RCA VR627HF User manual

WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISKOF ELECTRICSHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER (OR BACK). NO USER SERVICEABLEPARTSINSIDE.
R_SKOFELECTRICSHOCKREFERSERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICEPERSONNEL.
DO NOT OPEN This symbol indicates "dangerous
_ This symbol indicates _I, voltage" inside the product that
important instructions ,_ presents a risk of electric shock or
accompanying the product, personal injury.
Cautions Caution: To reduce the risk of electric shock, match the wide blade of plug to wide slot,
and fully insert.
Attention: Pour eviter les chocs electriques, introduire la lame la plus large de la fiche
dans la borne correspondante de la prise et pousser jusqO au fond.
Refer to the identification/rating label located on the back panel of your product for its
proper operating voltage.
FCC Regulations state that unauthorized changes or modifications to this
equipment may void the user's authority to operate it.
Cable TV Installer: This reminder is provided to call your attention to Article
820-40 of the National Electrical Code (Section 54 of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part
1) which 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.
Care and Cleaning: Use a soft cloth or the dusting attachment of your vacuum cleaner to dust your
VCR. Remove dust from the ventilation holes.
Plastic surfaces are easily scratched and can be marred by alcohol and various
solvents. Avoid excessive use of oil-based furniture polishes since the materials
used in the cabinet will accumulate more dust. A nonabrasive, antistatic cleaner/
polisher is recommended.
Product Registration
Please fill out the product registration card and return it immediately. Returning the card allows us to contact you if needed.
Keep your sales receipt to obtain warranty parts and service and for proof of purchase. Attach it here and record the serial and model numbers in
case you need them. The numbers are located on the back of the product.
Model No. VR627HF
Serial No.
Purchase Date:
Dealer/Address/Phone:

First Things First ............................................ 3
Setting Up the VCR ....................................... 7
Using the Menu to Set Up Features .............. 8
Language Selection .................................. 8
Cable TV Setup .......................................... 9
VCR Channels List ................................... 10
Auto Scan for Channels .................... 10
Adding or Removing Channels ......... 11
Time and Date ......................................... 12
Setting Time and Date ...................... 12
Second Audio Program .......................... 13
VCR Basics ...................................................... 15
Remote Control Buttons .............................. 16
Playing a Tape .............................................. 17
Automatic Rewind ....................................... 18
Tape Eject ..................................................... 18
Recording ..................................................... 18
Check the Safety Tab .............................. 18
Recording ....................................................... 19
OTR Recording ............................................. 20
Timer Recording ........................................... 21
Stopping a Timer Recording .................. 22
Reviewing and Clearing Programs ........ 22
Recording Broadcast Stereo or SAP
(Second Audio Program) TV ..................... 23
Recording Audio Only ................................. 23
Playing Back Audio Only ............................. 24
Copying and Editing Tapes .......................... 24

Other Features ............................................. 25
Picture Search Options ................................. 26
Forward and Reverse Search .................. 26
Slow Motion ............................................ 26
Tracking ................................................... 27
Time Counter .......................................... 27
On-screen Displays ....................................... 28
Audio Setup Features .................................. 28
Reception ................................................ 29
Tape Playback ............................................... 30
Connections .................................................. 31
Connecting Your VCR ................................... 32
Jacks and Cables ........................................... 32
RF Jacks and Coaxial Cables (F-type) ..... 32
Audiofideo Jacks and Cables
(RCA-type) ............................................ 32
Choosing a VCR Connection ....................... 33
Advantages of AudioNideo Cable
Connections .......................................... 33
TV with RF Jack Only .............................. 34
TV with AudioNideo Jacks ..................... 35
TV with A/V Jacks and Cable Box to
Unscramble Pay Channels Only ........... 36
Reference ....................................................... 37
Front Panel ................................................... 38
Display Panel ................................................ 39
Back Panel .................................................... 40
Troubleshooting Tips ................................... 41
How to Find Your TV's
Video Input Channel ................................. 45
Specifications ................................................ 46
Cleaning the VCR ......................................... 46
Limited Warranty ......................................... 47
Index ............................................................. 48
2

