HELP with my VCR, please

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I posted this request for advice on Monday on the Prep Forum, but no one has replied, and few seem to visit there anymore. Thus, I am asking it here:

I had read that to prevent one's VCR from being unable to program in 2000, one should turn one's VCR to the year 1972, which corresponds to 2000. However, when I got around to it last evening, I could not do it at all. VCR does not show anything on which to turn back a clock to 1972. It can play a tape (pre-recorded one) but cannot tape anything. Does anyone know a workaround to help me regain full use of my VCR? Certainly can't afford new one, what with Y2K preps putting me in some debt. Thanks in advance!

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), January 05, 2000

Answers

Where did you purchase your VCR? The store you purchased it from or the manufacturer who made your VCR should be able to tell you how to change the settings.

-- Simpleminded (nope@wont.never), January 05, 2000.

Wish I could help, but as long as the subject's up -- my VCR was purchased in 1996, a GE model. When everything rolled over, it was peachy keen: year, day, everything. Interesting that some models were well-prepped in advance!

-- Ned Raggett (ned@kuci.org), January 05, 2000.

Set the year to 1975. I read it in a couple of magazines.

-- sexysady (vcr@expert.com), January 05, 2000.

chuck the thing out the window. Issue resolved.

-- lance taylor commodore (ltcomm@rts.com), January 05, 2000.

Does your VCR have a built-in VCR plus? That could be where your problem is originating from.

My VCR (Hitachi) programs the date/time from TV stations, maybe yours has an option like that. Yes it is reading 01/05/00 but everything seems to be working. Maybe I should try the Record to see if it will tape.

-- Marie (pray4peace@compuserve.com), January 05, 2000.



If I could set it to anything, it would be 1972...the year that was recommended on the internet and by others. I cannot set it to anything at all...it just doesn't allow me to enter to program date, etc.

If I had money, I would gladly throw it out the window, but I am an older person working full-time and living paycheck to paycheck, and am now in some debt due to my preps besides.

I enjoy taping anything worthwhile when I cannot stay up to watch, since I also cannot afford to rent videos. So, any nice person who wishes to recommend anything short of throwing it out the window or replacing it, please respond. Thanks!

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), January 05, 2000.


Unplug the unit from the power source and then replug, if you can set the date to Jan 5, 1984. Justthinkin.com

-- justhinkin com (justhinking@y2k.com), January 05, 2000.

Hi Elaine,

Hope all is going well for you. I know how much you tried to help others this past year to prepare, and given their responses at the time I can imagine that they haven't changed a bit and are being as ungracious as ever. Hopefully, instead, they have realized that you cared enough about them to share your concerns. There are a few good comments starting to come out about this--

Was it worth protecting your children and warning your friends by Gary North at

http://www.garynorth.com/y2k/detail_.cfm/7103

And a reformatted Tom Atlee post originally posted by Chuck under the title "What happens when you get what you pray for" - re-formatted and re-posted by Sherri at

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=002Dd4

And there are more, but I digress. I just wanted to offer you a bit of encouragement.

About your VCR-- Could you post the Manufacturer name and model number and year if available. I noticed on the prep forum that you mentioned the remote isn't working either. One thing I always forget about is checking the batteries in the remote. If the remote is the only way to access the menu of the VCR and the batteries happened to be weak, this might be part of the problem. Of course, then, what do I know?

Hope this helps and take care,

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), January 05, 2000.


What is the brand name? What year was your VCR made? Where did you purchase it?

Throw us a bone, Ms. Seavey. Thank you, and good luck.

-- Simpleminded (nope@wont.never), January 05, 2000.


THIS IS NOT A Y2K FAILURE. TPTB

-- TPTB (GUBMIT@CONTROL.SHEEP), January 05, 2000.


Elaine,

If you can't find a way to program a date into it, then the VCR probably doesn't care what the date is anyway. I have an older RCa VCR that only programs by day of the week. It will record Star Trek: voyager tonight for me because it knows that today is Wednesday at it is supposed to do that every Wednesday. It cares not which Wednesday it is.

This might be the case with your VCR, at which point use it in good health and never give programming the date another moment's thought.

-- Paul Neuhardt (neuhardt@ultranet.com), January 05, 2000.


Hi Elaine

I own a business repairing TVs and VCRs.

Your post does leave a lot of info out concerning how it is set up.

My e-mail address is real. It really is too much to go into here, so send me the info that will help me the most. I'll try to help, but realize there are so many models out there with differing features, it may be difficult.

Tell me the make & model, and if it is on the back of the unit, the year of manufacture. Also whether you use VCR Plus either built in to the machine or seperately. Also it will help to know what BUTTONS you have on the front IF it is LESS than 10 yrs old.

Dave

-- Dave (christamike@hotmail.com), January 05, 2000.


I seem to recall reading somewhere that 1972 would not work on all VCR's, simply because certain machines are unable to accept a year so far back.

Maybe you could set it into the future... was it 2027 that's also compatible?

I've read so much that it's all a blur!!!

-- Mabel (mabel_louise@yahoo.com), January 05, 2000.


Elaine, Put your channel selector on the PTL club, order one prayer shawl, place both hand on the VCR and in a loud voice scream "BE HEALED" if this doesn't solve your problem go to COSTCO and spend 80 dollars and replace your unit. Every trailer should have at least one working VCR.--- Elmer Gantry

-- Elmer Gantry (healit@GOd's feeling sheepish.com), January 06, 2000.

Elaine,

In case all else fails, here is a crude idea. Put in a blank tape, hit record and assuming you are in long play ( 6hr mode ) if a 2-hour movie you want to see comes on in one hour, you will have enough space on your tape to record it and then some. Most likely your VCR will rewind the tape back to the begining and then you just fast-forward an hour to get to the start of your program.

-- Stanley Lucas (StanleyLucas@WebTv.net), January 06, 2000.



If your VCR doesn't work (can you post make, model?) then get the manufacturer to replace it. Or explain to you how to fix it. They screwed up, they need to fix it.

-- Servant (public_service@yahoo.com), January 06, 2000.

Thanks to all you good people for your input. Dave, I will e-mail you from home tonight with the info. Appreciate your help.

Elmer Gantry, I hope that you have your inner person healed by the same Lord you seem to mock here.

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), January 06, 2000.


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