Hitachi VT-MX411AC User Manual

HITACHI

Video Deck

VT-MX411AC Owner's Manual

Your Complete Guide to Videocassette Viewing and Recording

Using these quality features:  Rotary 4-head Record/Playback System  Bilingual on-screen menu display selectable in English or Spanish  Infrared remote control  Real time tape counter  181 channel capability PLL frequency synthesizer tuner with direct station call  Auto power on and off system  Auto counter reset  Auto rewind when the end of a tape is reached  Direct Button Operation  2 Step Picture Search Operation  Still  Digital Auto Tracking (DTR)  Auto Repeat  Rental Play Mode  Three different tape speeds (SP/LP/SLP)  IRT (Instant Recording Timer)  1 Year, 7 events (including Daily and Weekly Timer Recording)  Auto Return  Time Search/Blank Search/Index Search/Edit Search  Just-In-Time Recording  Remaining Tape Running Time Display  Slow Motion

HITACHI HOME HITACHI SALES HITACHI (HSC) ELECTRONICS CORPORATION CANADA INC. (AMERICA), INC. OF HAWAII, INC. 3300 Trans Canada Hwy.

3890 Steve Reynolds Blvd., 3219 Koapaka St. Pointe Claire, Quebec Norcross, Georgia 30093 Honolulu, HI 96819 H9R 1B1, CANADA Tel. 770-279-5600 Tel. 808-839-3621 Tel. 514-697-9150

QR15332 ©Hitachi, Ltd. 1996 Printed in Hong Kong

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS ..................................................................................................................5

PRECAUTIONS .........................................................................................................................................8

LOCATION ............................................................................................................................................8

POWER SUPPLY...................................................................................................................................8

AVOID THE HAZARDS OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK AND FIRE......................................................8

WARNING..............................................................................................................................................8

FEATURES...............................................................................................................................................10

VIDEO CASSETTE..................................................................................................................................12

PRECAUTIONS......................................................................................................................................12

THREE DIFFERENT TAPE SPEEDS......................................................................................................12

INSERTING A CASSETTE.....................................................................................................................12

REMOVING A CASSETTE ....................................................................................................................12

ERASE PREVENTION ...........................................................................................................................13

OPERATING CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS.....................................................................................14

PREPARATION FOR USE......................................................................................................................16

CABLE CONNECTIONS ....................................................................................................................16

SETTING A VIDEO CHANNEL.........................................................................................................17

A/V TERMINALS................................................................................................................................17

CONNECTING TO INPUT JACKS.....................................................................................................18

INPUT SELECT ...................................................................................................................................18

INSTALLING THE BATTERIES........................................................................................................18

PRESET FOR USE...................................................................................................................................19

AUTOMATIC CHANNEL PRESET (Without a Cable Box)..............................................................19

TO RECALL A DESIRED CHANNEL...............................................................................................20

TO DELETE PRESET CHANNEL......................................................................................................21

CHANNEL PRESET AGAIN ..............................................................................................................22

SETTING THE CLOCK.......................................................................................................................23

TO CHANGE CLOCK SETTING........................................................................................................26

SELECTING THE LANGUAGE.........................................................................................................26

ON SCREEN DISPLAY...........................................................................................................................28

PLAYBACK .............................................................................................................................................29

NORMAL PLAYBACK.......................................................................................................................29

SPECIAL PLAY BACK...........................................................................................................................32

AUTO REPEAT PLAYBACK.............................................................................................................32

TO STOP PLAYBACK........................................................................................................................33

TO EXIT THE AUTO REPEAT MODE..............................................................................................33

RENTAL PLAY....................................................................................................................................33

TO STOP PLAYBACK........................................................................................................................34

TO EXIT THE RENTAL PLAY MODE..............................................................................................34

SEARCH...................................................................................................................................................35

COUNTER MEMORY.........................................................................................................................35

TO EXIT THE COUNTER MEMORY................................................................................................36

TIME SEARCH ....................................................................................................................................36

INDEX SEARCH..................................................................................................................................37

BLANK SEARCH ................................................................................................................................38

RECORDING............................................................................................................................................40

VIEWING AND RECORDING THE SAME PROGRAM..................................................................40

SKIPPING SOME MATERIALS DURING RECORDING................................................................41

EDIT SEARCH.....................................................................................................................................41