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW VCR,..
To help you get started using yourVCR with as little
reading as possible, we've put all the basic information
needed in the first three sections.To help you out,
there's even an initial setup feature the first time you
turn on yourVCR which walks you through several
set up steps at once.
dl FIRSTTHINGS FIRST
V
V
G E'FT'ING STARTED
Before this first step, though, learning about
the time and date, your remote control's features,
working with channels, and basic video tape
operations are essential to get all you can out
of theVCR. Once you are comfortable with these
features, feel free to refer to other sections because
they cover the more detailed information.
V
V
WHAT REMAINS?
The final sections of this manual contain
playback and recording information, a detailed
connections section, and a reference section including
troubleshooting tips, warranty information, and an
index. V
IREAD ME! 1
These note boxes give you tips for
your new video cassette recorder.
3

STEP 1: WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
The following items come packed in the box:
•VCR
•Remote control
• RFcoaxial cable
• 2 "AA" Batteries
STEP 2: INSTALL BA'n'ERIES IN THE
REMOTE CONTROL
Follow these steps whenever you need to install or change the
batteries in your VCR remote.
1.
2.
Remove the cover of the battery compartment.
Place the batteries into the remote's back panel. Match the
positive (+) and negative (-) ends of each battery to the
diagram inside the battery compartment.
3. Replace the cover.
STEP 3: CONNECT YOUR VCR
If you connect your VCR to your home antenna or cable system
and then to your TV, use the VCR's ANT IN and RFOUT jacks for
a good signal as shown to the right.
If you have a TV with AUDIO/VIDEO jacks, use the jacks for a
better connection. Refer to the section, Connections; toward
the back of the manual, for additional connection options.
STEP 4: PLUG IN THE VCR
Your VCR's power cord has a plastic band strung through the
blades. Remove plastic band before plugging the cord into
the power outlet. To remove band, cut with a pair of scissors
and pull it free of the blades. Once the plastic is removed, match
the wide blade of the power cord to the wide slot in the AC
outlet. Be sure to insert the plug completely.
VCR
TV
CABLE, CABLE BOX, OR ANTBNNA_ _"
4

STEP 5: TUNE THE TV
Tune the TV to the VCR viewing channel. The VCR viewing
channel is channel 3 or 4 or the TV's video input.
• If you connect your VCR using the ANTENNA connectors
with RFcoaxial cable, set the 3 CH. 4 switch to channel 3
or channel 4 -- the channel you want to use on your TV.
If you connect your VCR using the AUDIO/VIDEO jacks
with audio/video cables, select the TV's video input with
the remote control's INPUT button to see the signal. For
more information see, "How to Find Your TV's Video
Input Channel," in the Reference section of this manual.
STEP 6:TURN ON THE VCR
Press POWER on the VCR's front panel or the POWER button
on the remote control to turn on the VCR. After connecting
your VCR to a TV correctly and tuning to the proper viewing
channel, the first time you turn the VCR on, press the MENU
button to display LANGUAGE screen. This is the start of an
initial set up which helps you set different options for your
VCR.
STEP 7: INITIAL SETUP
Your VCR will ask you to select a language after it has been
hooked up to the TV, plugged in, and turned on. Then press
the MENU button.
LANGUAGE
FRAN_AIS
ESPA_OL
SELECT=(I T)
END=(HENU)
English isselected as the default language but you can
change it to French or Spanish by using the • • arrow
buttons on the remote control to highlight your selection.
When the language you want all screens to appear in is
highlighted, press the MENU button on the remote control,
VCR Viewing Channel
A/V input/output jacks Channe! 3/4 switch
When using the ANT IN and RFOUT
jacks to connect your VCR, tune your
TV to channel 3 or 4.
The 3-4 switch on the back of the VCR
determines which TV channel is used
to see VCR's picture.
When using the AUDIO/VIDEO jacks
on the rear of the VCR to connect to
your TV, you must tune to the TV's
video input channel. For more
information about selecting your
video input channel see, "How to
Find Your TV's Video Input Channel,"
in the Reference section of this
manual.
5

