Hi fellow U-matic users.

I am after around a dozen 7 pin Y/C Dub Cables that were used by most of the Broadcast U-matic machines back in the day.

If anyone knows where I can obtain these then please let me know

Alex Z

Dear friends, I'm from Spain, sorry for my English. I have a problem with my SONY VO-8800P portable u-matic so player, because I play a tape and apears in black&white and without sound.

I don't know if there are a incompatibility problem between player/tape.

I hope your answer.

Best regards

Greetings!

I will buy your VO-9850, VO-9800, VO-9600, VP-9000, BVU-950, BVU-920, BVU-900, and BVU-850. Email Carl at [email protected]

Hello everyone!

Wondering if anyone has a Sony Umatic DMR-4000 service manual for sale?

I'm also interested in Umatic 3/4" test/ alignment tape.

Looking forward!

Moe

(this is posted on 01 June 2019)

Hello U-Matic Friends,

I have 22 NOS of Sony U-Matic KCA-60's, of which 12 are in an unopened case from Sony (still has staples in it, never been opened) as well as another case with 10 unopened/unused KCA-60's in it. These are the ones which have the colorful case graphic sleeve (red, green, yellow, blue stripes) and black case. Each case has the original contents inside and never been opened.

If you are interested (USA Only) please email me at my address below and i can send you pictures and discuss cost.

Thank you very much,

David

[email protected]

OHIO USA

Did anyone find a PDF manual for the VP1210 UK?

If so, could you let me know where to obtain it or could you email it to me? Cheers, H

I apologize, I accidentally put my first post of this on the Betamax chat page.

Hey Everyone. Fancy finding this sort of thing. I recently got ahold of a small pile of U-matic tapes and a player in a warehouse clearance. I'd love to find out what's on the tapes. However, The player I acquired is the BVU-150, and all the tapes are the "large size" format, (such as the 3M UCA-10) that the BVU-150 can't deal with. I haven't tested said device, as I have nothing to test it with, although I do have the carrying bag and strap for it. I will admit, I don't know if the BVU-150 works. But it does open and close. There is no battery in it.

I am in Detroit, USA.

If someone would be interested in perhaps trading that BVU-150 for a player that can handle those tapes (and is of similar performance, preferably) , I'd be interested.

Thank you!

PS: In the same set I ended up with a pile of Betacam SP tapes and bought a UVW-1600 off Ebay to play them, and it worked a treat. Really interesting stuff. I'll probably rip them and put them on Youtube at some point.

Hello Dogapult, In USA the system is NTSC and in others countries PAL this page is for PAL but welcome

I have a U-matic Sony VO-2630 (PAL low band) and I want tapes but exist 3 types in small and big:

low band, hi band and SP

Of what type are your tapes?

The vcrs play the more old formats but not the more new and I am not sure if a tape hi band and SP tapes damage the low band vcrs and if the SP tapes damage the hi band vcrs

Do you know or somebody knows?

For Sale For Sale For Sale For Sale For Sale.........

Hi I currently have 4 x VO 9800P U-matic machines for sale - brand New and in there original box.

Each machine is still within its original Sony Wrap. We have also just had them fully serviced by a Sony engineer to make sure the greece etc has not dried out as this can happen when stored for a long period of time.

The hours are 0 on the machines so they are literally brand new.

Please let me know if you are interested in these machines - ideal for archive

you can contact me at [email protected] or call 0044 (0)1932 240305.

Kindest Regards

Chris

Hi can someone please tell me if the VO-5630 is hi band or lo band. Thanks in advance

My Sony U-matic V0 9800 SP is NTSC, sorry, but, still hoping for help.

I have a box of quite a few KCS-20 Umatic S video tapes. I have played a couple of others in my machine a year ago or so, but having troubles with this 'new' bunch. 1st one I tried my machine tried to load, pulled the tape out of the cassette about an inch, or 2.54 cm, then it stops, and after a few seconds the machine goes into Error 20 mode. Then it won't eject the tape. I finally opened the machine, lifted the tape off the pullout spindle, pulled the tape carriage up and got the tape out that way.

