User manual GOVIDEO GV6060 - Product Manual

U S E R 'S GUIDE Dual-Deck TM Featuring Space-Saving Stacked Deck Design v v Vi d e o Cassette Recorder v v VHS-VHS 4-Head Hi-Fi to 4-Head Hi-Fi Safety Instructions 1. READ INSTRUCTIONS - All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the unit is operated. RETAIN INSTRUCTIONS - The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference. HEED WARNINGS - All warnings on the unit and in the operating instructions should be adhered to. FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS - All operating and maintenance instructions should be followed. CLEANING - Unplug this video unit from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners. Use a dry cloth for dusting cabinet. ATTACHMENTS - Do not use attachments not recommended by the video product manufacturer, as they may be hazardous. WATER & MOISTURE - Do not use this video unit near water -- for example, near a bathtub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool or the like. ACCESSORIES - Do not place this video unit on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table. The video unit may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the unit. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table recommended by the manufacturer or sold with the video unit. Any mounting of the unit should follow the manufacturer's instructions and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer. 9. 2. 3. 4. 5. v VENTILATION - Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the video unit and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. Never place your VCR on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface, on or near a radiator or heat register. This video unit should not be placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufacturer's instructions have been adhered to. 10. POWER SOURCES - This video unit should be operated only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power supply to your home consult your appliance dealer or local power company. For video units intended to be operated from battery power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions. 11. GROUNDING OR POLARIZATION - This video unit may be equipped with either a polarized 2-wire AC line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other) or a 3-wire grounding plug having a third (grounding) pin. The 2-wire polarized plug will fit into the power outlet only one way. This is a safety feature. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet try reversing the plug. If the plug still fails to fit, contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized plug. 12. POWER-CORD PROTECTION - Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords of plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the unit. 6. 7. 8. 8a. An appliance and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the appliance and cart combination to overturn. PORTABLE CART WARNING (Symbol provided by RETAC) INTRODUCTION - SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS i 1 13. OUTDOOR ANTENNA GROUNDING - If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to the video unit, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded to provide some protection against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Section 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA No. 70-1984, provides information with respect to proper grounding of the mast and supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding conductors, location of antennadischarge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding electrode. a. When the power supply cord or plug is damaged. b. If any liquid has been spilled onto or objects have fallen into the video unit. c. If the video unit has been exposed to rain or water. d. If the video unit does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions. Improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the video unit to its normal operation. e. If the video unit has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged. ANTENNA LEAD-IN WIRE GROUND CLAMP f. When the video unit exhibits a distinct change in performance -- this indicates a need for service. 20. REPLACEMENT PARTS - When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer. 21. SAFETY CHECK - Upon completion of any service or repairs to this video unit, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the video unit is in proper operating condition. 22. HEAT - This video unit should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat. ELECTRIC SERVICE EQUIPMENT GROUND CLAMPS ANTENNA DISCHARGE UNIT (NEC SECTION 810-20) GROUNDING CONDUCTORS (NEC SECTION 810-21) POWER SERVICE GROUNDING ELECTRODE SYSTEM (NEC ART 250, PART H) NEC - NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE 14. LIGHTNING - For added protection of this video unit during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the video unit due to lightning and power line surges. 15. POWER LINES - An outside antenna system should not be located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or other electric light or power circuits, where it can fall into such power lines or circuits. When installing an outside antenna system extreme care should be taken to keep from touching such power lines or circuits as contact with them might be fatal. 16. OVERLOADING - Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result in the risk of fire or electric shock. 17. OBJECTS AND LIQUIDS - Never push objects of any kind into this video unit through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquids of any kind onto the unit. Should spillage occur, unplug unit and have it checked by a technician before use. 18. SERVICING - Do not attempt to service this video unit yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to a dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. 19. DAMAGE REQUIRING SERVICE - Unplug this video unit from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. PRESENT. DO NOT OPEN THE CABINET; DANGEROUS HIGH VOLTAGE IS REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL ONLY. THIS VIDEO CASSETTE RECORDER SHOULD ONLY BE USED WITH 120V, 60HZ (STANDARD U.S. HOUSEHOLD) CURRENT. FEDERAL LAW PROVIDES SEVERE CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR THE UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, OR EXHIBITION OF COPYRIGHTED MOTION PICTURES AND VIDEOTAPES. (TITLE 17, UNITED STATES CODE, SECTIONS 501 AND 506.) USER/INSTALLER CAUTION: Your authority to operate this FCC certified equipment could be voided if you make changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer, who is responsible for compliance with Part 15 FCC rules. NOTE TO CATV SYSTEM INSTALLER: This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer's attention to Article 820-40 of the National Electronic Code that provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as practical. ii 2 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE CONTENTS Dual-Deck VCR TM v Introducing the Dual-Deck VCR Discover the Dual-Deck Difference .......................... 