RECORDING ONE PROGRAM WHILE VIEWING ANOTHER.....................................................42

TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF YOUR RECORDING.............................................................42

IRT (Instant Recording Timer) .............................................................................................................42

TIMER RECORDING..............................................................................................................................44

AUTOMATIC TIMER RECORDING.................................................................................................44

TO CORRECT AN AUTOMATIC TIMER PROGRAM....................................................................47

TO STOP AN AUTOMATIC TIMER PROGRAM WHICH HAS ALREADY STARTED..............47

TO CANCEL OR CHECK THE START/END TIME.........................................................................48

HINTS FOR TIMER RECORDING ....................................................................................................48

AUTO RETURN...................................................................................................................................48

WATCH THE RECORDED PROGRAM............................................................................................49

JUST-IN TIME RECORDING.............................................................................................................49

SETTING THE REMAINING TIME.......................................................................................................51

REMAINING TAPE RUNNING TIME DISPLAY.............................................................................52

COPYING A VIDEO TAPE..................................................................................................................... 53

TO MONITOR THE RECORDING..................................................................................................... 53

CONTROLLING YOUR TV WITH THE VCR'S REMOTE..................................................................54

REMOTE CONTROL OF THE TV .....................................................................................................54

PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE CONTROL OF THE TV.............................................................54

CONTROLLING THE TV ...................................................................................................................55

REMOTE CONTROL OF THE CABLE CONVERTER ....................................................................55

PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE CONTROL OF THE CABLE CONVERTER ............................55

TO OPERATE THE CABLE BOX ONCE THE REMOTE IS PROGRAMMED FOR IT. ...............56

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE...............................................................................................................57

MAINTENANCE......................................................................................................................................59

SERVICING..........................................................................................................................................59

CABINET CLEANING........................................................................................................................59

HEAD CLEANING ..............................................................................................................................59

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ...........................................................................................................60

WARNING:

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

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.

THIS SYMBOL INDICATES THAT DANGEROUS VOLTAGE CONSTITUTING A RISK

OF ELECTRIC SHOCK IS PRESENT WITHIN THIS UNIT.

THIS SYMBOL INDICATES THAT THERE ARE IMPORTANT OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE LITERATURE ACCOMPANYING THE APPLIANCE.

The caution marking is located on the rear of the cabinet.

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

1. Read instructions-All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated.

2. Retain Instructions-The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.

3. Heed Warnings-All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.

4. Follow Instructions-All operating and use instructions should be followed.

5. Cleaning-Unplug this video product from the wall outlet before cleaning . Do not use liquid cleaners or

aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. EXCEPTION: A product that is meant for uninterrupted service and, that for some specific reason, such as the possibility of the loss of an authorization code for a CATV converter, is not intended to be unplugged by the user for cleaning or any other purpose, may exclude the reference to unplugging the appliance in the cleaning description otherwise required in item 5.

6. Attachments-Do not use attachments not recommended by the video product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

7. Water and Moisture-Do not use this video product near water, for example, near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, and the like.

8. Accessories-Do not place this video product on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The video product may fall, causing serious injury to a child or adult, and serious damage to the appliance. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table recommended by the manufacturer, or sold with the video product. Any mounting of the appliance should follow the manufacturer's instructions and should use a mounting accessory recommended by the manufacturer. 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.

9. Ventilation-Slots and openings in the cabinet are provided for ventilation and to ensure reliable operation of the video product and to protect it from overheating, and these opening must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the video product on a bed, sofa, rug, or other similar surface. This video product 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 product should be operated only from the type of power source indicated

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

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 products intended to operate from battery power, or other sources, refer to the operating instructions.

11. Grounding or Polarization-This video product is equipped with a polarized alternating-current line plug (a plug having one blade wider than the other). This 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

should still fail 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 at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance.

13. Outdoor Antenna Grounding-If an outside antenna or cable system is connected to the VCR, be sure the antenna or cable system is grounded so as to provide some protection against voltage surges and built-up static charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical Code, ANSI/NFPA No. 70, provides information with regard 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 antenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding electrode. (Fig. A)

Antenna ground diagram.

14. Lightning-For added protection for this VCR 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 VCR 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, or 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 a risk of fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the video product.