So, I put in my testing tape, a 60BRS full size tape, and it loaded, played, and ejected no problems.

I have not tried any of the other KCS-20 tapes yet.

I've been told the KCS-20 tapes have been sitting in their big cardboard box since about 1980. They look ok to me, just looking at them.

Any thoughts ?

Could I try baking the video tapes ?

Steve, KCS tapes are known for their 'sticky tape syndrome', start baking them probably for a few days as they appear to be really bad.

Thank you Roderick. So, how do I go about safely baking the KCS tapes ?

How to Bake a Video Tape

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qJ9s9iTCFY

Roderick, everything I've read do NOT mention Sony KCS-20 tapes as having sticky shed syndrome problem. Do you know if those tapes can have the problem too ?

Hello,

how can I check which Umatic VTR model has a TBC?

Is the BVU 950P the only machine which has a TBC?

br

Christoph

Dear Christoph G.

as far as I know all BVU models have built-in TBC.

Half speed u-matic?

A guy on another forum has me tapes that appear to be recorded at half speed. Does anybody remember such a machine?

I vaguely remember one, but can't find any info.

Cheers, Phil.

Hi Phil,

maybe it's just standard format related. Are you trying to play a NTSC tape on a PAL VCR or viceversa?

Hello dear U-Matic friends!

My name is Hans Crispin and i live and work in Stockholm Sweden. I am looking to buy a Sony VP 9000 U-Matic or a Sony VP 9600 U-Matic Both in PAL. It must be compatible with both lowband , highband and SP in good working condition. Please give me a call or drop me a E-mail if you have any of the above for sale!

Best regards to you all

Hans Crispin

Cell +46 70 590 77 88

[email protected]

Hellow Phil,

Sony VO-7000, this is a 2 Hour U-Matic (normal and extended play/Rec. )

Hi guys. I've just bought a sony sl 6ub mk2 which needs a set of belts and the caps replacing on the servo board. Where can I buy the replacement parts from especially the belts. Many thanks David

Hi , thank you. I use to run a VHS Pal duplicating operation many years ago. Since retired, I still have approximately, 70 to 100 brand new, blank unused, packed low band Umatic tapes which I would like to sell for a nominal amount, rather than throw them away and to create some space. Please contact me for a good exchange of a reasonable price, please offer, thank you.

In the late 1970s we made a 16mm school film which the BBC kindly did a transfer to U-matic and VHS for us.

Former pupils would like to see the film again yet the VHS transfer is poor and as their teacher (now retired) I would like to find someone with a U-matic recorder who could make a transfer to an electronic file for a modest charge.

Our universities in Manchester do not have this equipment now, nor does the BBC of course. The cassette is FUJI and is likely to be a hi-band transfer.

Does anyone in Britain know of someone with a functioning recorder that can playback this material (16mins), please?

Thanks, Raymond Walker, Wilmslow, Cheshire

Hi!

I've found in my parts stock 2 Sony cards with a BVU form factor, but i can't find in which BVU (or maybe DMR Digital audio?) model they fit.

MD-19 (1-608-861-13)

CD-24 (1-608-862-13)

Does anybody know which VTR these cards could come from?

Thanks!

Hello guys .

I m looking for a U Matic player that works.

I have a JVC CP-5060ET and it come with about 25 Umatic tapes from the 70:s

And i want to transfer them so i m looking for a working machine that can take this BIG Umatic tapes.

If someone in sweden have one i can rent / borrow a week for the transfers that shuld be very nice . Or sell a working one that are simular to the JVC i posted so i get one that works with this tapes ?

Please contact me at [email protected] if you have one .

Many thanx / Stefan / Sweden .

