Video Cassette Recorder VRA211AT Owner’s Manual Important! Return your Warranty Registration Card within 10 days. See why inside.
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Introduction 3 Welcome to your VCR owner’s manual. This manual has six sections: Setting Up Your VCR; Description of Controls; Basic Operations; Recording; Playing; and Information You May Need. The instructions explain all of the VCR’s features, which are listed below. You cannot hurt your VCR by trying the features! So read on – and relax.
Table of Contents Setting Up Your VCR Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Before Using Your VCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Hookups Without a Cable Box/Direct Broadcast System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Before Using Your VCR 5 Removing the Plastic Cover from the Front Panel A thin, plastic cover may protect the front panel of your VCR. Before using the VCR, lift a corner of the plastic, then peel it off. 1 Putting Batteries in the Remote Control 1 Remove the battery compartment lid on the bottom of the remote control by sliding it in the direction of the arrow. 2 2 3 3 Place two AA batteries inside the battery compartment with their + and – ends aligned as indicated.
Hookups Without a Cable Box / Direct Broadcast System The basic VCR/TV connection – antenna/cable to VCR to TV – is shown below. If you have a Cable Box or a Direct Broadcast System, please see pages eight-nine. If you have a Stereo TV, please see page 10. After you hook up the VCR, go to page 11 to turn on the VCR. 1 Disconnect the antenna or cable from your TV.
Hookups Without a Cable Box / Direct Broadcast System (cont’d) 7 3 Connect the RF coaxial cable (supplied) to the OUT Jack on the back of the VCR and to the ANTENNA IN Jack on the TV. (You may use either a snap-on type (supplied) or screw-on type of coaxial cable, whichever you prefer.
Hookups With a Cable Box / Direct Broadcast System There are two ways to connect your Cable Box/DBS to the VCR. With this connection: ● You may view any channel. ● You must select channels at the Cable Box/DBS. Channels cannot be changed at the VCR. ● You may not view a channel other than the one you are recording. ● You may not program channels at the VCR. ● You can only program a timer recording for one channel at a time.
Hookups With a Cable Box / Direct Broadcast System (cont’d) 9 With this connection: ● You may watch one channel while recording another. ● You may not record scrambled channels. 1 VCR ANT IN 2 Cable Box/DBS 75V ANT CAB / LE AUDIO IN OUT IN VIDEO OUT OUT CH3 CH4 RF coaxial cable Cable Signal RF coaxial cable 3 TV’s ANTENNA IN Jack Connections 1 2 Connect a Cable signal to the VCR’s ANT(enna) IN Jack.
Hookups With a Stereo TV 1 ANT antenna or cable to ANT(enna) IN Jack IN AUDIO OUT IN VIDEO VIDEO (yellow) and AUDIO (white) OUT Jacks OUT 2 3 Audio and Video IN Jacks on TV CH3 CH4 Video Cable Audio Cable ● Audio and Video cables are not supplied. 1 Connect the antenna or cable to the ANT(enna) IN Jack on the back of the VCR. 2 Connect a video cable to the yellow VIDEO OUT Jack on the back of the VCR. Then, connect the other end of the video cable to the VIDEO IN Jack on your TV.
Turning on Your VCR 11 Before turning on your VCR, make sure there are batteries in the remote control and the VCR and TV are connected correctly. ● You can not program channels if you are using a Cable Box or a Direct Broadcast System. 1 Press the VCR button, then press the POWER button. The VCR light and the PWR. (power) light will appear on the display panel. 1 POWER VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY REW 2 F.FWD STOP Turn on the TV.
Automatic Channel Setup Although your VCR may automatically memorize the channels you receive when you turn it on for the first time, this function lets you set up the channels again. 1 2 3-4 Press the VCR button. Press the MENU button. SELECT op CHOOSE B → PROGRAM VCR SET UP TUNER SET UP SET CLOCK TO END PUSH EXIT 3 Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select TUNER SET UP, then press the F.FWD/B button. POWER 1 2 VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY REW F.
Automatic Channel Setup (cont’d) 13 Adding/Deleting Channels 1 2 3 3-4 Press the VCR button. Press the MENU button. Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select TUNER SET UP, then press the F.FWD/B button. 4 Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select ADD/DELETE CH, then press the F.FWD/B button. 1 5 2 7 POWER VCR/TV TV VCR PLAY REW F.FWD STOP MENU STATUS/EXIT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 124 125 1 2 3 → 6 CLEAR CH 9 ALT.
