OPTIMUS MODEL 54 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR
(160-0624) Recording Faxback Doc. # 33519
There are four ways to record using your VCR - immediate recording, quick-
set recording, automatic timer recording, and dubbing.
The video cassette you use for recording must have the erase-protection tab
in place. If the tab is removed, the cassette automatically ejects if you
try to record on it. (See "Erase-Protection.")
NOTE: Your VCR automatically adjusts the sound level while it records.
Tape Selection
The tape you use greatly affects record/playback quality and the life of
the VCR. Use only video cassettes that display the official VHS logo
([VHS]).
High-grade tape has a better oxide coating that helps prevent dirty video
heads and gives the best results.
Although T-160 video cassettes offer the longest recording time, they con-
tain thinner tape that is more likely to jam. We suggest you use T-120 or
shorter length tape.
The following chart shows the maximum recording times for different-length
tapes at the three recording speeds.
Cassette
Recording
Speed T-60 T-120 T-160
SP 1 hour 2 hour 2 2/3 hours
(60 minutes) (120 minutes) (160 minutes)
LP 2 hour 4 hours 5 1/3 hours
(120 minutes) (240 minutes) (320 minutes)
EP 3 hour 6 hours 8 hours
(180 minutes) (360 minutes) (480 minutes)
Follow these steps to set the tape type so the VCR can accurately calculate
and display the remaining time on the cassette tape in the VCR.
1. Press POWER to turn on the VCR.
2. Turn on your TV and set it to the same channel as the VCR's CH3/CH4
switch on the back of the VCR (see "Setting the CH3/CH4 Switch").
NOTE: If your TV has A/V inputs, be sure to set it to the video mode.
3. Press MENU. The main menu appears on the TV screen.
PUSH NUMBER SHOWN
1. CLOCK SET
2. NORMAL PROGRAM
3. DAILY PROGRAM
4. WEEKLY PROGRAM
5. PROGRAM REVIEW
6. CALENDAR
7. SET UP
TO END PUSH MENU
4. Press 7. The VCR set-up menu appears.
PUSH NUMBER SHOWN
1. TV SYSTEM (TV)
2. TAPE SELECT (T140, 160)
3. RENTAL POSITION (OFF)
4. AUTO CHANNEL SET
5. COLOR MENU SELECT
6. LANGUAGE SELECT
7. AUDIO MODE SET
TO END PUSH MENU
5. Press 2 to switch the display between T-120 and T140, 160.
6. Press MENU to exit the set-up menu.
7. Press MENU again to exit the main menu.
Erase Protection
Video cassettes have an erase-protection tab to prevent accidental erasure
of a tape. To prevent recording, break off the tab using a screwdriver.
The cassette automatically ejects if you try to record on the tape.
If you want to record on a video cassette that does not have the tab, put
a piece of heavy plastic tape over the tab hole.
Record Pause
Use PAUSE/STILL during recording to edit unwanted material, such as comm-
ercials.
Press PAUSE/STILL at the beginning of the unwanted material. The tape temp-
orarily stops. Press PAUSE/STILL again to resume recording.
NOTE: If you leave the VCR in the pause mode for 5 minutes during record-
ing, the VCR automatically stops.
Immediate Recording
You can record the same program you watch or record one program while you
watch another, depending on which connection you chose in "If You are Using
an Antenna" or "If You Have Cable."
NOTE: If you want to record from another VCR, a laser disc player, or other
source with A/V outputs, see "Dubbing", on Faxback Doc. # 39352.
Recording a Program as You Watch It
1. Turn on the VCR and the TV. If your TV has A/V inputs, set it to the
video mode.
2. Set the TV tuner to the same channel as the VCR's CH3/CH4 switch.
3. Press TV/VCR on the remote control so VCR appears on the display.
4. Press TU/SC/AV on the remote control to select the tuner (TU) or simul-
cast (SC) mode. (See "Controlling VCR Inputs and Outputs" on Faxback
Doc. # 39350).
5. Insert the VHS tape you want to record on into the VCR.
6. Press SP/LP/EP on the remote control to display the desired recording
speed (SP, LP or EP).
7. Set TV/CATV on the set-up menu to the desired TV system.
PUSH NUMBER SHOWN
1. TV SYSTEM (TV)
2. TAPE SELECT (T120)
3. RENTAL POSITION (OFF)
4. AUTO CHANNEL SET
5. COLOR MENU SELECT
6. LANGUAGE SELECT
7. AUDIO MODE SET
TO END PUSH MENU
8. Press CHANNEL - or + or use the remote control's number buttons to
select the desired channel.
