How I got a Panasonic NV-FS200 VCR
As I play around with old computers whenever time allows, I thought I would also look into a slightly different field: video. As a child I was never particularly obsessed with films from video rental shops. We usually went to a friend’s place to watch single-voice dubbed hits such as RAMBO, Bodycheck, Clash of the Titans and the like. Sometime around 1993, I think, my parents bought an AKAI VCR for about CZK 11,000, which in relation to today’s salaries would, in my opinion, be at least CZK 30,000. My brother and I watched lots of war films about Vietnam and the Second World War. Action and karate films didn’t interest us. We didn’t watch videos excessively at home. I remember recording music videos from ESA. I had a whole 240-minute tape full of them, which I unfortunately threw away during one of my later clear-outs.
Today it is no problem to find a nice working VCR for very little money. Owners are getting rid of VHS tapes in large quantities for small change or even for free. With the arrival of DVD, many people started disposing of their accumulated videotapes en masse, and nowadays even DVDs are being discarded because most content is streamed or downloaded in various ways. For me, VHS technology has its own charm, just like old computers. Everyone once wanted a VCR and it was a certain status symbol in the household, just like a car or a microwave oven. So I decided to get my own VCR.
Which VCR should I buy?
On a Hi-Fi discussion forum I became friends with someone who knows a great deal about Hi-Fi and video. He recommended looking for a Panasonic NV-FS200, which was an incredibly advanced machine for its time (1992). Back then this VCR sold for 3,000 German marks. Today’s second-hand prices range roughly from EUR 100 to 400 depending on condition. This VCR is one of the best choices if you want to digitise analogue recordings.
Buying two Panasonic NV-FS200s
I watched listings on European websites for a few weeks and was attracted by an offer of two recorders for a total of EUR 100, although their condition was unknown. They were being sold as part of an estate clearance. There was therefore a chance to get two units at a great price, or at least have one as a spare if the other broke down. I agreed the shipping cost with the seller and paid the agreed amount by bank transfer.
It won’t work without servicing
About a week later a very neatly packed parcel arrived, containing the perfectly protected players. I immediately connected them to an LCD TV to test them. Leaving aside the dreadful LCD picture, which is completely unsuitable for VHS because you are feeding analogue data into a digital device, one player reproduced only sound while the other worked perfectly in both sound and picture. It was obvious that the previous owner was probably a professional, because one player had some additional cables permanently led out of it and the units were also numbered. The working player had a slightly scuffed cover and a more faded display. I decided to take both players to a local service shop and ask them to build one TOP unit and thoroughly clean the mechanical parts and heads.
Just before the end of the year I went to the service shop for the verdict. One player had been tuned to 100%; the other reportedly had some non-functional processor on the board, or part of the board responsible for the picture, while the heads were fine. I had a very pleasant chat with the serviceman. He told me that after all these years he had serviced the machine with enthusiasm and was glad that somebody was still interested in it out of nostalgia. He recommended keeping the second unit in case I ever needed it.
Watching VHS tapes
Unfortunately we don’t have enough room in the flat for another CRT television, so I placed the VCR under my Commodore 1084S-D2 monitor and added another interesting device to my retro corner. On online marketplaces I found three original VHS tapes with Michael Jackson music videos, whose music I am starting to appreciate more as I get older. We bought the tapes and tested the playback quality in our new improvised cinema. After almost 30 years, the experience is absolutely wonderful. Colours, sound, picture – everything is perfect. We are delighted with it and will definitely get a few legendary titles on VHS. I have also added a few films we are looking for on original VHS tapes to the “Wanted” section. So if anyone has them at home and no longer wants them, they will be in good hands with us. 🙂