I have a Sony VP-5000 U-MATIC VCR. I picked it up in a local Tucson auction and was delighted that it worked and played my 3/4" tapes. It's put on maybe two hours since then and today I ran into an issue with it.

I press POWER and it begins to engage for about one second and stops. During that second, the video drum turns about 1/4" and stops. I turn off POWER and the video drum spins about two inches and stops. The first time this happened, I took off the top and inspected it. I turned on POWER and it operated normally. After about five minutes of operation, the issue returned.

I've taken off the top and bottom covers. Lifted out the tape loading carriage and inspected the belts and motion mechanicals. Belts look in good shape and everything that needs to spin, spins fine. Nothing I can see stands out as the problem. I'm wondering if there a bad sensor.

Has anyone run into this issue or something similar? Any insights or tips are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

@Glenn McCreedy

It could be that you have a tape with the "sticky shed syndrome". The tape becomes slightly sticky and will stick to mechanical parts. The VCR will then do an emergency STOP and will not accept any other command until you power cycle it. It could be any brand of tape, but Ampex ones are the most prone to have this disease.

If it really is a sticky tape DON'T INSIST IN TRYING TO READ IT: YOU CAN DAMAGE BOTH THE TAPE AND THE VCR, ESPECIALLY VIDEO HEADS.

And in this case, you also must eject it (probably manually) and carefully clean every mechanical part in tape path, especially drum and video heads that are probably clogged with sticky particles.

@Stefan Carlberg, @Glenn McCreedy, but also @everybody thinking that having a VCR is enough to digitize tapes correctly:

To ensure the best transfer possible and preserve your VCR, you MUST first inspect and clean tapes, preferably with a specialized device like RTI Tapechek VT-3100.

And sticky tapes MUST go through a BACKING PROCEDURE before ANY READ ATTEMPT.

And of course, the use of a TBC is mandatory, preferably using DUB Input and DOC (Drop Out Compensation). This imply to use VCR with DUB Out + Sync In + RF (Off Tape) Out (and corresponding In/Out on TBC side).

Trying to self digitize old tapes of any kind (U-Matic/BVU, Betacam...) is NOT a straight forward and easy process, and trying anyway will, most of the time, lead to deceiving results, and ruined tapes and possibly VCR. That's why i would recommand to instead send your precious tapes to a REPUTABLE professional (beware of the ones that will declare themselves "professionnal" just because they have a VCR and a digitizing device, but will not know better than you, and don't have suitable equipments).

If you try anyway: good luck!

Hello I have a Paramount Pictures U magic cassette God Father 1987 clips I am trying to find out what I might be able to get out of selling the tape I imagine anything with the godfather and being original would fetch a shiny penny or two any one with any info please get to me by smstext

[email protected]

Good evening, I recently purchased a Sony VO-2610 deck, and it is in very good looking condition, aside it will not record a video signal. If I connect the line inputs, it will record the audio, but when playing back the tape, only the audio plays and I get no video output. I am wondering if anyone has experience in this kind of error condition and if there is a part known to fail. I've tried removing the RF board. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi

Got a nice Sony BVU 800P. Working fine but counter stays all zero.

Any suggestions?

Hi! I have a umatic vo-5020 tape deck and need to buy a Video out cord or connector. Can anyone help me figure out what this is? I've tried searching. It's all foreign to me! Thank you!

Where can I find an AC power cord for a Sony U-matic Videocassette Recorder Model VO-1800?

Hi, I have umatic sony vp-7020. I have a problem, I put the tape and it doesn't play, it keeps rewinding to the end of the tape and then it stops. I can't play it, and it does this with all tapes. what can be

Hi,

Hope I can get urgent support. VO-5850P had playback in colour but no audio, now has audio but lost colour. Any advice please?