17. Object and Liquid Entry-Never push objects of any kind into this video product through any openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind on the video product.

18. Servicing-Do not attempt to service this VCR yourself as opening or removing covers may expose you to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.

19. Damage Requiring Service-Unplug this VCR from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

a. When the power-supply cord or plug is damaged. b. If liquid has been spilled, or objects have fallen into the VCR. c. If the VCR has been exposed to rain or water. d. If the VCR does not operate normally by following the operating instructions. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the VCR to its normal operation. e. If the VCR has been dropped or damaged in any way. f. When the VCR 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 or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards.

21. Safety Check-Upon completion of any service or repairs to this VCR, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the VCR is in proper operating condition.

22. Heat-This VCR should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

PRECAUTIONS

LOCATION

For safe operation and satisfactory performance of your VCR, keep the following in mind when selecting a place for its installation:

l Shield it from direct sunlight and keep it away from sources of intense heat. l Avoid dusty or humid places. l Avoid places with insufficient ventilation for proper heat dissipation. Do not block the

ventilation holes at the top and bottom of the VCR. Do not place the unit on a carpet because this will block the ventilation holes.

l Install unit in a horizontal position. l Avoid locations subject to strong vibration. l Do not place the VCR near strong magnetic fields. l Do not move the unit from a cold to a hot place or vice versa. l Do not place the VCR directly on top of the TV.

POWER SUPPLY

l AC 120V, 60Hz ONLY

AVOID THE HAZARDS OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK AND FIRE

l Do not handle the power cord with wet hands. l Do not pull on the power cord when disconnecting it from AC wall outlet. Grasp it by the

plug.

l If, by accident, water is spilled on your VCR, unplug the power cord immediately and take the

unit to an Authorized Service Center for servicing.

l Do not put your fingers or objects into the VCR cassette holder. l Do not place anything directly on top of the VCR.

WARNING

PRECAUTIONS

Moisture condensation may occur inside the unit when it is moved from a cold place to a warm place, or after heating a cold room or under conditions of high humidity. Do not use the VCR at least for 2 hours until its inside is dry.

CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.

FCC WARNING- This equipment may generate or use radio frequency energy. Changes or

modifications to this equipment may cause harmful interference unless the modifications are expressly approved in the instruction manual. The user could lose the authority to operate this equipment if an unauthorized change or modification is made.

IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Unauthorized recording or use of broadcast television programming, video tape, film or other copyrighted material may violate applicable copyright laws. We assume no responsibility for the unauthorized duplication, use or other acts which infringe upon the rights of copyright owners.

The serial number of this product may be found on the back of the VCR. No others have the same serial number as yours. You should record the number and other vital information here and retain this book as a permanent record of your purchase to aid identification in case of theft.

Date of Purchase Dealer Purchase from Dealer Address Dealer Phone No. Model No. Serial No.

FEATURES

• Rotary 4-head Record/Playback System- Rotary 4-heads to ensure excellent picture quality and special effects playback.

• Bilingual on-screen menu display selectable in English or French

• Infrared remote control

• Real time tape counter- This shows the elapsed recording or playback time in hours, minutes,

and seconds. The "-" indication will appear when the tape is rewound further than the tape counter position "0:00:00".

• 181 channel capability PLL frequency synthesizer tuner with direct station call- (A converter may be necessary to view scrambled cable channels.)

• Auto power on and off system- Automatically turns the VCR on as you insert the cassette, turns off after auto-rewind, and ejects when the beginning of the tape is reached.

• Auto counter reset- (when inserting a tape)

• Auto rewind when the end of a tape is reached- (not in the case of timer recording).

• Direct Button Operation- When a tape is in the VCR and the power is off, just press PLAY,

REW or F.FWD button on the main unit and it will automatically turn on the VCR and playback, rewinding or fast-forwarding will start immediately (not in the case of timer recording).

• 2 Step Picture Search Operation- You can view a video program at a high speed or super hihg jspeed in either a forward or reverse direction in LP and SLP mode.

• Still- "Freeze" the picture at any time, for close viewing of a particular scene. Only tapes recorded in SLP mode will show a fairly clear picture.

• Digital Auto Tracking (DTR)- Adjusts the tracking automatically for each tape you play.

• Auto Repeat- Allows you to repeat a tape indefinitely without pressing the PLAY button.