1 Features of Your Dual-Deck VCR ............................. 3 Chapter One The Dual-Deck System .............................................. 7 Chapter Two Operating Your Dual-Deck VCR ............................. 15 Chapter Three Programming Your Dual-Deck VCR ....................... 29 Chapter Four Connecting Your Dual-Deck VCR ........................... · Basic Connections ................................................. · Basic Cable Connections ....................................... · Cable Converter Box Connections ....................... · Monitor Connections ............................................. · Connecting Other Video Equipment .................... 43 44 46 47 51 52 Appendix A - Care of Your Dual-Deck VCR ............................ B - Glossary .............................................................. C - Help/Commonly Asked Questions ..................... C - Troubleshooting Charts · No Menu is Visible ......................................... · Poor Video Quality ......................................... · Connecting VCR to TV, Monitor or Stereo ... D - Customer Service Information .......................... C - Authorized Go-Video Service/Repair Centers .. C - Warranty Statement .......................................... E - Technical Specifications ..................................... 55 59 63 67 68 69 71 71 72 73 75 GovVideo is a registered trademark of Go-Video, Inc. Copy Tape, AmeriChrome, Video Sequencing, and Dual-Deck VCR are trademarks of Go-Video, Inc. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective companies. Index .............................................................................. TABLE OF CONTENTS CAUTION: To prevent fire, shock hazard, or annoying inter-ference, use only the recommended accessories. To prevent electric shock, do not use this (polarized) plug with an extension cord, receptacle, or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure. To reduce the risk of electronic shock, do not remove the unit cover or back. There are no serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified personnel only. CUIDADO: Para prevenir incendio, riesgo de choque, o inter-ferencia enfadosa, use solamente los accesorios recomendados. Para prevenir electrochoque, no use este enchufe (polarizado) con un cordón de extensión, toma de corriente, o cualquier otra toma a menos que los dientes puedan ser completamente insertados para prevenir exposición de los dientes. Para reducir el riesgo de descarga eléctrica, no remueva la cubierta o la parte posterior del VCR. Dentro del VCR no hay partes que requieren servicio. Dirijase solamente a personal calificado cuando requiera servicio. ATTENTION: Pour éviter les incendis, risque de chocs, ou interférences fâcheuses, employer seulement les accessoires recommandés. Pour éviter les chocs électriques, ne pas employer cette prise (polarisée) avec une rallonge, une prise de courant ou une autre sortie de courant à moins que les lames peuvent être insérées à fond pour l'exposition des lames. Pour réduire les risques de chocs électriques, ne pas retirer le couvercle ou l'arrière du module. Il n'y a pas de pièce utilisable à l'intérieur. Ne faire effectuer l'entretien que par un personnel qualifié. CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN The lightening flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated `dangerous voltage' within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. The exclamation point with an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product. CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL 4 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Discover the Dual-Deck Difference TM INTRODUCTION v Make Picture Perfect Copies with Hi-Fi Audio of Any Video Tape at the Touch of a Button Go-Video's Dual-DeckTM VCRs do things that even two VCRs wired together can't do. The secret behind this marvel of American electronics is Go-Video's patented AmeriChromeTM circuitry. Enhanced AmeriChrome circuitry incorporates an advanced microcontroller that synchronizes deck speeds for optimum duplication results. Using Go-Video Dual-Deck VCRs, your video copies will be indistinguishable from the originals. No matter how many copies you make, each new tape will be crisp and clean. Gone are the days of tangled clumsy cables between two VCR decks. Gone is the loss of picture quality from those intervening cables that degrade the signal. Gone is the flutter, roll and flashing of bad copies. Go-Video Dual-Deck VCRs, with enhanced AmeriChrome circuitry, allow you to make clear, quality copies of any video tape for your own personal or home use at the touch of a button. INTRODUCTION 1 Dual-Deck Features Feature: Page: Space Saving Stacked Deck Design .......................................... 7 AmeriChrome Circuitry (HQ Copy), for Picture-Perfect Copies Generation after Generation ....................................... 33 Built-in AV Switcher, to let you watch TV while making a copy of a video tape, or watch a tape while recording another ............................................... 21, 22, 41 On-Screen Programming, in your choice of English or Spanish ................................................................................. 36 4-Heads on both decks for high quality special effects .... 18, 19 Hi-Fi Stereo copies and playback .................................. 4, 37, 41 Audio Video Input/Output (AUX), for recording from other video equipment, laser disc players, camcorders, satellite receivers ......................................................................... 32, 51-53 Edit video tapes easily with features such as Sync Edit, Syncro Start and Copy Audio Insert ................................. 26, 33 Use Skip Edit to quickly by-pass commercials with the Touch of a Button ..................................................................... 27 Easy-to-Operate, Full Function VCR Remote ........................ 11 Sequential and Loop Record and Playback ................. 20, 34-35 VHS Index Search System (VISS)/Automatic Show Finder (ASF) ............................................................................. 28 MTS Stereo .......................................................................... 37-38 Tuner 181 Channel ................................................................... 17 Remote Mute ............................................................................. 11 Timer Recording (4 Events per Deck) ............................... 23, 40 Hi-Speed Rewind ........................................................................ 8 Clock Backup Timer ................................................................... 5 One-Touch Record and OTR Loop ....................................... 9, 22 Complete Program Record ....................................................... 25 Date/Time Stamp ............................................................... 26, 31 Remote Eject ............................................................................. 12 Record Speed SP, EP ................................................................ 