Dear Steve, the problem is in the DM board or slight dirty heads try cleaning with IPA and a chamois leather gently and see also just heat with soldering iron all the connecting wires on top of the Umatic head. Best regards

Dear Rodrigo, the problem could be with the tape sensors just check it out the red led I presume to be in proper alignment check that the tape is completely blocking the light from red led to the sensor, try covering the sensors take end and take beginning sensors with a black PVC tape if your problem is solved then to need to physically align it and if not check the circuits if the sensor to servo board. Best regards

Dear Roger, you can get the power cord from any electronics spare part shop you need a female 3 pin with a 3 pin outlet plug (molded)purchase a good quality one, best regards

Dear Trish Ferrari, you need a 75ohms BNC to BNC cable analog type (if your monitor end is BNC and BNC to RCA if your monitor input is female RCA, however all professional monitors (analog / HD SDI) are BNC type ... best Regards

Dear chris murdock, does the VTR playback video and audio is fine? If yes then demodulator section is fine.. Under EE mode are you able to see the video and hear audio properly (EE mode while standby or recording mode) if yes then your encoder and decoder section is fine your problem is with either RF current in RF board or it's circuitry or weak heads..best regards

Dear TIMECODE PRODUCTIONS, sorry for belated messages 2017 to now! As regards your problem remove the cassette compartment and it's attached connectors on the top right power on the unit will be in standby mode with half threading press rew mode and at the motor located between the take-up and supply reeks check voltage on its terminal to be 10V DC if yes your motor is fine check the belt underneath it's unit(you need to remove the bottom cover) replace it if it's oval shaped if motor and belt is fine the problem is with the take-up reel check by finger rubbing whether you can feel the roughness(due to fine lines on it a new reel table will have fine lines) if yes replace rubber tire of the idler which is between the two reels. Else you need to check tape tension guides referring to service manual... Best regards

Argentina: Analog used PAL Nc, which broadcast 625 line/25fps/interlaced with a 3.582 MHz color subcarrier.

What 3/4" Umatic decks were used to record baseband analog video in Argentina?

What differences existed between a 'standard' PAL deck using 4.433618 MHz color subcarrier and decks used in Argentina?

Thanks!

Ted

Hi All,

I am currently looking to buy a couple of Sony VO5800 and Sony VO5850 U-matic VTR's.

Please let me know if you have any available for sale.

My direct email address is [email protected]

Many thanks

Chris

I have multiple umatic tapes with solar races on them shoot me an offer

I am trying to digitize some U-Matic tapes and was wondering if anyone here has a machine I could rent or services for offer to digitize the tapes?

Thanks

Hello all

I'm a relatively experienced Umatic user, so I know all about sticky tapes and the squealing noise they make. However, I've come across a 9600 deck which makes the same squealing noise even with known good tapes. If you try to play, it starts screeching and comes to a stop very quickly. Going into variable speed mode, everything is fine. The tape plays quite happily at double speed, and indeed at pretty much any speed faster than normal playback speed. However, at normal playback speed or slower, it very quickly starts squeaking and comes to a stop.

Perhaps more interestingly, after you've done some picture search forward and back, it then doesn't mind going into full REW and FF mode and works reasonably well. However if you try to REW or FF as soon as you insert a cassette (from a standing start so to speak), it immediately stops.

I've taken the cassette reel spindles out and oilde them, so it isn't that. The screeching seems to come from the head drum area. And as I say the tapes are definitely not sticky ones.

Any ideas?

Replying to my own message of 90 minutes ago, in case others have the same problem. The machine now works. Basically I played an entire tape on double speed, and then played it backwards on double speed. That seems to have loosened everything up a bit, and normal speed playback, FF & REW seem to be ok.

Le lecteur /enregistreur se met et se bloque en mode standbay

Il faut dégager la bande manuelement en la coupant.

J'ai le même problème avec un lecteur VP7040.

Merci pour votre aide

It's been a while, but I still have a BVU150P SP portable, a VO8800P SP portable and a VO 9850P SP editor. Wishing you all a happy new year!

Hi,

I retrieve an Umatic VP7040 and it works.

The only problem is the eject that is dificulty because some time the cassette isnt expelled completly and after some second it goes to standby.