Automatic Channel Setup (cont’d) Reviewing Memorized Channels 3-4 1 2 Press the VCR button. Press the MENU button. SELECT op CHOOSE B → PROGRAM VCR SET UP TUNER SET UP SET CLOCK TO END PUSH EXIT 3 Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select TUNER SET UP, then press the F.FWD/B button. SELECT op CHOOSE B → AUTO PROGRAMMING ADD/DELETE CH CH MEMORY REVIEW TO END PUSH EXIT 4 Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select CH MEMORY REVIEW, then press the F.FWD/B button.
Setting the Clock 15 Follow the steps below to set your VCR’s clock. Make sure: ● The VCR is on and the VCR light appears on the display panel. (If it does not, press the VCR/TV button once.) ● You make each entry within 60 seconds of the previous entry. 1 2 3 3-4 Press the VCR button. POWER 1 Press the MENU button. VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY REW F.FWD STOP Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select SET CLOCK, then press the F.FWD/B button.
Daylight-Savings Time You may program the VCR so its clock will automatically move forward one hour in April and turn back one hour in October. Daylight-Savings Time is set to ON when you receive your VCR. Turn Daylight-Savings Time ON or OFF by following the steps below. Before you begin: ● Make sure the clock is set. 1 2 3-4 POWER Press the VCR button. 1 VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY REW F.FWD STOP Press the MENU button.
Language Selection 17 Follow the steps below to change the language of the on-screen displays. 1 2 Press the VCR button. Press the MENU button. SELECT op CHOOSE B → PROGRAM VCR SET UP TUNER SET UP SET CLOCK 3-4 1 5 2 POWER VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY REW F.FWD STOP MENU STATUS/EXIT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 TO END PUSH EXIT 3 CLEAR CH 6 9 ALT. CH VOL 0 Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select VCR SET UP, then press the F.FWD/B button.
Remote Control Buttons EJECT Button Press to eject the tape. POWER Button Press to turn on or off the VCR or a Magnavox, Philips, or Philips Magnavox TV. (You must first press the VCR or TV button.) VCR Button Press to operate the VCR. PLAY/o Button Press to play a tape; press to release Search or Still mode and return to normal playback. Details are on page 35. Press to select an item in the on-screen menu.
Remote Control Buttons (cont’d) 19 VCR/TV Button Use to select the signal that your TV receives. VCR Position ● Use to watch a tape, to watch a program while recording it, or to watch a TV broadcast using the CH(annel) o/p or Number buttons to change channels at the VCR. If the VCR light appears on the display panel of the VCR, it is in VCR position. TV Position ● Use to watch TV (changing channels at the TV) or to watch one program while recording another. Details are on page 26.
On-Screen Status Displays A status display will appear when you press the STATUS/EXIT button or certain function buttons. The contents of the status display will vary. To choose the status display mode, follow the steps below. If you select STATUS ON, then select COUNTER ONLY ON: ● Whenever you press the STOP/p button or the PLAY/o button, the status display will appear for five seconds. After five seconds, only the counter will remain on-screen. You must press the STATUS/EXIT button to remove it.
VCR Display Panel 21 Cassette Compartment Insert a tape here. PLAY REW POWER CHANNEL VCR/TV F.FWD STOP/EJECT PAUSE REC/OTR REC(ord) Light This light appears during a recording. It flashes when a recording is paused. Timer Light This light glows when the VCR is turned off to set a timer recording or during a OneTouch Recording. It flashes if the power is off for a timer recording, but there is no tape in the VCR. It flashes when all timer recordings are finished. PWR.
Front Panel Remote Sensor Receives a signal from your remote control so you can operate your VCR from a distance. POWER Button Press to turn the VCR power on and off. F.FWD (Fast Forward) Button When playback is stopped, press to fast forward the tape at high speed. During tape playback, press to fast forward the tape while the picture stays on-screen. Details are on page 35. STOP/EJECT Button Press once to stop the tape. When playback is stopped, press to eject the tape.
Rear Panel 23 ANT(enna) IN Jack Connect your antenna or cable here. Details are on pages six-10. AUDIO IN Jack Connect a cable coming from the AUDIO OUT Jack of a camcorder, another VCR, or an audio source here. Details are on page 32. AUDIO OUT Jack Connect a cable going to the AUDIO IN Jack of a camcorder, another VCR, or an audio system here. Details are on page 32.