39 Auto Digital Tracking .............................................................. 20 Auto Head Cleaner .............................................................. 55-56 Digital Picture Enhancement Control .............................. 13, 18 Dual TV Outputs ................................................................ 31, 51 2 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Features of Your Dual-Deck VCR Make Quality Copies of Any Video at the Touch of a Button INTRODUCTION v The Dual-Deck VCR allows you to copy with just the press of the COPY button. Patented AmeriChrome circuitry maintains the high quality of your original recording. Watch a Video Tape While You Record a TV Show Why miss your favorite TV sit-com because the family wants to watch a rented video? With your Go-Video Dual-Deck VCR's special recording and playback functions you can record that TV show WHILE you watch a video tape. Make Copies Directly from a Variety of Sources You can make exceptional recordings from a variety of accessories, such as laser disc players, satellite receivers, camcorders, and other VCRs, using the front panel or rear panel audio and video inputs. Never Again Miss the Last 5 Minutes of Your Favorite Mystery Video The Dual-Deck's Complete Program Record feature automatically selects the recording speed for the best copy quality and time remaining on your tape or TV program. It will start recording in the high video image quality SP mode, but switch automatically to the EP mode if the programmed event is longer than the tape remaining. INTRODUCTION - FEATURES OF YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 3 Digitally Controlled Video Image Sharpness Go-Video's digitally controlled Picture Enhancement feature gives you a greater depth of video image control, allowing you to sharpen or soften picture details for optimum performance. Keep Track of Your Recordings with Date and Time Stamp You can set the Dual-Deck VCR to record a date, time and record source message on the tape at the start of a timed or manual recording event. Easily Locate Tape Segments with Automatic Show Finder (ASF) Every time the Dual-Deck VCR enters record mode, an index mark is placed on the tape. Use the VHS Index Scan and Search System (VISS) to quickly locate these index marks during playback or while editing. Combined with the Time/Date Stamp feature, you can easily locate specific shows on a tape. Eliminate Guesswork with Real Time Counter The Dual-Deck VCR features a counter that indicates tape position in real time: hours, minutes, and seconds. Make and Playback Hi-Fi Stereo Copies You can connect your Dual-Deck VCR to your stereo system and hear your tapes and those TV programs that are broadcast with MTS Stereo Sound through your stereo speakers. Or, if you have a stereo TV with separate audio input jacks, you can connect the Dual-Deck VCR to your stereo and TV and enjoy stereo sound. 4 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Record and Watch Your Favorite Video at Your Convenience The Timer Record Menu makes it easy to set the date and time for the TV program you wish to record. You can easily select different channel sources and speeds for each timer event independently. The Dual-Deck VCR automatically double checks your request and reports errors that may prevent your selected program from recording, and will record a timed event regardless of whether the power is on or off. Record and Play Back Tapes without Interruption with Video Sequencing Exclusive Video Sequencing allows you to play or record using both decks, in sequence, without interruption. This uninterrupted playback feature also allows you to continually switch back and forth from one tape to another. Your Dual-Deck VCR supports both loop and sequential modes. Loop mode allows you to start a tape in either deck and when it finishes, a tape in the other deck automatically starts. When that tape finishes, any tape in the first deck will start and so on. Sequential mode allows you to start a tape in Deck One and when it finishes, a tape in Deck Two will automatically start. Eliminate Tracking Noise Automatically with Digital Tracking Your Dual-Deck VCR's Enhanced Automatic Tracking feature quickly eliminates video noise (white streaks) automatically. Dual Video Outputs Watch a show on one TV and a video tape on another. Dual, independently controlled, audio and video outputs allow you to connect two monitors to your Dual-Deck VCR. This feature allows you to watch a show on one monitor and a video tape on another or set up a home `editing suite' to monitor both Deck One and Deck Two simultaneously. INTRODUCTION - FEATURES OF YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 5 Automatic Features Auto Play/Rewind · When a tape with no record safety tab is inserted into either deck, your Dual-Deck VCR begins playing the tape. When that tape has finished playing, it will automatically rewind. You can turn these features on or off in the Features menu. Auto Power Off · While rewinding a tape, timer recording, one-touch recording, copying a tape, or using EZ-Copy, press the POWER button and your Dual-Deck VCR will automatically turn off when that function is completed. The Power indicator will blink while this mode is active. If you press the Power button while it is blinking, you will cancel Auto Power Off. Auto Power On · Power turns on when a tape is inserted into either deck. The TV/VCR indicator switches to VCR. Auto Stop · Your Dual-Deck VCR will stop if a deck is left in Record Pause for more than 5 minutes, and will begin playing again if left in Play Still for more than 5 minutes. This prevents excessive wear on the tape. Remote Eject · You can eject tapes using your Remote Control. Press STOP/EJECT to eject a tape which is stopped. Fail-Safe Timer · Your Dual Deck VCR contains Enhanced AmeriChrome circuitry which prevents errors while programming the timer. If a potential problem is detected in a timer event, the Dual-Deck VCR warns you with an On-Screen Display message that is easy to understand. 