9. Press RECORD on the remote control.
10. Press STOP (or STOP/EJECT on the VCR) to stop recording.
Recording One Program While You Watch Another
1. Follow Steps 1-9 in the previous section.
2. Press TV/VCR so VCR does not appear on the VCR's display. If your TV
has A/V inputs, be sure to set it to the TV mode.
3. Set the TV tuner to the channel you want to watch.
4. Press STOP (or STOP/EJECT on the VCR) to stop recording.
Quick Set Recording (QSR)
Your VCR has two types of quick-set recording (QSR) - immediate and delayed.
Immediate QSR starts recording immediately and stops after the length of
time you select. Delayed QSR starts recording at the time you select (with-
in the next 24 hours) and stops after the length of time you select.
NOTE: You cannot use immediate QSR if the VCR is programmed for delayed QSR.
Immediate QSR
1. Load the VHS cassette you want to record on into the VCR. The VCR
automatically turns on.
If a cassette is already in the VCR, press POWER to turn on the VCR.
2. Turn on the TV and set it to the same channel as the VCR's CH3/CH4
switch.
If your TV has A/V inputs, set it to the video mode.
3. Press TV/VCR on the remote control so VCR appears on the display.
4. Press TU/SC/AV on the remote control for the desired input.
5. Press SP/LP/EP on the remote control to display the desired recording
speed.
6. Select the channel you want to record.
7. Press QSR LENGTH. The QSR menu appears with START NOW.
QSR
CH 04
START NOW
LENGTH 0H00
8. Press QSR LENGTH again to begin recording. The recording indicator REC
and the recording length appear on the display.
9. Repeatedly press QSR LENGTH until the VCR displays the desired length
of recording time. You can choose the time in 30-minute increments
within the next 9 hours.
Delayed QSR
1. Perform Steps 1-6 in "Immediate QSR", above.
2. Press QSR START. The QSR menu appears on the screen and shows that
delayed QSR is programmed.
QSR
CH 04
START 10:00 PM
LENGTH 0H00
3. Repeatedly press QSR START to display the desired recording start time.
You can choose the start time in 30-minute increments within the next
24 hours.
NOTE: If you try to set the start time before setting the clock, CLOCK
SET MENU appears on the TV screen.
CLOCK SET
TIME
TO END PUSH MENU
4. Repeatedly press QSR LENGTH to display the desired length of recording
time.
NOTE: If you do not press QSR LENGTH within about 3 seconds after you
press QSR START, the VCR exits the QSR mode.
5. Press POWER to turn off the VCR.
The timer and recording indicators appear on the display, and recording
starts at the time you select.
QSR Hints
To ensure that you record all of the desired program, set the end time
a little later than the end of the program.
QSR cannot function if a cassette is not inserted, if the erase-protec-
tion tab is removed, or if an automatic timer recording is in progress.
To cancel a QSR in progress, press POWER to turn off the VCR.
To cancel QSR during the delayed QSR standby time, press QSR LENGTH on
the remote control to display 0H00.
You can change the recording length of a QSR by pressing QSR LENGTH
before the delayed QSR starts.
The SP/LP/EP button is active during QSR, but should not be used while
the VCR records.
You cannot check automatic program timer settings during QSR.
Automatic Timer Recording
Automatic timer recording lets you set the VCR to start and end recording
while you are away. You can set eight program timers to record a combina-
tion of daily, weekly, or one-time TV programs. This allows you to record
at the same time Monday through Friday (DAILY), on the same day every week
(WEEKLY), or on selected days within a one-year period (NORMAL).
You can set each program timer to record on a different channel and at a
different speed.
Automatic timer recording consists of two steps: setting the program timer
and making the automatic timer recording.
Setting the Program Timer
You must use the remote control to set the program timer. Be sure to
correctly set the clock before you use automatic timer recording.
In this example, timer No. 1 is set to record Channel 04 from 9:00 PM to
10:30 PM on July 9, 1993, at the SP speed.
1. Insert the VHS tape you want to record on into the VCR. The VCR turns
on.
If the cassette's erase-protection tab has been removed, place a piece
of plastic tape over the hole to allow recording on the tape. (See
"Erase Protection", above).
2. Turn on the TV and set it to the same channel as the VCR's CH3/CH4
switch. If your TV has A/V inputs, set it to the video mode.
3. Press TV/VCR so VCR appears on the display.
4. Press MENU on the remote control. The program timer menu appears on
the TV screen.
PUSH NUMBER SHOWN
1. CLOCK SET
2. NORMAL PROGRAM
3. DAILY PROGRAM
4. WEEKLY PROGRAM
5. PROGRAM REVIEW
6. CALENDAR
7. SET UP
TO END PUSH MENU
5. Select the time mode. Press 2 for NORMAL, 3 for DAILY, or 4 for WEEKLY.
(For our example, press 2 to set NORMAL.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
SELECT PROG NUMBER
6. Select the program number, using the number buttons 1-8. (For our exam-
ple, press 1 to set Timer 1.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
SELECT SOURCE INPUT
TUNER = 1 A/V = 2
TO END PUSH MENU
NOTE: If all timer setting numbers light steadily, all eight timers
have been set. To set another program timer, you must first
clear one of the timers (see "Clearing a Program Timer", below).