Playing 1 2 Read and follow the steps below to play a tape. 1 Turn on the TV and set it to channel 3 or 4, whichever channel the CH3/CH4 switch on the back of the VCR is set to. Turn on the TV. Insert a tape in the VCR. 2 Insert a tape in the VCR. The PWR., VCR, and Cassette-Inside lights will appear on the display panel. If the tape’s record tab has been removed, playback will start automatically. 3 If playback does not start automatically, press the VCR button, then press the PLAY/o button.
Recording 25 1 2 Read and follow the steps below to record a television program. 1 Turn on the TV and set it to channel 3 or 4, whichever channel the CH3/CH4 switch on the back of the VCR is set to. Turn on the TV. Insert a tape in the VCR. 4 2 3 4 3 5 6 5 7 Insert a tape with its record tab intact in the VCR. Press the VCR button. If the VCR light appears on the display panel, go to step 5. If the VCR light does not appear, press the VCR/TV button once.
Recording One Channel/Watching Another 1 2 Press the VCR button. Press the REC(ord)/OTR button to start a recording of the current channel. (See page 25.) 1&6 3&7 3 POWER Press the VCR/TV button to put the VCR in TV position. The VCR light will disappear from the VCR’s display panel. 4 Use the TV remote control to select the channel you want to watch at the TV.
One-Touch Recording 27 The One-Touch Recording (OTR) feature allows you to set an immediate timed recording 30 minutes to eight hours long. Before you begin: ● Set up the channels at the VCR. ● Select a recording speed (SP, SLP) with the SPEED button. ● Put a tape in the VCR. Make sure the tape’s record tab is intact and the tape is long enough to record the program(s). ● Place the VCR in VCR position. (The VCR light will appear on the display panel. If it does not, press the VCR/TV button once.
Timer Recording Follow the steps below to program your VCR to record TV programs while you’re away from home. The VCR will turn itself on, record, and turn itself off automatically. Before you begin: ● Set up the channels at the VCR. ● Set the clock. ● Put a tape in the VCR. Make sure the tape’s record tab is intact and the tape is long enough to record the program(s). ● Put the VCR in VCR position. The VCR light will appear on the display panel. If it does not, press the VCR/TV button once.
Timer Recording (cont’d) 29 4 Use the Number buttons (1 - 8) to select a slot in which to store the timer recording. There are eight slots. Numbers for open slots will flash on-screen. NOTE: If you enter a number for a slot that has already been used to store a timer recording, PREVIOUSLY SET PROGRAM will appear on-screen briefly. Information about the program in that slot will appear on-screen. If this happens, press the STATUS/EXIT button, then select another number.
Timer Recording (cont’d) 8 11 Press the Number 1 button to record in SP speed or the Number 2 button to record in SLP speed. (See the chart below.) You cannot use the SPEED button at this time. ONE TIME PROGRAM PROGRAM 1 CHANNEL 10 TIME ON 09:30 PM TIME OFF 11:00 PM REC SPEED SLP SP=1 SLP=2 POWER VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY TO CORRECT PUSH CLEAR TO END PUSH EXIT REW F.FWD STOP 9 MENU Press two Number buttons for the month and two Number buttons for the day you want to record the program.
Timer Recording (cont’d) 31 Checking or Cancelling Timer Recordings 2-3 1 With the VCR on and in VCR position (the VCR light will appear on the display panel), press the VCR button, then press the MENU button. 2 Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select PROGRAM, then press the F.FWD/B button. 3 Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select PROGRAM REVIEW, then press the F.FWD/B button.
Rerecording (Tape Duplication) 1. Audio cable from AUDIO OUT Jack of VCR 1 to AUDIO IN Jack of VCR 2 VCR 1 Playing VCR VCR 2 - Recording VCR ANT ANT IN IN AUDIO OUT AUDIO IN VIDEO OUT OUT CH3 CH4 IN VIDEO 2. Video cable from VIDEO OUT Jack of VCR 1 to VIDEO IN Jack of VCR 2 OUT CH3 CH4 3. RF coaxial cable from the OUT jack of VCR 2 to the TV’s ANTENNA IN Jack ● Audio and Video cables are not supplied. 1 2 3 Make the connections shown above. VCR 1 will play your tape.