6 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE The Dual-Deck System Front Panel Buttons and Indicators CHAPTER Channel DECK 2 1 TV View POWER Stop/Eject DECK 1 COPY TAPE Down Up L - AUDIO - R L AUDIO - R VIDEO V TV/VCR Stop/Eject Rewind Play Fast Forward Pause Record Deck Select Clear Menu Select Change Dual-Deck VCR Package Contents: · Dual-Deck VCR · Full Function VCR Remote · 2 AA Batteries · One RF Cable · User's Guide · Quick Reference Guide · Warranty Registration Card The Dual-Deck VCR has 18 keys on the front panel. They are: POWER Press to turn your VCR on and off or to set the Auto Power OFF mode. Press to switch control of the picture between the TV and the VCR. This is the antenna switch. When set to TV, the antenna signal goes directly to the TV; when set to VCR, the antenna signal goes through the VCR (your TV must be tuned to channel 3 or 4). Press (+) to increase channel numbers, to go to the next higher channel stored in channel memory. Press (-) to decrease channel numbers, to go to the next higher channel stored in channel memory. TV/VCR CH UP CH DN CHAPTER 1 - THE DUAL-DECK SYSTEM 7 Press to copy from Deck One to Deck Two. Press to select which deck is controlled by the keys to the left. When Deck One is active, the green indicator will be on; when Deck Two is active, the red indicator will be on. Press to play the tape in the active deck. Press for 1.5 seconds during play to execute ATR (auto tracking). REWIND - Press to rewind the tape in the active deck. Press while tape is playing to rewind while viewing the picture (reverse picture search or Review 1). Press the rewind key again to Reverse Accelerated Search or Review 2. Press REW during playback to move between Review 1 and Review 2. FAST FORWARD - Press to fast forward the tape in the active deck. Press while a tape is playing to fast forward while viewing the picture (forward picture search or Cue 1). Pressing the Fast Forward key again will put the deck in to Forward Accelerated Search or Cue 2. Press FFWD during playback to move between Cue 1 and Cue 2. STOP/EJECT - Press to stop the tape in the active deck. Press again to eject a stopped tape. NOTE: Both decks record! RECORD - Press to start recording onto a tape in the active Deck. Press to continue recording after a Pause. Press during recording to activate One-Touch Recording, or Loop Recording. PAUSE/STILL - Press to temporarily stop a tape while playing (still) or recording (pause). If you leave Pause on for 5 minutes, the VCR will automatically resume playback to prevent tape damage. NOTE: An asterisk in a box - , will appear on the screen to the left of the currently selected TV view. TV VIEW - Press to select which source you will view on your TV - Deck One, Deck Two, Tuner (TV channel), or Aux input. The TV/ VCR button must be set to VCR for you to see these sources. CLEAR - Press to clear programming entries such as in Timer Recording menu. Also press to reset the counter of the selected deck to zero. MENU - Press to enter and exit the OnScreen menu System. SELECT (MUTE button) - Press to move up and down the items on the menu screen when in On-Screen Programming. When not in On-Screen Programming, press to turn off the audio (sound). Press again to turn the audio back on. 8 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE CHANGE CHANGE (LCV) - Press to cycle through selections of the menu item selected when in On-Screen Programming. When not in On-Screen Programming, press to return to the `Last Channel Viewed'. Front Panel Display The Front Panel Display tells you what is happening as you use your Dual- Deck VCR. This Front Panel Display will show the following: STOP, PLAY, EJECT, REC, REW, FF, REVEW, CUE, ON, OFF, LOOP, SLOW, PAUSE, STILL, END, PIC, 1-2. The Front Panel Display also has several indicators/ icons. Each indicator on the Front Panel Display shows the status of one of the VCR's functions. Timer · If you have programmed the VCR to record a TV show at a certain time (Timer Record), the Timer indicator will be ON. It will also be on while the VCR is recording a program. It will blink if there is a timer error. Record Indicator · This indicator will be on during Record, OTR and Timer Record. Power Indicator · This indicator will blink when VCR is in the auto power off mode. VCR VCR Indicator · This indicator will be ON when the VCR is in VCR mode and off when the VCR is in TV mode. Use the TV/VCR key on your remote to select the mode. COUNTER/CLOCK · This display shows the clock time while viewing Tuner or Aux. The clock time displays in hours and minutes, with AM and PM indicated. Counter is shown while viewing Deck One or Deck Two. Pressing the CTR/CLK key on the remote switches this display between the clock and the counter. OTR Indicator · One-Touch Recording. This indicator will be on during One-Touch Recording. The display will also show the amount of time programmed for recording. Each time you press the REC key after the first time, you get 30 minutes of record time (i.e., pressing REC 3 times will result in 60 minutes of record time). CHAPTER 1 - THE DUAL-DECK SYSTEM 9 AM/PM · This indicator tells whether the time is AM or PM. SEP · This indicator shows the tape speed for each deck. If you are playing a tape, the tape speed is the speed at which the tape was recorded. Tapes can be played in three speeds, SP, EP and LP. Tapes can be recorded in SP and EP. ATR · Auto Tracking. This indicator will be blinking during automatic tracking. It will be on during playback unless tracking is adjusted manually. 10 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Remote Control Before you begin, be sure to put the two supplied AA batteries in the remote. -- TRK + + + -- PICTURE -- SLOW Your remote control makes it simple to operate and program your Dual-Deck VCR. Take a moment to learn where the buttons are located on the remote control. POWER Press to turn your Dual-Deck VCR on and off or to set the Auto Power OFF mode. Press to copy tapes from Deck One to Deck Two. Press to play a tape in the active deck. If you have manually adjusted tracking using the TRACKING keys, press this key for 1.5 seconds to reactivate Automatic Tracking. Press to begin an Index Scan or an Index Search. Enter two numeric digits and then press the Fast Forward or Rewind key to initiate the search. In search, the VCR counts to the desired mark and begins play. This can be done either when the deck is playing or is stopped. Press FF or REW without entering digits to initiate a scan. In scan, the VCR stops at each index mark, plays 5 seconds, and moves on. Press while recording to place an Index Mark on the tape. An Index Mark is also automatically placed on a tape every time you begin recording from stop. Last Channel Viewed. If you have a certain channel you want to come back to easily, enter it using the numerical keys. Then you can flip through other channels using the up and down channel keys and easily return to this channel by pressing the LCV button. This is also the Change button. Press to move up and down the items on the menu screen when in On-Screen Programming. This key is also used to move you to the next selection in the Set Date/Time and Timer Record menus. This is also the Mute button. Press to switch the antenna connection between your VCR and your TV. When in VCR mode, VCR will appear on the Front Panel Display. TV mode is the same as if your VCR were turned off. Press to turn off the audio (sound). Press again to turn the audio back on. This will not affect recording. This is also the Select button. AUX 100 TV POWER VCR COPY COPY TV/VCR OSD PLAY/ATR VIEW SELECT MUTE MENU CHANGE LCV CLEAR CH INDEX INDEX REC SKIP CLK/C FF TR ZERO RTN REW PAUSE PLAY/ATR DECK SELECT STOP/EJ s/v LCV SELECT TV/VCR NOTE: Some buttons have a dual function. The alternative function is listed above the button. MUTE CHAPTER 1 - THE DUAL-DECK SYSTEM 11 CHANGE Use this key to cycle through the choices of the menu item you selected. This is also the LCV (Last Channel Viewed) button. Press to enter a cable channel number between 100 and 125. For example, select cable channel 123 by pressing 100 + 2 + 3. Set Cable channel 