STEP 8: ACCESS THE MENUS
The MENU and arrow buttons let you access, select, and change
your VCR's preferences. For example, once you have finished
choosing a language, it would be a good time to set the time
and date.
The VCR's main MENU will be displayed once you are finished
choosing a language. In the main MENU, you are offered the
choices of PROGRAM, SETUP, and PRESET.
1.
2.
Use the • •arrow keys to highlight the PRESETselection,
and press ENTERon the remote control to select it.
In the PRESETmenu, the CLOCK SETselection is highlighted
by default. Press the ENTERbutton on the remote control to
display the next menu:
CLOCK SET
TIME DATE YEAR
SELECT=(&•4 _)
END=(MENU)
MENU
PROGRAM
SET UP
!
SE
EN PRESET
CH MEMORY
SELECT=(A •)
END=(MENU)
Use the remote control's • • arrow
buttons to highlight the menu selections
you want. Then, press the ENTERbutton
to make your selecbon.
3, The • • • • arrow buttons on the remote control are used
to highlight different parts of the time and date. The hour
is highlighted first by default, and "12" is blinking. Use the
• • arrows to set the hour. To change the hour to PM, scroll
with the • • arrows until the right hour is selected.
Next, highlight the minutes using the • • arrow buttons on
the remote control. Select the proper time using the • •
arrows again to scroll through the numbers.
The date and year are selected by first highlighting the
number with the • • arrow buttons and then using the
• • arrow buttons to scroll to the proper numbers. When
you are finished setting the date and time, press the MENU
button on the remote control to return to the main MENU.
All other on-screen menus work in a similar method using
the remote control to follow on-screen instructions. See the
next section, Additional Set-Up Features, for detailed
information about accessing individual menus.
6

ON-SCREEN GUIDE AND
ADDITIONAL SETUP FEATURES
Below is a list of setup features that you need to
set up before using your VCR for the first time.
•Select a Language
• Cable/Antenna Selection
• Setup for a Cable Box
• Set up the Antenna
• Set Time and Date
SE'I-FING UPTHE VCR
• Set Up the VCR's Channels (Auto Scan)
• Adding and Deleting Channels
• Setup a Second Audio Program (SAP) V
7

USING THE MENU TO SET UP
FEATURES
You can set up your VCR's features by using the remote
control's buttons to enter your choices from on-screen
instructions. Each menu item is explained in this section.
There are a few setups that need to be completed before other
features can be used. For example, before you can record a
show using the PROGRAM feature, you must first set the time
and date and scan for available channels.
Before you can make any selections though, you must first
determine which language you want your VCR to display
information.
LANGUAGE SELECTION
1. On your remote control, press the MENU button to display
the VCR's main MENU.
MENU
PROGRAM
,
PRESET
SELECT=(A• ENTER)
END=(MENU)
Use the remote control's • • arrow keys to highlight the SET
UP selection, then press ENTER on the remote control.
SET UP
PIII
SAP SET ON
ANTENNA MANU
SELECT=(A•_ P)
END=(MENU)
Use the AT arrow buttons on the remote control to
highlight the LANGUAGE selection. Then, use the <• arrow
buttons on the remote to highlight English (ENG), Franc;ais
(French) (FRA), or Espafiol (Spanish) (ESP).When the proper
language is highlighted, press MENU on the remote to
return to the main menu. On-Screen Menus
Not all the VCR screens are shown in
this manual when explaining the
features.
8

