Sanyo VT20C V-Cord Cassette Playback. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Panrock · 9th Jul 2024, 7:52 am

Hi, mods please move if necessary.

I have a friend in Australia who wants to see what's on two obsolete format video cassettes that were recorded by a deceased colleague.

These are Sanyo VT20C V-Cord cassettes and were definitely recorded as PAL (not NTSC).

Can anyone help or advise?

Thanks,

Steve

TIMTAPE · 10th Jul 2024, 8:46 am

Steve, I'm in Oz and have checked a couple of contacts with no success although there's a possible lead to someone in Adelaide who may still own a V Cord machine. Will get back on that.

It was a short lived format. Sanyo dropped it after a couple of years and threw their lot in with Beta. I imagine the US would be a more likely source for someone who has a working machine and can make a transfer.

Another option to at least find out the subject of the recordings would be to transfer just the audio, which could possibly be done on a Betamax or VHS machine, or even a suitable 1/2" open reel tape machine. I could do that here in Perth.

Tim

Kurrajong · 10th Jul 2024, 12:36 pm

Thanks v much Tim. (As it happens I've been in Adelaide for a few days.)

A few weeks ago Wayne of https://www.copytodisc.com.au/services/ (in Kilburn in Adelaide) told me that they might have had the capability some years ago, but don't now. He thought their old machines had gone to the National Film & Sound Archive (NFSA) in Canberra, but when I inquired there they replied that they couldn't help. I got the same answer from three other transfer services in Sydney and Canberra (that I'd previously used).
Then a friend recommended http://moviemomentstransfers.com.au/ (also in Adelaide) who told me the other day that they knew of the V-cord format and that I wouldn't have any hope in Australia, and to try overseas.
Which led me to Obsolete Video Services in Arizona. Their 'Sanyo V-cord VTC-7100 Custom Cables For Modern Transfers'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8ovwNY5FCM of 8 Sept 2020 was v encouraging. I emailed them and received a prompt reply that, yes, their machine(s) still work and they can transfer from V-cord -- but NTSC only.

I'm ignorant (especially in the context of this Forum!) about what happens when a PAL tape is played in an NTSC machine. Does the audio come through? Is the vision at all interpretable (or convertible)?

Your thought Tim about getting the audio only is an interesting. How feasible is it?
Presumable the tape would need to be extracted from the cassette and put on some other carrier (a different cassette or a reel).

And of course I'll be interested in the "possible lead to someone in Adelaide".
David

TIMTAPE · 10th Jul 2024, 2:31 pm

David, it was Wayne I spoke to and you've already covered that base. An NTSC V Cord player will probably play the audio but 20% fast, which is trivial to speed correct digitally. Others here will know whether any sort of picture is viewable playing PAL on NTSC. Perhaps other vintage 1/2" open reel EIAJ machines would at least play the audio, possibly needing a speed correction.

9th Jul 2024, 7:52 am	#1
Panrock Nonode Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 2,561	Sanyo VT20C V-Cord Cassette Playback. Hi, mods please move if necessary. I have a friend in Australia who wants to see what's on two obsolete format video cassettes that were recorded by a deceased colleague. These are Sanyo VT20C V-Cord cassettes and were definitely recorded as PAL (not NTSC). Can anyone help or advise? Thanks, Steve Attached Thumbnails __________________ https://www.radiocraft.co.uk

10th Jul 2024, 8:46 am	#2
TIMTAPE Nonode Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 2,043	Re: Sanyo VT20C V-Cord Cassette Playback. Steve, I'm in Oz and have checked a couple of contacts with no success although there's a possible lead to someone in Adelaide who may still own a V Cord machine. Will get back on that. It was a short lived format. Sanyo dropped it after a couple of years and threw their lot in with Beta. I imagine the US would be a more likely source for someone who has a working machine and can make a transfer. Another option to at least find out the subject of the recordings would be to transfer just the audio, which could possibly be done on a Betamax or VHS machine, or even a suitable 1/2" open reel tape machine. I could do that here in Perth. Tim

10th Jul 2024, 12:36 pm	#3
Kurrajong Diode Join Date: Jul 2024 Location: Parkes, New South Wales, Australia. Posts: 1	Re: Sanyo VT20C V-Cord Cassette Playback. Thanks v much Tim. (As it happens I've been in Adelaide for a few days.) A few weeks ago Wayne of https://www.copytodisc.com.au/services/ (in Kilburn in Adelaide) told me that they might have had the capability some years ago, but don't now. He thought their old machines had gone to the National Film & Sound Archive (NFSA) in Canberra, but when I inquired there they replied that they couldn't help. I got the same answer from three other transfer services in Sydney and Canberra (that I'd previously used). Then a friend recommended http://moviemomentstransfers.com.au/ (also in Adelaide) who told me the other day that they knew of the V-cord format and that I wouldn't have any hope in Australia, and to try overseas. Which led me to Obsolete Video Services in Arizona. Their 'Sanyo V-cord VTC-7100 Custom Cables For Modern Transfers'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8ovwNY5FCM of 8 Sept 2020 was v encouraging. I emailed them and received a prompt reply that, yes, their machine(s) still work and they can transfer from V-cord -- but NTSC only. I'm ignorant (especially in the context of this Forum!) about what happens when a PAL tape is played in an NTSC machine. Does the audio come through? Is the vision at all interpretable (or convertible)? Your thought Tim about getting the audio only is an interesting. How feasible is it? Presumable the tape would need to be extracted from the cassette and put on some other carrier (a different cassette or a reel). And of course I'll be interested in the "possible lead to someone in Adelaide". David

10th Jul 2024, 2:31 pm	#4
TIMTAPE Nonode Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 2,043	Re: Sanyo VT20C V-Cord Cassette Playback. David, it was Wayne I spoke to and you've already covered that base. An NTSC V Cord player will probably play the audio but 20% fast, which is trivial to speed correct digitally. Others here will know whether any sort of picture is viewable playing PAL on NTSC. Perhaps other vintage 1/2" open reel EIAJ machines would at least play the audio, possibly needing a speed correction.