100 by pressing 100 + 0 + 0. Allows you to clear programming such as entries in the Timer Recording menu. It also resets the counter of the selected deck to zero. If you want, you can have the tape automatically stop at the zero point on the Tape Counter. To do this, press Zero Return during stop and the VCR will automatically Fast Forward or Rewind to counter position 0:00:00. This is also the Skip button. Press to manually summon the On-Screen Display. Press again to turn the On-Screen Display off. Press again to summon the display with date. Repeatedly pressing this button changes the Front Panel Display between the clock and the counter when viewing Deck One or Deck Two. Use the Channel keys (CH Up and Down) to change to the next higher and next lower channel. These keys will only stop at the channels you have programmed into Channel Memory in the Tuner Setup menu. Press to select which deck is active. When Deck One is active, the green indicator will be on; when Deck Two is active the red indicator will be on. Press while the active deck is stopped to rewind the tape. Press while a tape is playing to rewind while viewing the picture (Review 1). Press again to speed up picture rewind (Review 2). Push Play to return to playback mode. Press to stop the tape in the active deck. Press again to eject a stopped tape. Press while the active deck is stopped to fast forward the tape. Press while a tape is playing to fast forward while viewing the picture (Cue 1). Press again to speed up picture scan (Cue 2). Push Play to return to playback mode. Press to start recording onto a tape in the active Deck. Press while tape is paused to resume recording. Press while recording to activate One-Touch Recording. Press while in Play Still to move to Record Pause. 100 -- TRK + + + ZERO RETURN -- PICTURE -- SLOW CLEAR AUX 100 TV POWER VCR OSD COPY TV/VCR VIEW SELECT MUTE MENU CHANGE LCV CLEAR SKIP CLK/C TR OSD CH INDEX CLK/CTR ZERO RTN FF REC REW PAUSE PLAY/ATR CH DECK SELECT STOP/EJ s/v DECK SELECT REW STOP/EJ FF REC 12 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE PAUSE -- TRK + + + Press to temporarily stop a tape while recording (pause) or while playing (still). Push while in Still to Frame Advance. Pressing these buttons slows the speed the tape is playing. Successive pressings of the + key on the remote steps up the speed of the tape. Successive pressings of the - key on the remote slows down the speed of the tape. Press PLAY to resume normal speed. These are also the 8 and 9 buttons. During playback, pressing this key once causes the tape to forward picture search for 60 seconds. Pressing it twice causes the picture to forward picture search for 120 seconds. Press up to 5 times to skip 5 minutes. This is also the Zero Return button. During Copy, pressing this key once will edit out the next 60 seconds of your copy tape. Press twice to easily remove commercials when copying TV shows. Press up to 5 times to edit out 5 minutes. -- PICTURE -- SLOW SLOW+ SLOW- AUX 100 TV POWER VCR OSD COPY TV/VCR VIEW SELECT MUTE MENU CHANGE LCV CLEAR SKIP CH INDEX REC SKIP CLK/C FF TR ZERO RTN REW PAUSE PLAY/ATR DECK SELECT STOP/EJ s/v TRK + TRK- Press to manually adjust the tracking while playing a tape. These are also the 2 and 3 buttons. Press to enter and exit the On-Screen menu System. Digital Picture Enhancement. Press to adjust picture sharpness. You can press this button 8 times, up or down toadjust sharpness. These are also the 5 and 6 buttons. Press to select which source you will view on your TV - Deck One, Deck Two, Tuner (TV channel), or Line input. The TV/VCR button must be set to VCR for this button to work. Press two digits to enter a desired channel. Press `0' first for channels 1-9. Also used for menu system programming. MENU PICTURE + PICTURE - VIEW NOTE: `00' = AUX (see page 22). 0-9 CHAPTER 1 - THE DUAL-DECK SYSTEM 13 On-Screen Display The On-Screen Display contains information about the status of each deck. The On-Screen Display appears on your screen automatically when you turn the power on, when you press a deck function key (such as Play, Rewind, etc.) and when you change channels. The On-Screen Display also shows any Timer Record errors and status. This automatic display will disappear after a few seconds. You can also manually summon the on-screen display by pressing the OSD key on the remote control. If you do this, the On-Screen Display will remain on the screen until you press OSD again. NOTE: An asterisk in a box - , will appear on the screen to the left of the currently selected TV view. If you don't want the On-Screen Display to come on automatically, you can set the DISPLAY MODE in the SETUP MENU to OFF. The On-Screen Display has three basic parts: Date/Time Deck Status This indicator displays the current date and time. Displays the tape status (such as Play, tape speed, Rewind, etc.), current tape counter time, and record source. OTR and the duration will be displayed if One-Touch Recording is in progress. The channel indicator displays the channel that the Dual-Deck VCR is tuned to. In addition, the tuned channel's audio mode (Mono, Stereo, SAP or TV/SAP) is displayed below the CH indicator. H CH A small `H' will appear next to the Tape Speed to indicate when a tape with Hi-Fi Audio is being recorded or played. 14 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Operating Your Dual-Deck VCR NOTE: You may program your menus to be in Spanish. See the Set Clock/ Language menu. See page 30. CHAPTER 2 Setting the Date and Time If you plan to use the Timer Record or Date and Time Stamp features of your Dual-Deck VCR, you'll need to set the correct date and time first. To set the current date & time: 1. Press MENU . NOTE: The first time you press MENU after hooking up your VCR or after a power failure, the SET LANGUAGE screen will automatically come up. At that time, choose your language preference (1 or 2) and press MENU to proceed with step 3. Until you set the date and time, pressing menu will display SET CLOCK/ LANGUAGE menu, then the FEATURES menu, and the DECK TWO menu and DECK ONE menu. The Features menu will appear. Note: If you press MENU and do not get the Features menu, continue pressing MENU until you see the Features menu. 2. Press 1 . The Setup menu will appear. 3. Press 1 . The Set Clock/Language menu will appear. 4. Press 1 . The Set Time and Date screen will appear. 5. Follow the blinking prompt on the screen to set the date and time. Use the numerical keys to enter information. As you enter each item of information, the prompt will automatically go to the next item. If you don't need to change the information for a particular item, press SELECT (Mute button) to move to the next item. You will enter the following items of information: Hour · Enter only the hour. For example, if the time is 4:28, enter 0 4. Minute · Enter only the minute. For example, if the time is 4:28, enter 2 8. AM or PM · Enter 1 for AM or 2 for PM. Month · January is 01, October is 10, etc. CHAPTER 2 - OPERATING YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 15 Date · Enter the day of the month. For example, if today is the fourth, enter 0 4. Year · Enter only the last two digits. For example, 9 6 for 1996. 