What year did Long Play (LP) become available on UK VCRs? - Page 2 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

G6Tanuki · 30th Oct 2017, 7:13 pm

The first VHS my parents owned [rather than renting, which they did for their first couple of recorders: Radio Rentals knew how to big-up the "It's new technology - it could be unreliable - new heads will cost you hundreds of pounds, that's covered if you rent!"] was a Long Play Panny [model forgotten].

This would have been mid-1980s.

They - along with their circle of friends - were seriously into 'light opera' and the coming of the LP VHS recorder meant they gained the convenience of being able to record an entire saturday- or sunday-evening's BBC2 opera (including the inevitable hour-long interlewd waffle by a couple of talking-heads inevitably called something like 'Humphrey' and "Joan") on a single tape for sharing with their cronies.

Once one member of the 'underground opera-video-sharing coven' got a LP recorder everyone else shortly followed, for fear of not being able to see what the others had!

FERNSEH · 30th Oct 2017, 7:36 pm

I got the intro dates of the Ferguson models 3V31 and 3V32 wrong. It is indeed 1982 and 1983 respectively. Bad form because I used to sell and rent these VCRs.
From the July 1983 issue of Ferguson Feedback, amongst others the introduction of the Ferguson 3V32:
The Ferguson 3V32 replaces the single speed 3V31 and incorporates all the features of it's predecessor. These included: Stereo Sound. Assemble Edit. Insert Edit. Micro-computer controlled "Still" "Frame Advance" and "Slow Motion Playback. X2 and Search Playback. Dolby Noise Reduction.
The new model includes one facility which was not incorporated in the model 3V32. This is a Long Play feature whereby the 3V32 may be set to the "LP" position of a SP/LP switch, the only extra user control.

DFWB.

Maarten · 31st Oct 2017, 10:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by rambo1152

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave walsh

I remember a great deal of annoyance when it was claimed the same recorders, with the same control chip were being sold as one or two speed versions depending on how they were wired. Urban myth or disingenuous behaviour

I worked for GTVR at that time.

Whether it's disingenuous or simply good business practice depends on which side of the fence you are on. It probably costs the manufactures peanuts to add the extra features in the upmarket models.

What is GTVR?

Anyway, the cheapest LP models only had 2 video heads, so making it a firmware feature sure seems feasible to me. However I don't know of any major brand that used 2 heads on LP models, they all had 4 so it would have cost significantly more to manufacture.

Welsh Anorak · 2nd Nov 2017, 2:30 pm

Hi
GTVR -Granada TV Rentals.
The Amstrad 4600 I mentioned earlier was, at least over here, a major brand with a 2-head LP system. Funai cutting corners as usual!
Just to correct my previous post (#20) the first Panasonic LP machine was the NV688. The NV366 was indeed a 4-head machine but was just an upmarket NV333 with better still and search facilities but only SP. The '688 wasn't a great machine but the NV730 that came later was a very good performer, despite its unhealthy appetite for heads.
Hitachi's first LP machine was the VT17/19 which worked quite well. However the top board was covered in that horrible brown glue which, once it had hardened and started to conduct, paved the way for all sorts of nasty faults. Granada rented a lot of these which came available on the ex-rental market when they were fairly young for this reason. I developed a healthy dislike for these machines. Their version was in battleship grey with 'Programmable' proudly displayed on the front.
Glyn

electronicskip · 2nd Nov 2017, 5:05 pm

Philips N1702 Circa 1979 has a long play facility.
http://oldtechnology.net/detailsn1702.html

Graham G3ZVT · 2nd Nov 2017, 5:14 pm

Didn't some people turn down the diameter of the N1500 capstan shaft on a lathe, to increase the recording time?