CABLE TV SETUP
This setup applies only when you have cable television. To select
between a regular TV antenna and a cable input:
1. Press MENU on the remote control to display the VCR's main
MENU.
,
MENU
PROGRAM
SET uP
Ikl
SELECT=(AT ENTER)
ENO=(MENU)
Use the • • arrow keys to highlight the PRESET selection, and
press ENTERon the remote control.
PRESET
CLOCK SET
SELECT= (&V)
END=(MENU)
,Use the • • 'arrow keys to highlight the CH MEMORY
selection, and press ENTER on the remote control.
CH MEMORY
_,_ ,,,, ICAT
E
AUTO SCAN ON
ADD CH --CH
ERASE CH --CH
SELECT=(&T• ")
END=(MENU)
4. Use the • • arrow buttons on the remote to highlight the
CATV selection, then press MENU on the remote control.
Your VCR is now set up to accept a cable signal. You will tune
to the channel that your TV uses to see the signal. If
recording cable TV programming, you need to make sure the
VCR is set to this same channel (usually 03, 04, or the Video
input Channel).
VCR CHANNELS LIST
Your VCR may come with a channel list preset at the factory,
Video Input Channel?
If you use your Audio/Video jacks to
connect your VCR to your TV, then you
need to tune to the TV's video input
channel to see the picture.
For more information on the superior
quality of a video input channel
picture, see How to Find Your TV's
Video Input Channel in the Reference
section of this manual or your TV's
User's Guide.
9

but you will probably want to add or delete channels
depending on personal preference, and whether channels are
active in your area. If you have cable television, you will want
to set the antenna for CATV (see previous page).
USING AUTO SCAN TO SEARCH FOR
CHANNELS
1. Press the MENU button on your remote control to display
the VCR's main MENU.
MENU
PROGRAM
SET UP
2,
SELECT=(A• ENTER)
END=(MENU)
Use the • • arrow keys to highlight the PRESETselection,
and press ENTER on the remote control.
PRESET
CLOCK SET
t,.,im,.,.a.I
SELECT=(& V)
END=(MENU)
3. Use the •• arrow keys to highlight the CH MEMORY
selection, and press ENTERon the remote control.
EH MEMORY
TV/EATV TV CATV
t_ )M
ADD EH --CH
ERASE CH --EH
SELECT=(&•< P)
END=(MENU)
4. Use the • • arrow keys to highlight the AUTO SCAN
selection, and then use the <p arrow keys to highlight ON.
The VCR begins scanning for the available channels--this
takes about one to-two minutes.
Auto Scan
Use the Auto Scan feature to place all
available channels in memory.
If you ever change cable or antenna
signals, you may need to Auto Scan
again.
10

If you have CATV selected, then the VCR searches for cable
channels.
If you have TV selected, then the VCR searches for local
broadcast stations.
When the scan is complete, the VCR will blink the OFF
selection under the AUTO SCAN selection.
ADDING OR REMOVING CHANNELS
You may want to add or remove channels after you AUTO
SCAN, especially if some of the channels have weak signals or
you don't want to watch them.
1. Press MENU on the remote control to display the VCR's main
MENU, then scroll until the PRESETselection is highlighted
and press ENTER.
2. Use the •• arrow keys to highlight the CH MEMORY
selection, and press ENTER on the remote control.
3. To add channels, use the •• arrow keys to highlight the ADD
CH selection, and the screen displays:
CH MEMORY
TV/CATV TV CATV
AUTO SCAN OFF ON
ERASE CH --CH
I TO SET CH
PUSH 0-9 KEYSffiffi
SELECT=(& Y)
END=(MENU)
4, Use the 0-9 buttons on the remote to enter the channel you
wish to add. The cursor will blink for a moment over the ADD
CH heading and then return to the -- once the channel has
been added to memory.
5. To remove a channel, use the • • arrow buttons to highlight
the ERASECH selection.
Selecting Channels
The Channel up and down buttons
accessthose channels active in your
VCR channel list.
You can still access channels not
on the channel list by using the
number buttons on the remote
control.
Continued on Next Page
11

