our TV has audio/video input jacks. This connection provides: • Stereo sound playback from VCR. • Recording a scrambled or unscrambled channel through the ca[...]

55 connections TV with RF jack and sa tellite receiver This connection assumes: • Y ou have a basic satellite system. • Y our TV does not have audio/video input jacks. This connection provides: • Mono sound playback from VCR. • Recording from a satellite receiver . • Recording one off-air or cable channel while watching another . T o use [...]

56 connections T V with a udio/video jacks and s a tellite receiver This connection assumes: • Y ou have an advanced satellite system. • Y our TV has audio/video input jacks. This connection provides: • Stereo sound playback from VCR. • Recording fr om r eceiver while watching cable or of f-air channel. • Recording one cable or off-air ch[...]

57 appendix a: reference This section gives y ou some additional inf ormation about the VCR, including a description of the unit’ s contr ols and displa y . Y ou also will find a T roubleshooting Tips section in this Appendix, which might help to resolv e some of those simple pr oblems. Finally , this section contains y our warranty information.[...]

58 appendix a: reference Front P anel PA USE POWER TV•VCR CHANNEL RECORD TRACKING FWD EJECT PLAY REV STOP INPUT Remote Sensor CHANNEL•TRACKING Up or Down Selects next higher or lower channel in the VCR’ s channel memory . Adjusts tracking when a tape is playing. EJECT Ejects the tape when the VCR is stopped. FWD Forwards the tape when the VCR[...]

59 appendix a: reference Displa y P anel Casset te Indicator Shows when a cassette is inser ted and displays direction tape is moving. T ime, T ime Counter , Channel Number , Line Input Indicator (LINE), or Status Displa ys T ime or T ime Counter Press INFO to switc h between the current time and time counter . Channel Number or Line Input Indicato[...]

60 appendix a: reference Back P anel 3CH4 Switch Selects the channel to which you will tune the TV to see the VCR picture if you connect the VCR using one of the basic hookups. AUDIO (R and L) and VIDEO IN Jacks Receives signals from another component, like a VCR or camcorder , when it is connected to these jacks. Use INPUT on the remote to select [...]

61 appendix a: reference Troubleshooting Tips No power • Check to make sure it is plugged into an operating outlet. • Check to make sure your connections are correct. VCR does not respond to r emote • Press VCR to set remote to control the VCR. • Check to make sure there are no objects between the VCR and remote. • The batteries may need [...]

62 appendix a: reference • T ry another tape. • Some snow/streaks are normal during search, stop action, frame advance, and slow-motion playback. Str eaks in picture during normal playback • Press one of the TRACKING buttons to move streaks up or down for the best picture. • Check to make sure the tape is of good quality and not worn out. W[...]

63 appendix a: reference VCR makes noise when stopped • VCR is removing tape from heads. This is normal. The head cylinder inside the VCR will continue to rotate for a few minutes after you put the VCR in the stop mode. Will not Auto Channel Sear ch active channels cor rectly • Check to make sure the antenna connections are secure and correct. [...]

64 appendix a: reference Questions and Answers About COMMERCIAL ADV ANCE+ Will commer cials be scanned through only on playback of recordings? Y es. The VCR does not rewind and mark commercial segments until after recording is finished. How fast does the COMMERCIAL ADV ANCE VCR scan through the commer cial breaks? In SLP tape speed, a 3-minute comm[...]

65 appendix a: reference Specifica tions Format: VHS Recor d/Playback Video: 4-head System: Audio: 2 Hi-Fi record/playback system Video Signal System: EIA standard: NTSC color Antenna: 75-ohm external VHF/UHF combined antenna terminal T uner: USA: 181 channels capability* (125 cable channels) Canada: 178 channels capability* (122 cable channels) T [...]

66 Index Appendix A: Reference Limited W arrant y What your warranty covers: • Any defect in material or workmanship. For how long after your purchase: • Ninety days for labor charges. • One year for parts. The warranty period for rental units begins with the first rental or 45 days from date of shipment to the rental firm, whichever comes fi[...]

67 Inde x 3CH4 switch 52, 55, 60 A Accessing menus 5 Add or remove channels 11 ADD/REMOVE CHANNELS screen 11 Audio playback type 48 selecting 48 Audio features, set up 47 AUDIO menu 47 Audio only playing back 33 recording 33 Audio/V ideo jacks 33 Audio/video jacks 33, 51, 53, 54, 56, 60 Auto channel search 10 AUTO CHANNEL SEARCH menu 10 Auto Clock [...]

68 Index G GO BACK button 22, 23, 42 Go-to search feature 45 GO-TO SEARCH menu 45 I IN FROM ANT jack 18, 51, 52, 55, 60 Index search feature 44 INDEX SEARCH menu 44 INFO button 22, 23, 46, 59 INPUT button 22, 29, 33, 58 J Jacks, types of 50 L Language feature 8 LANGUAGE menu 8 Limited warranty 66 LINE indicator 33, 55, 59 M Marking an unmarked tape[...]

69 Inde x SEARCH button 23, 40, 41, 44, 45 Sensor , remote 58 SET DA YLIGHT SA VINGS screen 13 Set time and date manually 14 SET TIME AND DA TE menu 14 SET TIME ZONE screen 13 Set up audio features 47 cable box 8 first 3 language 8 using the menus 8 Signal type changing 11 selecting 11 Slow motion playback 44 Solving problems 61 Specifications 65 S[...]

10330 North Meridian Str eet Indianapolis, IN 46290 ©1997 Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc. T rademark(s)® Registered Marca(s) Registrada(s) Printed in Indonesia TOCOM 15244100 If your VCR needs service, please contact your dealer or the nearest Servicenter from the yellow pages. Please do not send any products to the Indianapolis address listed[...]