6. If you need to go back and change anything, press SELECT (Mute button) repeatedly until you get to that item. 7. When you have set the time and date, press MENU to save the information and return to the CLOCK/ LANGUAGE menu. 8. Press MENU until you exit the menu system. 16 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Setting Antenna & Channel Memory Once you have your Dual-Deck VCR hooked up to your antenna or directly to a cable system without a cable converter box, you'll need to set the antenna and the channel memory. If you are using a cable converter box, you will need to set your VCR's tuner channel to receive only the cable converter box output channel. Your Dual-Deck VCR comes with a 181 channel MTS tuner capable of receiving both over-the-air and cable broadcasts in stereo. Reception for channels 2-13 are the same on regular broadcast or on cable TV. But above channel 13, cable TV (CATV) reception is different from broadcast TV. 1. Press MENU on your remote control. The Features menu will appear. 2. Press 3. Press 1 2 . The Setup menu will appear. . The Tuner Setup menu will appear. 4. Set the ANTENNA SOURCE. Press CHANGE to cycle between TV and CATV (cable). When the desired option is on the screen, go to step 5. 5. Press SELECT (Mute button) to move to AUTO PROGRAM. # # 6. Press CHANGE (LCV button) to begin automatic channel programming. The VCR will go through all possible TV or cable channels, and will automatically put the channels which you receive into Channel Memory. This will take a few minutes to complete. 7. If you wish, you can program certain channels into Channel Memory or remove them from Channel Memory manually. You can also select stereo sound. To do this, see the TUNER SETUP menu section of this manual. See page 35. NOTE: In cases of poor or weak video reception, your Tuner Setup menu may not be visible. When this happens, select a strong local channel where the menu will be visible again. 8. Press MENU to save the changes and to exit to the SETUP menu. 9. Press MENU until you exit the menu system. CHAPTER 2 - OPERATING YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 17 Playing a Tape Playing a tape on your Dual-Deck VCR is simple: 1. Insert a tape into either deck of your VCR. If the tape is a play- only tape (it has no record safety tab) and AUTO PLAY/REWIND in the SETUP menu is set to PLAY or BOTH, it will automatically begin to play when inserted. Control will automatically switch to that deck; you don't need to do it manually. Also, when the tape is finished playing, it will automatically rewind if AUTO/ PLAY REWIND in the SETUP menu is set to REWIND or BOTH. Note: If you have set the AUTO PLAY/ REWIND item in the SETUP menu to OFF or REW, press PLAY to begin playing the tape; if you have the item set to OFF or PLAY, press REW to rewind the tape. Record Safety Tab NOTE: Your remote control has one set of keys to control both decks. If you have difficulty operating a deck, check to be sure the Deck Select is set to the deck you want to operate. The red LED indicates Deck Two is selected; the green LED indicates Deck One is selected. 2. Press STOP to stop the playback altogether. Special Playback Functions With your Dual-Deck VCR, the playback function is not limited to simply playing tapes: · Watch a tape while recording another tape -- you can record a program on Deck Two and watch a tape play on Deck One simply by starting the recording as you normally would in Deck Two, and then play a tape in Deck One. · You can pause the tape for a stop action picture (Play Still), or play a tape in slow motion or search a tape frame-by-frame (Frame Advance).* (See `PAUSE' page 13.) The audio will mute during these functions. · You can adjust tracking automatically or manually; you can also adjust playback picture sharpness. · You can play Deck One and Deck Two in automatic sequence (Sequential Play) and even play one deck and then the other, back and forth in automatic rotation (Loop Play). 18 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE While you are playing a tape, you can use the remote control or front panel keys to perform the following functions: · When you are using any special playback function, press PLAY to resume normal playback, or STOP to stop the tape. You can also Pause, Rewind, FastForward, and Slow down the playback by pressing the appropriate keys. · Press PAUSE to enter Play Still mode. The picture will freeze on the screen. PAUSE/STILL will appear on the Front Panel Display. While in Play Still mode, you can press PAUSE again to advance the picture one frame. If the deck remains in Play Still for 5 minutes, it will automatically begin to play again to prevent possible damage. · Press SLOW- or SLOW+ to enter Slow Motion playback. The tape will play at slow speed. SLOW will appear on the Front Panel Display. While in Slow Motion playback, each time you press SLOW- play slows down a little and each time you press SLOW+ , play speeds up a little. These are also the 8 and 9 buttons. · Press FF to enter Forward Picture Search (CUE 1). The tape will run at high speed and you will be able to see the picture. CUE will appear on the Front Panel Display. · Press FF again to enter Jet Search (CUE 2). The tape will run at extra high speed and you will be able to see the picture. You will see CUE blinking on the Front Panel Display. Press PLAY to resume playback. · Press REW to enter Reverse Picture Search (REVIEW 1). The tape will run in reverse at high speed and you will be able to see the picture. REVIEW will appear on the Front Panel Display. · Press REW again to enter Reverse Jet Search (REVIEW 2). The tape will run in reverse at extra high speed and you will be able to see the picture. REVIEW will blink on the Front Panel Display. Press PLAY to resume playback. CHAPTER 2 - OPERATING YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 19 Sequential and Loop Play With sequential play, your Dual-Deck VCR will play a tape in Deck One, then automatically activate Deck Two to begin playing when the tape in Deck One is through. 1-2 will appear on the Front Panel Display. With loop play, your Dual-Deck VCR will play a tape in Deck One, then automatically activate Deck Two to begin playing. The tape in Deck One will rewind while the tape is Deck Two is playing. When the tape in Deck Two finishes, it will automatically rewind and the tape in Deck One will play again. This process will continue until you press STOP . LOOP will appear on the Front Panel Display. To activate Sequential or Loop play: 1. Press MENU to bring up the Features menu. 2. Press 6 to highlight Playback Mode. 3. Use CHANGE (LCV button) to cycle between SEQ, LOOP and NORM. 4. When the desired choice is on the screen, press MENU twice to exit the menu system. Tracking Occasionally, when you play a tape that was recorded on a different VCR or on a VHS camcorder, visual noise (white streaks) may appear on the screen. This means the recorded tracks do not align precisely with the playback heads on your VCR. Your Dual-Deck VCR is equipped with an Automatic Digital Tracking System. This system is activated whenever you insert a tape to play. You'll see ATR on the on-screen display and the ATR indicator is on. Sometimes, however, you may need to use the manual tracking keys to adjust the picture. Press the TRACKING v & w keys (these are also the 2 and 3 buttons) to move the white streaks up or down and out of the picture. When you do this, the Automatic Digital Tracking System is disabled. The ATR indicator on the front panel is off. It can be reactivated by pressing PLAY on the remote control or front panel for 1.5 seconds. 