I opened it and if I help manually the cassette it exit easly, but I dont know wich is the area to check and what to try to resolve the problem.

Any suggestions?

thanks in advance.

Lenny

Hi,

My Sony VP-7000 suddenly won't power up. When I switch it on, I hear and see the motor and red sensor tape path lights energize for a second and then dead.

If I wait for 3 minutes and switch it on again same thing. Motor does about a quarter turn and head moves slightly. For just an instant.

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks,

Charlie

Hi

I need video head for U Matic player Sony VP-9000

If anyone knows where to buy it, PLS guide me

I am setting up a PCM system consisting of a Sony PCM-1610 and I am trying to team up the processor with some Umatic machines.

I have a Sony VO-5630 DA that has been modified by Sony for PCM recordings with a 1610: works perfectly

Sony VO-7600 pure NTSC 110V machine: works perfectly

Sony VO-5630, VO-7630 and VP-5040 all have the same effect: recordings are good when played back on the 5630DA or 7600, but on the three multi-standard machines I have a popping sound every say 3 seconds (not during silence) and I see the error correction working at that moment.

Interestingly the same happens on the 5630DA and 7600 when the PCM‘s video out is not connected to the Umatic‘s video in.

Anyway I heard that for PCM recordings the Umatic machines should have the DOC disabled and the head switch point should appear in the vertical interval.

Is there anyone here who could tel me how? So far I only spotted the DOC trigger pot and if I turn cw the sound mutes, but even when turned fully ccw the error correction is still very active on the 1610.

When it comes to the head switching point I did nothing so far, but I have a scope ready to start and try

Hi everyone

Located in the South UK with an Sony VO-5080P for sale..

Was fully working and in an edit suite until 2 years ago and been stored since.

Contact me if interested

Hi, I am well experienced in Umatic and SVHS machines, and have recently acquired a VO9600P Sony machine, that has a TBC switch on the back. I used to own Series V Umatics, so this one suggest it has built in TBC. Can anyone confirm this as the spec at this site does not clarify. It either has or it hasn't.

I want to use for digitising old masters, so tbc USE IS ESSENTIAL FOR ME.

If it doesnt then will have to se my analogue TBC from Electrocraft that also features DUB, but have lost or mislaid my cables.

Need to find out if my TBC can transcode DUD in to YUV out for my capture device at 10 bit

.

If anyone interested I have some Pro SVHS edit VCR's for sale with built in TBC by JVC, also a Panasonic 7500 Edit VCR, recently serviced

also have DUB converter boxes

Hi All,

I am currently looking to buy some VO-9800P and VO9600P U-Matic machines,

Please let me know if you have any available for sale.

My direct email is [email protected]

Many thanks

Chris

Does anyone have a manual or usage information for a Sony BVU-120 u-matic video machine? We just got one, but have no idea how to hook it up to a modern system.

Thanks,

Ned

Berkeley Community Media

I have a Sony VP-1000 in mint condition in the original Sony carrying bag/case. What do they sell for?

Hi All,

I am currently looking to buy some VO-9800P and VO9600P U-Matic machines,

Please let me know if you have any available for sale.

My direct email is [email protected]

Many thanks

Chris

Hi everyone,

I am located in Germany and I am looking to purchase the following:

• Sony DRM-2000

• Sony DRM-4000

• Sony BVU-8xx NTSC

• Service Manual for a Sony VO-8800P

Please email me if you got any for sale. Thanks.

Hi,

We currently have a Sony VO-9800P available For Sale, the machine has been re-engineered for archive purposes and is in excellent condition both physically and operationally.

If you are interested then please let me know - we also have other VTR machine formats available from stock

Kindest Regards

Chris

[email protected]

Hello all,

New here and wanting to sell my Sony items to someone who will give them a proper home. I have a VP-2010 and a VO-4800PS Portable. Let me know if you are interested. Thank you!