UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Television and Video

Notices

Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 12th Nov 2019, 6:43 pm   #1
The gasman
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: Hull, Yorkshire and the Humber, UK.
Posts: 1
Default General video recorder VG240B

I’ve just inherited all my father in laws belongings and have come across this video cassette recorder I cannot find any info online about at all.
It’s made by General/Teleton which where based in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
The instruction book I have is printed in Japan

It looks like an old Betamax video to me as the tape entry point is small and the model VG240B suggests Betamax.

It’s really well made and heavy as Betamax video cassettes used to be. eg The heavier better made.

I have the full instruction booklet and users instructions but I cannot find any info online about it at all.

I know Sony Betamax where made in Japan.mine also states it was made in Japan also

Any info would be great as it’s doing my head in trying to find any info at all about it

Thanks
The gasman is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 9:23 pm   #2
Nickthedentist
Dekatron
 
Nickthedentist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Oxford, UK.
Posts: 17,820
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

Hello and welcome.

This may well be a Mitsubishi machine.

Nick
Nickthedentist is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 9:30 pm   #3
Red to black
Nonode
 
Red to black's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 2,473
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

All General machines I have ever seen were clones of Panasonic machines, plus I don't recall Mitsubishi as ever being part of the Beta camp, Tosh, Sanyo and maybe a few others were, Mitsubishi never were as far as I recall.

Edit: Pics of the machine and some of the deck (with the covers removed) would speak a thousand words
__________________
I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.

Last edited by Red to black; 12th Nov 2019 at 9:37 pm.
Red to black is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 9:50 pm   #4
FERNSEH
Dekatron
 
FERNSEH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 7,444
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

It's most likely a rebadged Toshiba V8600. I rented and sold a few General branded machines as well as the machines bought direct from Toshiba.
Absolutely superb machines, every bit as good as the Sony SL-C5.

Found this Betamax website: https://www.palsite.com/ov_toshiba.html

DFWB.
FERNSEH is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 9:58 pm   #5
Graham G3ZVT
Dekatron
 
Graham G3ZVT's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 18,676
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

Google responded to:

VG240B Betamax

with this:

https://www.palsite.com/tech.py?model=vg240atech.html

<edit> FERNSEH beat me to it.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	vg240a.jpg
Views:	162
Size:	22.8 KB
ID:	193644  
__________________
--
Graham.
G3ZVT
Graham G3ZVT is online now  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 9:59 pm   #6
Red to black
Nonode
 
Red to black's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 2,473
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

Interested to hear there were actual General branded Beta machines around David, the only General branded machines I ever saw were Panasonic D deck VHS machines, possibly a clone of a Nat Pan NV430.

If there were Beta machines of this brand then a clone of one of the "big three" Beta manufacturers would make most sense.

Edit: Nice one Graham
__________________
I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.
Red to black is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 10:16 pm   #7
FERNSEH
Dekatron
 
FERNSEH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 7,444
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

The General machines were finished in a champagne coloured cabinet. The Toshiba V8600 was grey.

DFWB.
FERNSEH is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 10:23 pm   #8
Red to black
Nonode
 
Red to black's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 2,473
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

I remember both the Tosh V8600 and the V9600 as I was one of the few that still would repair Beta machines back in the day when they had faded from grace, I must say though I had never heard of a General badged one before today, plenty of Sony and Sanyo models too of course, oh well every day is a school day
__________________
I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.
Red to black is offline  
Old 12th Nov 2019, 10:42 pm   #9
FERNSEH
Dekatron
 
FERNSEH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 7,444
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

Hi Baz,
you never stop learning with electronics. Keep's those grey cells active.
Toshiba V8600 was made in 1981.
The earlier big function keys model was available as a Bush. I remember attending a teach-in about the then new machine in 1980. Gosh, thirty-eight years ago!

DFWB.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Toshiba V8600..jpg
Views:	122
Size:	71.2 KB
ID:	193646  
FERNSEH is offline  
Old 18th Nov 2019, 1:35 pm   #10
Sanbeta
Hexode
 
Sanbeta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 256
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

General DID make Beta machines and the only one i can remember was a clone of the Toshiba V31B.
I owned a V31b from new and despite the excellent picture quality it's always laced feature did cause bad wear to my tapes and the inevitable 'bumping' during rewind ,which was a shame.
I have one of the General VG240b's here and after replacing the belt's it works really well. The tuner side is defunct ,just as well as analogue has been put in the dustbin of history now.
You will more than likely need a full new belt set as the Toshibas tend to turn into tar/glue for some reason.

.....Kev
Sanbeta is offline  
Old 18th Nov 2019, 2:36 pm   #11
Welsh Anorak
Dekatron
 
Welsh Anorak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: North Wales, UK.
Posts: 6,884
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

As the man says, you never stop learning! I've only ever seen a Panasonic General, possibly a NV333 clone, and then I think a Funai, though I might be wrong on that one.
That looks a nice machine as all the Toshiba Betas were - even the old single-motor mechanical. The exception was the V31 which used to eat heads and upper drums, sometimes in a matter of months. As usual, Toshiba were very aware of this and supplied FOC parts for a while, though the fact Beta was dying out meant most customers gave up after the third head replacement and bought a VHS.
__________________
Glyn
www.gdelectronics.wales
Welsh Anorak is offline  
Old 19th Nov 2019, 2:00 am   #12
Sanbeta
Hexode
 
Sanbeta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 256
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

Quote:
Originally Posted by Welsh Anorak View Post
That looks a nice machine as all the Toshiba Betas were .
The exception being the 9600 what a hideous machine. Don't know what Toshiba were thinking when they designed that.

Sanbeta is offline  
Old 19th Nov 2019, 7:21 pm   #13
Maarten
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Haarlem, Netherlands
Posts: 4,185
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sanbeta View Post
General DID make Beta machines and the only one i can remember was a clone of the Toshiba V31B.
General/Fujitsu General/Teleton never made Beta machines (or any brown goods I think), but as is obvious from this topic, they did sell Toshiba made Beta machines (no clone, just a parallel model from the same factory) under their own brand.

It may sound a bit pedantic, but it's important to be precise with things like this. Words like 'clone' and 'made by / make' are often misused slightly and can then cause confusion as to which company did what and how.
Maarten is offline  
Old 23rd Nov 2019, 5:09 pm   #14
Welsh Anorak
Dekatron
 
Welsh Anorak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: North Wales, UK.
Posts: 6,884
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

A valid point. However there were a number of Teleton televisions that were pretty unique to them, I believe.
As an example of a 'clone', I'd choose the Vestel 11AK10 (I think). Sold as the Bush 2020, it was almost identical to the Goldstar chassis. Similar but not identical to the originals were the Huanyu TV (Hitahi 1471) and the Perdio 20" (Toshiba).
__________________
Glyn
www.gdelectronics.wales
Welsh Anorak is offline  
Old 24th Nov 2019, 4:57 pm   #15
dj_fivos_sak
Heptode
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Lefkada, Greece
Posts: 969
Default Re: General video recorder VG240B

General Betamax machines were made by Toshiba. See this multi system model, clone of the Toshiba V-5480:
https://www.milanuncios.com/videos-v...s-46179750.htm
dj_fivos_sak is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 2:31 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.