20 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Copying a Tape You may use the Copy Tape feature to copy a tape from Deck One to Deck Two. NOTE: EP is 3 times longer than SP. Speed Matching in the Features menu must be off for you to change copy recording speed on Deck Two. If Speed Matching is on, the recording speed will automatically adjust to the same as the current play speed in Deck One. 1. Make sure the tape in Deck Two is long enough to record the entire tape in Deck One. A T-120 tape may not copy the entire tape if the source tape is longer than 2 hours. You can change the recording time on the tape in Deck Two by changing the Record Speed in the Deck Two menu. Speed Matching must be off. 2. Insert your source tape into Deck One at the top of the Dual-Deck VCR. Insert your blank tape into Deck Two at the bottom of your VCR. 3. Press COPY on your remote control or on the front panel of your VCR. Your Dual-Deck VCR will now make a copy of your tape. If you wish to pause in the copying process, press COPY again. To resume copying, press COPY again. To stop the copying process, press STOP on Deck Two. See page 33 for an explanation of EZ Copy. NOTE: While using the Copy Tape feature, you can view a TV program while copying a tape by pushing the TV/VCR key to TV and change channels on your TV or use VIEW to select Tuner and then select the channel on your VCR. NOTE: Optimum results will be obtained when using HQ1 if the source type is in SP or any tape with Copy Guard. For source tapes in EP or LP without Copy Guard use HQ2 for best results. To perform special effects copy such as `still' and `slow' HQ Copy must be set to HQ2. Summary of Recording Speeds VHS T-120 T-160 T-180 T-200 SP 2 hrs 2 hrs 40 min 3 hrs 3 hrs 20 min EP (SLP) 6 hrs 8 hrs 9 hrs 10 hrs CHAPTER 2 - OPERATING YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 21 Recording a TV Program You can record TV shows onto a tape in either Deck One or Deck Two. 1. Insert a blank tape into the Deck. Make sure it is long enough to tape the whole program. You can change the length of the tape by changing the Recording Speed in the Deck One or Two menu. 2. On the Dual-Deck VCR (or cable converter box is you have one), select the channel you want to record. 3. Press RECORD to begin recording on the active deck. While you are recording the TV show, you can: Pause the recording by pressing PAUSE and start recording again by pressing RECORD . One-Touch Recording (OTR) · Use to record in 30 minute increments. Each time you press RECORD after the first time, you add another 30 minutes to the record time. For example, if you press RECORD three times, the VCR will record for 60 minutes. The Front Panel Display will show the length of recording time programmed. After the elapsed time, the deck will stop. Or if the POWER key is pressed during OTR, the VCR will turn off after recording is complete. NOTE: POWER key does not function during Loop Record to prevent accidental termination of the recording. Loop Record must be stopped by pressing the STOP key on the active Deck to restore normal POWER key operation. The Loop Record · Keep pressing RECORD until you see 9:30 on the Front Panel Display. Press once more and you will begin Loop Record. The tape will record until it reaches the end of the tape. The tape will then automatically rewind and begin recording again. Watch a different channel by pressing TV/VCR , then using your TV's tuner to select the new channel. AUX · Press `0' button twice to enable AUX IN. Audio/ Video Line Input (see pages 32 and 48) to watch or record input from other video sources -- laser disc, satellite receiver, camcorder or other VCRs, etc. Record TV Program While Playing a Video Tape · If you want to record a TV program while already playing a tape, change the record source to the desired setting (see page 38) and start recording. You can then change the view to continue watching the tape on the other Deck. 22 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Setting Timer to Record Later NOTE: You must have the VCR's clock set to the correct date and time for Timer Recording to work. If the clock is not set, that menu will automatically come up before you can program a Timer Recording. You can program your Dual-Deck VCR to record TV shows at a later time. You can program up to eight Timer Recording events (shows): 4 on Deck One and 4 on Deck Two. 1. Press MENU until you see the Deck Two or Deck One menu on the screen. 2. Press 3 to select Timer Recording. 3. Enter the number of the event you wish to set (1-4). 4. Enter the following information: Channel (or source) you wish to record · Use the numerical buttons and remember to enter a 0 first if the channel is a single digit. Choose 00 for audio-video line input (AUX). See pages 32 and 48. Type of event - Press: 1: Once - records one event at a time.* CHAPTER 2 - OPERATING YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 23 * Date - If you selected Once, you will be asked to enter the day (01-31) when you which timer recording to start. 2: Daily - records one event at the same time every weekday. 3: Weekly - records one event at the same time every week. You will then be asked to program which day of the week (Sun - Sat). 4: Always - records one event at the same time every day. 24 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE Start Time · Enter hour and minute you want recording to start. If the show starts at 8:00, enter 08 00 and then enter 1 for AM or 2 for PM. End Time · Enter hour and minute you want recording to stop. If the show stops at 8:00, enter 08 30 and then enter 1 for AM or 2 for PM. Record Speed · Press 1 for SP, 2 for EP and 3 for AUTO, (Complete Program Record). In the AUTO, or Complete Program Record, setting the Dual-Deck will automatically select the recording speed which will give you the best quality for the time remaining on the tape. SP gives you the best quality and this speed is automatically selected initially. If the VCR determines there is not enough time on the tape to record the entire selection, it will automatically change the speed to EP. You will notice some difference in quality if this happens. Be sure to set the correct tape length for Deck Two in the Deck Two menu and for Deck One in the Deck One menu (item #2) so this feature works properly. 