CH MEMORY
TV/CATV TV CATV
AUTO SCAN OFF ON
ADD CH --CH
I_|
I TO SET CH
PUSH 0-9 KEYSI
SELECT=(A ")
END=(MENU)
Use the 0-9 buttons on the remote control to enter the
channel you wish to remove. The cursor will blink for a
moment over the ERASECH header and then return to the
-- prompt.
TIME AND DATE
The time and date need to be set before you can record any
show you program into the VCR's memory. Time and date must
also be set before the clock will display properly on the front of
the recorder.
SE'n'ING TIME AND DATE
1. Press MENU on the remote control to display the VCR's main
MENU.
MENU
PROGRAM
SET UP
2,
SELECT=(&• ENTER)
END=(MENU)
Use the • • arrow keys on the remote control to highlight
the PRESETselection, then press ENTERon the remote
control.
PRESET
CH MEMORY
SELECT=(k ")
END=(NENU)
3, The CLOCK SETselection is already highlighted. Hit the
ENTER button on the remote control to access the menu.
12

CLOCK SET
TIME DATE YEAR
SELECT=(&•_ P)
END=(MENU)
4. Use the •v arrow keys on the remote control to scroll
through the time until the right hour is selected (including
AM or PM). Use the arrow buttons to select minutes, month
and date, and finally the year using the arrow buttons to
scroll to the right number. Once you have set the time and
date, press ENTERon the remote control to return to the
previous MENU.
SECOND AUDIO PROGRAM
Some broadcasters may offer programs with stereo audio or a
Second Audio Program (SAP). To take advantage of this second
audio signal, you must first turn on the VCR's SAP feature:
1. Press the MENU button on the remote control to display the
VCR's main MENU.
MENU
PROGRAM
2.
PRESET
SELECT=(AV ENTER)
END=(MENU)
Use the • • arrow keys on the remote control to highlight
the SETUP selection, then press ENTERon the remote
control.
SET UP
== FF
|._llJ I[IANTENNA MANU
LANGUAGE m FRA ESP
SELECT=(A•4 _)
END=(MENU)
3. In the SETUP menu, the SAP selection is already highlighted.
The cursor blinks over the OFF position. To turn on SAP, use
the • • arrow buttons on the remote control to move the
highlight over the ON selection. When you are finished, press
MENU to return to the previous screen.
13

LEARNING THE BASICS TO GET
YOU STARTE D
TheseVCR basics should be enough for you to begin
enjoying yourVCR. Learning to use the remote
control functions, play a recorded tape, and record a
program wil! help you get the most out of yourVCR.
This section shows you the basics of using yourVCR.
It discusses things like using the remote control,
playing a tape, and recording programs.
Y
Y
VCR BASICS
¥
V
V
IVCR Basicstells you what you need /
to know in order to watch a movie J
or tape your favorite show.
15

