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Vintage Television and Video Vintage television and video equipment, programmes, VCRs etc. |
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4th Feb 2017, 5:59 pm | #1 |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Lefkada, Greece
Posts: 969
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Panasonic's first front loading VHS machine?
Hi guys.
Check out what I found while searching on a Greek auction site. It's a Middle-Eastern-market multi system National Panasonic NV-390-EM which was made in April of 1981 as you can see from the serial nubmer. I think there's no other Panasonic model that looks like this. Considering this machine came out a year after the JVC HR-7700 (3V23), would this be National/Panasonic's first front loading VHS VCR? Also, which mechanism does this machine use? Probably the same one as the NV-7000/7500 but with a front loading cassette carriage instead of a top loading one I guess. Thanks for looking! Fivos |
4th Feb 2017, 6:35 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 2,473
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Re: Panasonic's first front loading VHS machine?
I don't think we had that model in the UK, or at least I don't recall seeing it.
The first front loading Panasonic I can recall was the NV-370 which I think used the D or D1 deck, it was quite a nice machine both to look at and work on too.
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I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it. Last edited by Red to black; 4th Feb 2017 at 6:42 pm. Reason: added pic |
4th Feb 2017, 7:36 pm | #3 |
Heptode
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Lefkada, Greece
Posts: 969
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Re: Panasonic's first front loading VHS machine?
There are three earlier front loading models than the NV-730 which came to the UK. The NV-600 and the NV-777/788 (1982/1983). "A" deck mechanism.
Fivos |
4th Feb 2017, 7:56 pm | #4 |
Nonode
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 2,473
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Re: Panasonic's first front loading VHS machine?
It is the Nv 370 shown above not the 730
The NV 370 followed on from the earlier NV-333 and NV366 top loaders
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I don't suffer from Insanity. I enjoy every minute of it. |
4th Feb 2017, 8:12 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
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Re: Panasonic's first front loading VHS machine?
I don't think multi-standard recorders and receivers were ever very popular in the UK, with its own unique broadcast standard (PAL, but with a 6 MHz sound carrier and only on UHF) and mostly too far from the Continent to receive foreign broadcasts.
I suppose there could have been a cut-down version for the UK, though .....
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5th Feb 2017, 1:23 am | #6 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Haarlem, Netherlands
Posts: 4,185
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Re: Panasonic's first front loading VHS machine?
I think the NV-370 might be a 1982 or 1983 model, so there might be an earlier European model. Or the NV-390 was a bit of an experiment, 1981 is quite early for a front loader.
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5th Feb 2017, 4:17 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING.
Posts: 9,145
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Re: Panasonic's first front loading VHS machine?
NV370. One of the top 3 best video recorders of all time. Serviced very large numbers. John.
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