Repeat Play 33 Follow the steps below to make the VCR play a tape over and over. 1 2 Press the VCR button. Press the MENU button. SELECT op CHOOSE B → PROGRAM VCR SET UP TUNER SET UP SET CLOCK TO END PUSH EXIT 3 1 4 2 POWER VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY REW F.FWD STOP MENU STATUS/EXIT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 CLEAR 3 5 6 CH 9 ALT. CH VOL 0 PAUSE/STILL SPEED Press the PLAY/o button or the STOP/p button to select VCR SET UP, then press the F.FWD/B button.
Real-Time Counter Memory Follow the steps below to reset the real-time counter to zero at a tape location you want to refer to later. 1 2 Press the VCR button. POWER Play, fast forward, or rewind a tape to the location that you would like to refer to later. Press the STOP/p button to stop the tape. 3 Press the STATUS/EXIT button to see the status display. STOP 1:08PM CH10 1 2 3 VCR/TV EJECT TV VCR PLAY REW F.FWD STOP MENU STATUS/EXIT 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 CLEAR 6 4 CH 9 ALT.
Special Effects Playback 35 Forward and Reverse Searching (SP/LP/SLP) 1 During tape playback, press and release the F.FWD/B button or the REW(ind)/{ button. A fast forward or reverse picture search will begin. POWER PLAY To return to playback, press the PLAY/o button. 1 During tape playback, press the F.FWD/B button or the REW(ind)/{ button, then press again. The VCR will now search in super high speed. EJECT TV VCR 2 Super High Speed Searching (LP/SLP) VCR/TV REW F.
Automatic Operation Features The following playback features will always operate. Automatic Playback When you put a tape in the VCR, the power will come on automatically. If the tape’s record tab is missing, playback will begin. If a timer recording is set, the power will not come on automatically when you insert a tape with the record tab intact. If a timer recording is set and the VCR power is off, the VCR will eject the tape if the record tab is missing.
Glossary 37 AUDIO IN/OUT Jacks: jacks located on the back of the VCR which are used to record audio from another source (IN) or to send audio to another system (OUT). Automatic Channel Setup: process in which the VCR memorizes all available channels. Then, when you press the CH(annel) o/p button, you only scan through channels you receive. Bands: settings that allow you to tune channels. • Antenna – VHF (very high frequency; channels 2 - 13) and UHF (ultra high frequency; channels 14 - 69).
Helpful Hints If you are having problems with your product, check this list of problems and possible solutions before requesting service. You may be able to solve the problem yourself. If you need to call a customer service representative, please know the model number and serial number of your product before you call. This information is displayed on the back of the product. Also, please take a moment to identify the problem you are having, and be prepared to explain this to the representative.
Helpful Hints (cont’d) 39 TV programs cannot be watched normally. • Put the VCR in TV position. (Press the VCR/TV button so that the VCR light disappears from the display panel. For details, see page 22.) • Check the connections between the VCR, TV, antenna/cable, and Cable Box/Direct Broadcast System (if applicable). (See pages six - 10 for details.) Tape cannot be inserted. • Insert the tape, window side up, with the record tab facing you.
Specifications Video Heads Two heads Video Signal EIA standards; NTSC color Antenna VHF/UHF – 75 ohm external antenna terminal VHF Output Signal Channel 03 or 04 (switchable) 75 ohms unbalanced Power Requirement 120V AC; 60Hz Power Consumption 14W Operating Temperature 41°F (5°C) to 104°F (40°C) Relative Humidity 10% to 80% Weight 5.51 lbs. (2.5 kg.
Limited Warranty 41 VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDER 90 Days Free Labor/One Year Parts Exchange. This product must be carried in for repair. WHO IS COVERED? You must have proof of purchase to receive warranty service. A sales receipt or other document showing that you purchased the product is considered proof of purchase. WHAT IS COVERED? Warranty coverage begins the day you buy your product. For 90 days thereafter, all parts will be repaired or replaced, and labor is free.
Index ac power cord.................................23 accessories .......................................44 alt.ch button.....................................19 ant(enna) in jack ...................6-10, 23 audio in/out jacks.......10, 23, 32, 37 automatic playback .......................................36 rewind, eject, off........................36 batteries ..............................................5 blue background..............................13 cassette compartment...................
SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES The following items are supplied with your VCR; they are provided to help you use or set up your VCR. POW ER VCR /TV VCR EJE TV RE W PL ME NU ST F.F STA /EX IT 2 4 CLE AR 3 5 7 6 8 ED WD TUS 1 SPE CT AY OP 0 CH 9 ALT .