Video Cassette Recorder VRA641AT Owner's Manual Important! Return your Warranty Registration Card within 10 days. See why inside. TM Return your Warranty Registration card today to ensure you receive all the benefits you're entitled to. Once your PHILIPS MAGNAVOX purchase is registered, you're eligible to receive all the privileges of owning a PHILIPS MAGNAVOX product. So complete and return the Warranty Registration Card enclosed with your purchase at once. And take advantage of these important benefits. Warranty Verification Registering your product within 10 days confirms your right to maximum protection under the terms and conditions of your PHILIPS MAGNAVOX warranty. Owner Confirmation Your completed Warranty Registration Card serves as verification of ownership in the event of product theft or loss. Model Registration Returning your Warranty Registration Card right away guarantees you'll receive all the information and special offers which you qualify for as the owner of your model. I ST RATION N Know these S REG y! urr H IT safetysymbols CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. EE DED AY W Dear PHILIPS MAGNAVOX product owner: Thank you for your confidence in PHILIPS MAGNAVOX. You've selected one of the best-built, best-backed products available today. And we'll do everything in our power to keep you happy with your purchase for many years to come. As a member of the PHILIPS MAGNAVOX "family," you're entitled to protection by one of the most comprehensive warranties and outstanding service networks in the industry. What's more, your purchase guarantees you'll receive all the information and special offers for which you qualify, plus easy access to accessories from our convenient home shopping network. And most importantly you can count on our uncompromising commitment to your total satisfaction. All of this is our way of saying welcome-and thanks for investing in a PHILIPS MAGNAVOX product. Sincerely, Robert Minkhorst President and Chief Executive Officer P.S. Remember, to get the most from your PHILIPS MAGNAVOX product, you must return your Warranty Registration Card within 10 days. So please mail it to us right now! Visit our World Wide Web Site at http://www.philipsmagnavox.com HIN 10 D Congratulations on your purchase, and welcome to the "family!" This "bolt of lightning" indicates uninsulated material within your unit may cause an electrical shock. For the safety of everyone in your household, please do not remove product covering. The "exclamation point" calls attention to features for which you should read the enclosed literature closely to prevent operating and maintenance problems. WARNING: TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. CAUTION: To prevent electric shock, match wide blade of plug to wide slot, and fully insert. ATTENTION: Pour éviter les choc électriques, introduire la lame la plus large de la fiche dans la borne correspondante de la prise et pousser jusqu'au fond. For Customer Use Enter below the Serial No. which is located on the rear of the cabinet. Retain this information for future reference. Model No. ______________ Serial No. ______________ Introduction 3 Welcome to your VCR owner's manual. This manual has seven sections: Setting Up Your VCR; Description of Controls; Basic Operations; Recording; Playing; Additional Features; and Information You May Need. The instructions explain all of the VCR's features, which are listed below. Features · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Automatic Channel Setup Automatic Clock Setting Automatic Head Cleaner Blue Background Child Lock Hi-Fi Stereo Tape Playback Index Search Multi-Channel Television Sound (MTS) System 19 Micron Head On-Screen Menus in English, Spanish, or French Quick Programming Remote Control with Capability to Operate TV, Cable Box, and Direct Broadcast System (DBS) Repeat Play Skip Search SmartPictureTM VCR Plus+ Programming System Video Stabilizer Safety Precautions Warning: To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Warning: Any unauthorized changes or modifications to this equipment void the user's authority to operate it. This VCR, equipped with a High Quality (HQ) System, is compatible with existing Video Home System (VHS) equipment. Philips Consumer Electronics recommends that you use only video cassette tapes that are labelled with the mark. The use of other tapes may result in poor picture quality and excessive deposits on the video heads, which may not be covered by the warranty if damage occurs. This VCR also is equipped with S-VHS Quasi Playback (SQPB), allowing you to play S-VHS recordings with regular VHS resolution. This product has a 19 micron head that provides a better picture when you view tapes recorded in slow speed (SLP). Note to the Cable TV System Installer: This reminder is provided to call the Cable TV system installer's attention to Article 820-40 of the National Electrical Code, which provides guidelines for proper grounding ­ in particular, specifying that the cable ground shall be connected to the grounding system of the building, as close to the point of cable entry as possible. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device. Copyright 1999 Philips Consumer Electronics. All rights reserved. SmartPicture is a trademark of Philips Consumer Electronics. VCR Plus+ and PlusCode are registered trademarks of Gemstar Development Corporation. The VCR Plus+ system is manufactured under license from Gemstar Development Corporation. The ENERGY STAR name and logo are registered marks of the U.S. ® Environmental Protection Agency. As an ENERGY STAR Partner, Philips Consumer Electronics has determined that this product meets the ENERGY ® STAR guidelines for energy efficiency. ® Helpful Hints · Your new product, its packaging, and this manual contain materials that can be recycled and reused. Specialized companies can recycle your product to increase the amount of reusable materials and to minimize the amount that needs to be properly disposed. Your product uses batteries that should not be thrown away when depleted but should be disposed of as small chemical waste. Please find out about the local regulations on disposal of your old products, batteries, manual, and packaging whenever you replace existing equipment. 4 Table of Contents Setting Up Your VCR Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Before Using Your VCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Hookups without a Cable Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6-7 Hookups with a Cable Box/Direct Broadcast System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9 Turning on Your VCR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Automatic Channel Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11-12 Setting the Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13-17 Daylight-Savings Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Language Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Description of Controls Remote Control Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20-21 Display Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Rear Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 On-Screen Status Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Setting the Remote Control to Operate a TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Setting the Remote Control to Operate a Cable Box/DBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Basic Operations Playing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Recording One-Touch Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Recording One Channel/Watching Another . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Setting Up the VCR Plus+ Programming System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32-33 Timer Recording with the VCR Plus+ Programming System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34-35 Quick Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36-39 Timer Recording Speed Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Rerecording (Tape Duplication) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Playing Index Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Multi-Channel Television Sound System Hi-Fi Stereo Tape Playback . . . . . . . . . Video Stabilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SmartPicture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Playback Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43-44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Additional Features Child Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Blue Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Automatic Operation Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Information You May Need Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Helpful Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54-55 Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Before Using Your VCR 5 Removing the Plastic Cover from the Front Panel A thin, plastic cover may protect the front panel of your VCR. Before using the VCR, lift a corner of the plastic, then peel it off. Putting Batteries in the Remote Control 1 2 3 1 2 3 To remove the battery compartment lid, push in the tab, then pull up the lid. Place two AA batteries inside the battery compartment with their + and ­ ends aligned as indicated. Replace the battery compartment lid. Using the Remote Control · Do not put objects between the remote control and the VCR. · Point the remote control at the VCR's remote sensor, then press the VCR button before pressing other VCR operation buttons. · Point the remote control at the TV, then press the TV button before pressing other TV operation buttons. · Point the remote control at the Cable Box/DBS, then press the CBL/DBS button before pressing other Cable Box/DBS operation buttons. Erase Protection Video cassettes have record tabs to ensure that recordings are not erased accidentally. 1 2 To prevent accidental erasure, break off the tab with a screwdriver. 1 2 Helpful Hints · The remote control and its ba ...