REMOTE CONTROL BUTTONS
(In alphabetical order)
AUDIO SEL toggles the VCR's audio output between Stereo,
Mono L, and Mono R.
CHANNEL Up or Down Selects next higher or lower channel
in the VCR's channel memory. Also used to scroll up and down
through on-screen display choices.
CLI_CNTR Toggles between the clock and tape counter displays
both on-screen and on the VCR's front panel.
EJECT Ejects a tape inserted in the VCR.
ENTER Selects a highlighted on-screen display.
FWD Fast forwards the tape when the VCR is stopped. Searches
forward through a tape during playback ("Cue"). Pressing this
button twice toggles between Cue mode and fast-forward mode.
INFO Shows/hides the status displays on the TV screen.
INPUT SELECT Toggles between the line input and the VCR's
tuner. Line input refers to the signal coming from the component
connected to the AUDIO/VIDEO IN jacks on the front of the VCR,
MENU Brings up VCR's main MENU on the TV screen. Also exits
out of menu screens to the previous menu.
Numbers (0 through 9, 100) Select a channel up to 99 by
pressing the 0-9 buttons. Select a cable channel over 99 by
pressing the 100 button. When 1- - appears on the screen, press
the other two numbers.
PAUSE Pauses playback or recording. Press PAUSE again to
return to playback or recording.
PLAY Plays a tape.
POWER Turns the VCR on or off.
REC, OTR Pressing both buttons starts VCR recording. When
both buttons are pressed again, the VCR isset to record for a
specific duration of time before automatically shutting off.
Record times are built in half hour intervals from two to six hours.
RESET Resets time counter to 0:00:00. Allows you to change
entries when setting a timer recording.
REV Rewinds the tape when the VCR is stopped. Searches
backward ("Cues") through a tape during playback. Starts slow
motion during play-pause and decreases slow-motion speed.
POWER TIMER
I/ INPUT
SELECT
TV'VCR
CLK.CNTR
INFO [ RESET
AUDIOSEL
/
MEN!
,_ ENTER
16

SHIFT Used to move a cursor right and left in on-screen display
choices.
SLOW Used for slow-motion playback. Pressing this button a
second time slows playback more.
SP,EP Selects a recording speeds Standard Play (SP) or Extended
Play (EP).
STOP Stops the current VCR function such as record, playback,
rewind, or fast forward.
TIMER Readies the VCR for a timer program, and is designated
when the " [] " symbol lights on the front panel. Require that a
timer program has been correctly set and a videotape with the
safety tab in place is in the VCR.
TV,VCR Switches the picture signal so that it either comes from
the VCR or cablelantenna system.
PLAYI NG A TAPE
1. Tune the TV to your VCR viewing channel (3, 4, or the TV's
video input) and hit the TV.VCR button on the remote so
that the VCR display appears on the VCR's front panel.
2. Insert a tape in the VCR.
DTJ'_ _i _ ! I I 1
.U.LIL-I.LILI
3P M
The VCRdisplay indicates that the unit is
in VCRmode, suitable to watch atape.
J
The tape automatically begins playback (if the safety tab on
the cassette is removed).
• PressFWD or REVto position the tape.
• Press PLAY on the VCR or remote control (if necessary) to begin
tape play.
• Press PAUSEon remote for Still Picture.
• Press SLOW on the remote control for slow motion playback.
• Press STOP/EJECTon VCR (STOPon remote) to stop playback.
Pause
If you pause, the VCR automatically
switches from pause to PLAY after a
few minutes to reduce tape wear.
Automatic Tracking
The VCR has automatic tracking which
adjusts the picture when playing back
a tape recorded on another VCR.
Automatic tracking isturned on
whenever a tape is inserted or the
VCR's power is
turned on.
17

AUTOMATIC REWIND
The VCR automatically rewinds a tape if it reaches the end
of the tape during playback.
TAPE EJECT
Press STOP.EJECT on the VCR (EJECTon the remote) when a
tape is stopped to eject it. A tape can be ejected even when the
VCR isturned off.
RECORDING
If you want to record something that you're watching, you can
use basic recording methods:
1. Set the tape speed by pressing the SP.EP button on the
remote to change between SPand ER
2. Press the RECORD button (REC/OTR buttons on the remote)
to begin recording.
3. Press STOPto stop recording.
If you just want to pause the recording for a short time
(such as during a commercial), press PAUSEinstead of STORTo
resume recording, press PAUSE.
CH ECK TH E SAFETY TAB
No matter how you record, you need to make sure there is a
tape in the VCR, and that the safety tab on the tape is not
removed. You cannot record on a tape whose safety tab is
missing.
If the safety tab is removed and you want to record over it,
simply cover the space with vinyl tape.
Safety Tab
18