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  1. Member
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    Hello everyone,

    This doesn't fall under DVD or Blu-Ray players... but it is indeed a player!

    I have a 1979 Quasar VCR that actually works! It plays, rewinds, stops, pauses, records, fast forwards.

    Here is the problem, I have no color at all. Just black and white.

    I have searched the internet since I got this machine (August 2018) and can't find any schematics.

    I brought this to a local TV repair center (family owned since the 1960s) and the main tech managed to fix the tracking issues I was having, but couldn't figure out what the issues are with the color.

    I was hoping by some miracle that someone could point my in the direction for a schematic for this unit (or close to it, this is obviously Panasonic made).


    If this post shouldn't be here, please move it to somewhere it could be seen and possibly have help, I apologize if it's in the wrong area.

    Thanks for looking at my post.

    S.O.S.
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  2. Member
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    It's actually a 5100QW! I was reading it upside like a dumby. Sorry.
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  3. Member hech54's Avatar
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    Yank in Europe
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    What kind of output(s) does it have?
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  4. Member
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    Wow, Quasar, now I haven't heard that name for a coon's age! Quasar's Great Time Machine
    Are you sure it's not a VH-5010? Which along with the VH-5000 were Quasar's first foray into VHS, before that Quasar used their failed VR1000 format. Both the VH-5000 and VH-5010 were made by Matsushita(as was the VR1000) which also made VCRs for RCA, Panasonic, National, Philco, Magnavox, Curtis Mathes and several other brands. The VH5010 was a '79 year model and the VH5000 was a '78, most notably the 5010 had a better timer, otherwise, they were very similar. Both retailed(and basically sold for at the time) a cool $1100! which according to my handy dandy inflation calculator, would be over $4000 today
    Both were a 2/4hr(SP/LP) only machine that IMO made rather dismal recordings on either SP or LP due to Matsushita using the same 2 heads to record SP and LP. Because of this to avoid overwriting on LP the head gap was basically made for LP and wasted quite a bit of tape area when using SP. SP still looked better than LP but not as good as JVCs SP only machines, which were optimized for SP. Instead of going that route JVC later came up with 4 video head machines for their SP/EP(SLP) multi-speed VCRs and all but ignored the LP speed.
    Oh the remote for the 5000/5010 recorders was a simple wired PAUSE control, its input and outputs were composite/mono audio and RF in modulated RF (CH3/4) out.
    Is the color missing on both composite and the modulated RF out?
    These VCRs were built like a tank, coming at a few pounds shy of 40lbs!
    Last edited by jjeff; 10th Feb 2019 at 22:22.
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  5. Member
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    Hi guys! thanks for replying! it is indeed a VH-5100QW.

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    It has coax out as well as VHF(?) I believe, out, the little forks that old TVs used, it is RCA out as well, but mono sound of course, only Yellow and Red.

    It is B/W via all those outputs, and the strange thing is, I had my Xbox 360 hooked up to it, and it was running thru the machine (I.E. the Xbox was going into the INput and the VCR was going into my TV via the OUTput) it was full color.... but as soon as I popped in a tape of choice, it went back to B/W. I tried to record something on tape but it just recorded static with sound apparently..., I may need to try a better tape to test out on.

    Thanks for the replies!
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  6. Member
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    I'd like to also add, I did indeed try this VCR on anther television, I have a 1990 Sears/Sanyo 27" TV that was top of the line for 1990. And it still shows it in Black and White.
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  7. Member
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    Nov 2007
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    Minneapolis MN
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    Oh I see, thats kind of a hybrid. The new fangled push button digital tuner(the first VCRs had the clunky mechanical knob) along with a nice digital clock but the old fashioned piano keys for tape transport functions. From the photo it looks like it still tops out at LP? of so I'd say it was a very late '79 approaching 80, I believe 80/81 was the first year of the SLP speed(or EP as JVC built VCRs called it). And of course like all VCRs of that vintage, it was a top loader which I personally liked for ease of servicing.
    Very weird serial number......SB
    Looks to be in very good shape cosmetically.
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  8. I hope this goes to the correct place. For black and white color issues make sure the cables are in the correct ports and that the cable is not broken or corroded in areas. Bad cables may cause color issues.
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