5. Press MENU to save your settings and go to Deck Two/One menu. Press 3 to see a summary of the events you have programmed to record, and MENU when done. 6. Press MENU again to exit programming. To delete an event, press the number of that event to highlight it and then press CLEAR on the remote control. NOTE: A blinking event number indicates the event is in progress. To stop an event in progress, the event must be `deleted' from the Timer Recording menu. The STOP button will not stop an event in progress. CHAPTER 2 - OPERATING YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 25 Date/Time Stamp You can record the Date and Time of both regular and Timer recordings. Together with the VISS-Automatic Show Finder feature (see page 28), this allows you to easily find a specific program on a tape with several programs recorded on it. To activate the Date and Time Stamp: 1. Press MENU . The Features menu will appear. 2. Press 1 . The Setup menu will appear. 3. Press 5 to highlight DATE/TIME STAMP. 4. Press CHANGE (LCV button) to cycle between off and on. OFF - No Date and Time Stamp will be recorded. ON - Date and Time Stamp will be recorded on your tapes. 5. When your desired choice is displayed, press MENU to exit the Setup menu. Press MENU twice more to exit programming. If you have activated the Date and Time Stamp, the Date, Time and Channel information will be recorded at the beginning of each recording for about 5 seconds. Date and Time Stamp does not record when you are doing a Copy Tape. Video Tape Editing NOTE: The faster the speed, the better quality copy you will get. The highest quality editing will result when you use SP to record regardless of the source speed. Copies made from EP source tapes are subject to picture degradation because of the slow speed. With your Dual-Deck VCR you can edit tapes quickly and easily. Your editing may be as simple as removing unwanted scenes from your camcorder recordings. Or it may be as complicated as shooting a number of scenes, reviewing the tape, deciding on a final format, and putting it back together. Sync Edit NOTE: The Copy Audio Insert feature allows you to add taped music or your own pre-recorded voice-over while editing a video tape, replacing the tape's original audio track. See page 32. You can do assembly editing manually with your Dual-Deck VCR. For example, when you have different scenes from a source tape that you would like to add to a target tape, insert the source tape into Deck One, the target tape into Deck Two and: 1. Position the source tape in Deck One to the beginning of the first scene you want to copy onto the target tape in Deck Two and press Pause. 2. Press the Copy button to start Copy Tape. 26 DISCOVER THE DUAL-DECK DIFFERENCE NOTE: During Copy Tape, pressing the Copy button pauses the copying process. To resume copying, press the Copy Tape button again. To stop Copy Tape, press Deck Two Stop. 3. Press Deck Select to select Deck One. At the end of the scene press Stop, (Deck Two will automatically pause). If desired, you can now change the source tape in Deck One at this time. Using Play, Fast Forward or Rewind, locate the next scene you want to edit in. When the tape is positioned at the beginning of the edit scene, press Pause. 4. Press the Copy Tape button and the VCR will automatically perform the synchronized edit. 5. To add the next scene, start over with Step 3. You might find manual editing easier if you program both AUTO PLAY in the Set-up menu and EZ-COPY in the Features menu to OFF, and perform your edit with the On-Screen Display turned on. NOTE: When assembling several scenes on one target tape, you can make more accurate edits by first playing the target tape to 2 seconds after the end of a scene, press Pause, then Record to put Deck Two into Record Pause. When you then re-start Copy Tape the target tape will be in position for the best edit. Skip Edit During Copy Tape, you can quickly by-pass commercials by pressing the Skip button one to five times. The Dual-Deck will automatically edit out the next one to five minutes then resume copying the tape. Tape Counter NOTE: For making quality edits, turn on HQ Copy (Features menu) to get better quality tape copy and edits. `Glitches' may occur during a manual assembly edit, usually at the end of a scene that is being recorded over old material. This happens because the VCR's full erase head (which erases the video, audio, and control tracks) is always a few seconds behind the recording heads. You may see a vibrating rainbow of color in the middle of the picture and sound can become unstable for a few seconds. Your Dual-Deck VCR Tape Counter allows you to note the location of specific sections of your tapes and find them quickly later. This tape counter counts in real time - hours, minutes, and seconds. You can see the tape counter for both decks on the On-Screen Display. You can also see the tape counter for the active deck on the Front Panel Display (pressing the CLK/CTR key repeatedly switches the display between the clock and the counter). To reset the tape counter to zero on the active deck press CLEAR . You can do this anywhere on a tape. Any time you insert a tape into your Dual-Deck VCR, the tape counter will automatically reset to zero. It is recommended that the counter be reset to zero after a full rewind. CHAPTER 2 - OPERATING YOUR DUAL-DECK VCR 27 ASF - Automatic Show Finder NOTE: The Dual-Deck VCR may miss an Index mark if the mark is very close to the current location, or it is at the beginning of the tape, or if it is within 5 minutes of another VISS mark. You can also place Index marks during a recording by pressing INDEX. The Dual-Deck VCR has an Automatic Show Finder feature. This feature combines the date/time stamp plus the VHS Index Search System (VISS). VISS is the VHS standard, so you can use the Dual-Deck VCR index system with tapes made on other VCRs and VHS camcorders that also use the VISS system. The Dual-Deck VCR automatically records an Index Mark on the tape each time you begin recording. You will see IDX flash on the on-screen display. You can locate these Index marks in two ways: Index Scan: 1. Use DECK SELECT to choose the active deck. 2. With a tape in the active deck, press INDEX on the remote control. The INDEX menu will appear on your screen. 3. Press FF to scan for Index marks forward, or REW to scan for Index marks in reverse. The Index Scan display will appear and the deck will fast wind and play a few seconds of tape at each index mark it encounters; it will then continue to fast wind to the next index mark. 4. Press STOP or PLAY when you reach the desired Index mark or see the section of tape you want. Index Search: 1. Use DECK SELECT to choose the active deck. 2. With a tape in the active deck, press INDEX on the remote control. The INDEX menu will appear on your screen. 3. Use the numerical keys to enter an index value. This value is the number of Index marks you want the VCR to count before it stops. Note: Enter a 0 first for Index marks 1-9. 4. Press FF to search for Index marks forward, or PLAY to search for Index marks in reverse. The Index Search display will appear and the deck will start to fast wind. When the VCR reaches the indicated Index mark, it will stop and play the tape.