Welsh Anorak · 2nd Nov 2017, 5:41 pm

I'm sure our friend Mike Phelan penned some articles about doing just that.
I think the OP was meaning LP on VHS which meant that the machine could work in both standards. Philips had the VCR and VCR-LP systems. Anyone who's tried to play an N1500 tape on an N1700 (or vice versa) will tell you they aren't compatible, and I'm certain there wasn't a dual-speed machine due to the different head gap width.
Glyn

30th Oct 2017, 7:13 pm	#21
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,998	Re: What year did Long Play (LP) become available on UK VCRs? The first VHS my parents owned [rather than renting, which they did for their first couple of recorders: Radio Rentals knew how to big-up the "It's new technology - it could be unreliable - new heads will cost you hundreds of pounds, that's covered if you rent!"] was a Long Play Panny [model forgotten]. This would have been mid-1980s. They - along with their circle of friends - were seriously into 'light opera' and the coming of the LP VHS recorder meant they gained the convenience of being able to record an entire saturday- or sunday-evening's BBC2 opera (including the inevitable hour-long interlewd waffle by a couple of talking-heads inevitably called something like 'Humphrey' and "Joan") on a single tape for sharing with their cronies. Once one member of the 'underground opera-video-sharing coven' got a LP recorder everyone else shortly followed, for fear of not being able to see what the others had!

30th Oct 2017, 7:36 pm	#22
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: What year did Long Play (LP) become available on UK VCRs? I got the intro dates of the Ferguson models 3V31 and 3V32 wrong. It is indeed 1982 and 1983 respectively. Bad form because I used to sell and rent these VCRs. From the July 1983 issue of Ferguson Feedback, amongst others the introduction of the Ferguson 3V32: The Ferguson 3V32 replaces the single speed 3V31 and incorporates all the features of it's predecessor. These included: Stereo Sound. Assemble Edit. Insert Edit. Micro-computer controlled "Still" "Frame Advance" and "Slow Motion Playback. X2 and Search Playback. Dolby Noise Reduction. The new model includes one facility which was not incorporated in the model 3V32. This is a Long Play feature whereby the 3V32 may be set to the "LP" position of a SP/LP switch, the only extra user control. DFWB. Attached Thumbnails

2nd Nov 2017, 2:30 pm	#24
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,921	Re: What year did Long Play (LP) become available on UK VCRs? Hi GTVR -Granada TV Rentals. The Amstrad 4600 I mentioned earlier was, at least over here, a major brand with a 2-head LP system. Funai cutting corners as usual! Just to correct my previous post (#20) the first Panasonic LP machine was the NV688. The NV366 was indeed a 4-head machine but was just an upmarket NV333 with better still and search facilities but only SP. The '688 wasn't a great machine but the NV730 that came later was a very good performer, despite its unhealthy appetite for heads. Hitachi's first LP machine was the VT17/19 which worked quite well. However the top board was covered in that horrible brown glue which, once it had hardened and started to conduct, paved the way for all sorts of nasty faults. Granada rented a lot of these which came available on the ex-rental market when they were fairly young for this reason. I developed a healthy dislike for these machines. Their version was in battleship grey with 'Programmable' proudly displayed on the front. Glyn

2nd Nov 2017, 5:05 pm	#25
electronicskip Nonode Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK. Posts: 2,150	Re: What year did Long Play (LP) become available on UK VCRs? Philips N1702 Circa 1979 has a long play facility. http://oldtechnology.net/detailsn1702.html

2nd Nov 2017, 5:14 pm	#26
Graham G3ZVT Dekatron Join Date: May 2010 Location: Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 18,715	Re: What year did Long Play (LP) become available on UK VCRs? Didn't some people turn down the diameter of the N1500 capstan shaft on a lathe, to increase the recording time? __________________ -- Graham. G3ZVT

2nd Nov 2017, 5:41 pm	#27
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,921	Re: What year did Long Play (LP) become available on UK VCRs? I'm sure our friend Mike Phelan penned some articles about doing just that. I think the OP was meaning LP on VHS which meant that the machine could work in both standards. Philips had the VCR and VCR-LP systems. Anyone who's tried to play an N1500 tape on an N1700 (or vice versa) will tell you they aren't compatible, and I'm certain there wasn't a dual-speed machine due to the different head gap width. Glyn