7. Set the desired input mode, TUNER or AV. Press 1 for TUNER or 2 for AV.
(See "Controlling VCR Inputs and Outputs", on Faxback Doc. # 39350).
(For our example, press 1 to set TUNER.)
8. Select the channel you want to record from, using the remote control's
number buttons. (For our example, press 0 and 4 to select 04.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
CH 04 SPEED
SP = 1 LP = 2 EP = 3
AUTO = 4
TO END PUSH MENU
NOTE: Precede all single-digit entries with a 0.
9. Select the tape speed. Press 1 for SP, 2 for LP, 3 for EP or 4 for
AUTO. (For our example, press 1 to select SP.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
CH 04 SPEED SP
START TIME
TO END PUSH MENU
NOTE: If you select AUTO, the VCR automatically determines how much
tape is left and switches speed accordingly. Some distortion may
appear at the point where the speed switches.
10. Use the number buttons to set the start time. (For our example, press 0
9 0 and 0 to set 9:00.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
CH 04 SPEED SP
START TIME 09:00
AM = 1 PM = 2
TO END PUSH MENU
11. Press 1 to set AM or 2 to set PM. (For our example, press 2 to select
PM.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
CH 04 SPEED SP
START TIME 09:00 PM
STOP TIME
TO END PUSH MENU
12. Use the number buttons to set the end time. (For our example, press 1 0
3 and 0 to set 10:30.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
CH 04 SPEED SP
START TIME 09:00 PM
STOP TIME 10:30
AM + 1 PM + 2
TO END PUSH MENU
13. Press 1 to set AM or 2 to set PM. (For our example, press 2 to select
PM.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
CH 04 SPEED SP
START TIME 09:00 PM
STOP TIME 10:30 PM
START DATE 07/04/93
SUN
TO END PUSH MENU
14. Use the number buttons to set the desired date. The year and day
automatically appear. (For our example, press 0 7 0 and 9 to set July
9.)
NORMAL PROGRAM
PROGRAM 1
CH 04 SPEED SP
START TIME 09:00 PM
STOP TIME 10:30 PM
START DATE 07/09/93
FRI
TO END PUSH MENU
15. Double-check all the set information.
If some information is not correct, press CLEAR/MONITOR as needed to
erase the incorrect information, then enter the correct information.
When all information is correct, press MENU.
16. Press MENU again to exit the menu.
NOTE: If you accidentally set the timer to record on a date that is before
the VCR's clock date, PAST TIME PROGRAMMED flashes on the TV screen.
Reset the program(s) with the correct time(s).
Making an Automatic Timer Recording
After you set the automatic program timer(s), follow these steps to make
the recording(s).
1. Be sure the cassette you want to record on is in the cassette compart-
ment and rewound to the correct location.
2. Press POWER to turn off the VCR.
When (CLOCK) appears, the VCR is in the timer standby mode. When a timer
recording begins, the record indicator appears.
NOTE: You can turn on and operate the VCR manually prior to the set times,
but the VCR makes the automatic timer recording(s) only if the power
is off at the set start time(s).
Automatic Timer Recording Hints
The VCR's power turns off at the end of automatic timer recording.
If a power failure occurs or if the VCR is unplugged for more than one
hour, the VCR loses the clock setting and all timer settings.
If you set the timer and turn off the VCR without loading a cassette,
the cassette indicator flashes.
If the end of a tape is reached during timer recording, the VCR rewinds
and ejects the tape, then turns off.
Monitoring an Automatic Timer Recording
To monitor an automatic timer recording, turn on the TV and set it to the
same channel as the VCR's CH3/CH4 switch. If your TV has A/V inputs, set it
to the video mode.
Checking/Clearing Program Timers
1. Turn on the TV and set it to the same channel as the VCR's CH3/CH4
switch. If your TV has A/V inputs, set it to the video mode.
2. Turn on the VCR and press TV/VCR so VCR appears on the display.
3. Press MENU. The menu appears on the TV screen.
4. Press 5 to select PROGRAM REVIEW.
5. Repeatedly press 5 to review the program information.
Press CLEAR/MONITOR if you want to clear any program timers.
NOTE: If there are no program timers set when you check the timers,
EMPTY flashes on the TV screen for about 3 seconds.
6. Press MENU to exit the PROGRAM REVIEW mode. The menu reappears.
7. Press MENU again to exit the menu.
(br/EB 5/8/97)
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