1985 Panasonic VCR & video camera question

[Scotch]

Hello everyone. This is my first time asking a question on this website, and my issue is a bit complicated, but I will try my best to explain it, so please be patient with me.



Recently, I bought a used Panasonic Omnivision model PV-5800D portable top-loading VHS VCR, along with its accompanying Panasonic model PV-A580 separate external tuner, and the Panasonic model PK-410 Newvicon color video camera with manual focus & a very small detachable microphone that plugs in to a socket on the top, with the Panasonic model PK-A789S power supply for the camera, all manufactured in 1985, at a local estate sale. All four machines are still in excellent condition, and they all still work perfectly, so I am very happy with all of them, but they just have one little issue that I am confused about.



A few weeks ago, I tried to connect my rabbit ears antenna with my digital TV converter box to the PV-A580 tuner, set to channel 3, which is plugged in to the PV-5800D VCR, and I was able to get a picture when I connected them to my TV using an RF cable & my TV tuned to channel 3. The issue that I am having is that the picture only came in when I pushed the TV/VCR button on the external tuner to the outer position, with the red indicator light right next to the button turned off. When I pushed the button to the inner position, with the indicator light turned on, the picture completely cut out. I tried a short test recording with the converter box, but nothing was recorded.



I also tried connecting the VCR to my TV with white & yellow RCA plugs on the right side of the VCR, and there was no picture from the digital converter box at all, but the VCR plays tapes perfectly with it connected to my TV with either the RF connexion or the RCA type connexion. The VCR also records movies from the camera perfectly, with no problems at all.



The Panasonic model PV-A580 electronic tuner is an older analogue push button/thumb wheel type with twelve separate buttons for channels 2 thru 13 right underneath the lighted channel numbers with the letters "a" thru "l" on them, and a panel underneath them that flips open & closed with twelve "low high" white flat rotating thumb wheel dials for each channel, twelve yellow round "tuning control" knobs with little triangles on them, and twelve red "channel range" switches with three positions for VHF low channels 2 thru 6, VHF high channels 7 thru 13, and UHF channels 14 thru 83, and an AFT on/off switch.



Here is my question: Does any one know what I could be doing wrong with setting up my rabbit ears & digital converter box, which is not letting me get a TV signal to record on it, and why is it recording movies from my camera with no problems? I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, and I think it must be something simple. Unfortunately, none of these four machines came with any of the owner's manuals or boxes they originally came in, and I've tried looking online for them, but I can't find any of them for sale anywhere.



If any one on here is familiar with this model of VCR & tuner, then any suggestions would really be appreciated.



Thank you.

[davexnet]

Analog TV over the air TV NTSC signals were phased out about 15 years ago.
There's probably nothing there

[Scotch]

Analog TV over the air TV NTSC signals were phased out about 15 years ago.
There's probably nothing there

With all due respect, I already know that there are no analogue channels left, and I still remember the transition on Friday, 12 June, 2009. I can pick up several channels with my main TV & rabbit ears, and also with my rabbit ears & my digital converter box connected to my older TVs. My inquiry is why my VCR tuner is only accepting the signals with my rabbit ears when it is connected with the RF connexion, and why the picture cuts out when I switch to the VCR setting, and why it will not record any signals.

[davexnet]

Fair enough.
SO your digital converter box has RF-in for picking up analog channels? IF so why do you need to use the tuner you just picked up?
I've got no idea what the switch on the tuner could be for. Does the tuner have a composite connection output rather than just the RF?
Here's a service manual , perhaps it may be worth picking it up
https://www.ebay.com/itm/335153749731?_trksid=p2332490.c101224.m-1
Good luck

[lordsmurf]

With all due respect, I already know that there are no analogue channels left.

It was a perfectly on-point reply ... and you got indignant that it was made?
Anyway...

Channel 3 isn't always the "input" channel. You need to refer to the manual. Or look for a switch, either internal or external. Maybe even on the bottom of the unit. We even had a set where the "Ch3" was flipped, and "Ch2" (Ch4?) was actually Ch3.

Some of those digital converter boxes only really worked with composite ("RCA", yellow wire) connections. I saw a lot of digital tuners that had pathetic weak RF outputs.

In the 2020s, many of the digital signals are also now non-SD, and your 1985 VCR has no idea what that is.

[Scotch]

Thanks for the suggestions. Perhaps I should have clarified that the only reason why I am asking this question is because I don't have any of the owner's manuals for the VCR or the camera, which are hard to find. I was able to find a web site which has a PDF copy of the owner's manual for the Panasonic model PK-A789S camera power supply, but it's irrelevant to this issue.



My digital converter box has the analogue pass-through feature, and also the customary antenna input & RF output sockets, and it also has RCA type outputs. The external VCR tuner has RF input & output sockets for the VHF antenna & separate twin-lead input & output sockets with screws for the UHF antenna. The right side of the VCR has RCA sockets for the video inputs & outputs, and also an audio output socket which is also labelled "EARPHONE", and one more socket labelled "MIC", but there is no audio input socket.



The only other sockets on the side of the VCR is one for the corded remote control, which I have, and still works, and another one for the power supply socket, where the tuner plugs in with a thick cord & an unusual, large plug, which I have never seen before on any other machine. There is also the tracking knob & the channel 3 / 4 switch.



Maybe it's possible to bypass the separate external tuner & just plug in my digital converter box straight in to the VCR's RCA input sockets, but it would only produce video without audio, since it has no audio input socket, which doesn't make any sense. The VCR would also be unable to turn on since the tuner is also the power supply, and the old batteries for it are no-longer available.



As for the service manual, it doesn't need service right now, but I may consider it at some time in the future, so thanks for the link.



In conclusion, I'm still confused by the issue, so any suggestions are much appreciated.



Thank you.

[davexnet]

See if there is anything useful here