• Rental Play Mode- Improves playback picture quality of worn tapes, especially rental tapes.

• Three different tape speeds: SP/LP/SLP

• IRT (Instant Recording Timer)- Instant timed recording from 30 to 480 minutes possible at

the push of REC/IRT button.

• 1 Year, 7 events (including Daily and Weekly Timer Recording)- The built-in timer allows you to record up to 7 programs at different channels up to 1 year in advance. The daily timer allows recordings to be made of daily broadcasts, and the weekly timer allows recording to be made once a week up to the end of the tape.

• Auto Return- After finished timer recording, the beginning of the recorded program(s) can be searched.

• Time Search- Lets you set the VCR to advance the tape by entering the desired playbck time you want to skip.

• Blank Search- Lets you set the VCR to search for an unrecorded portion on the tape.

• Index Search- Lets you Index the start of a recording.

• Edit Search- Lets you set the VCR to edit an unwanted segment of a recording.

• Just-In-Time Recording- Measures the remaining tape and automatically adjusts the tape

speed so that the automatic timer recording fits on a cassette.

• Remaining Tape Running Time Display- You can check the remaining running time of your

FEATURES

tape.

• Slow Motion- You can view the video program at a slower than normal playback speed. Slow speed can be controlled by pressing F.FWD button (faster) or REW button (slower).

VIDEO CASSETTE

This VCR will operate with any cassette that has the VHS mark. For best results, we recommend the use of high-quality tapes. Do not use poor quality or damaged tapes.

PRECAUTIONS

• Avoid moisture, which can condense on the tape if it is moved from a cold place to a warm place. Before using a tape with these conditions, to avoid damage to the tape and your VCR, wait until the tape has warmed to room temperature and the moisture has evaporated.

• Avoid extreme heat, high humidity and magnetic fields.

• Do not tamper with the cassette mechanism.

• Do not touch the tape with your fingers.

THREE DIFFERENT TAPE SPEEDS Before recording, select the tape speed from: SP mode (Standard Play), LP mode (Long Play) or SLP

mode (Super Long Play).

The table below shows the maximum recording/playback time using T60, T120, or T160 tapes in each mode.

INSERTING A CASSETTE

Insert the cassette in the direction as shown. Push in gently, but continuously, on the center-back of the cassette until it is drawn into the VCR. The VCR will automatically turn on.

REMOVING A CASSETTE

1) In the Stop mode, press STOP/EJECT button on the VCR. The cassette will eject.

2) Pull the cassette out of the cassette compartment.

3) Store the cassette in the case as shown.

VIDEO CASSETTE

ERASE PREVENTION

You can prevent accidental erasing of recording by breaking off the tab on the back edge of the cassette. If you decide to record on the tape again, cover the hole with plastic

tape.

OPERATING CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS

FRONT VIEW illustration

REMOTE CONTROL VIEW illustration

1. Cassette Compartment

2. REW button- Press to rewind the tape, or to view the picture rapidly in reverse during the

playback mode. (Rewind Search)

3. PLAY button- Press to begin playback.

4. F.FWD button- Press to rapidly advance the tape, or view the picture rapidly in forward

during playback. (Forward Search)

5. PAUSE button- Press to temporarily stop the tape during recording or to view a still picture during playback.

Frame Advance Function- Press to advance the picture by one fram during the still mode.

6. STOP button- Press to stop the tape motion. EJECT button- Press to remove a tape from the VCR (only on the VCR)

7. REC button- Press to begin manual recording. IRT button- Press to activate Instant Recording Timer. (only on the VCR)

8. CHANNEL buttons- Press to select desired channels for viewing or recording. SET function- Press to enter digits when setting program (for example: setting clock or timer

program). Press to select setting modes from on screen menu. Tracking function- Press to minimize video 'noise' (lines or dots on screen) during playback. (only the VCR) Press to stabilize the picture in the Still mode when the picture begins to vibrate vertically.

9. Digital display- Displays the clock, timer recording, counter and channel etc.

10. Remote sensor window- Receives the infrared signals from the remote control.

REAR VIEW illustration

11. POWER button- Press to turn VCR on and off. Press to activate a timer recording.

12. NUMBER buttons- Press to select desired channels for viewing or recording. To select

channels from 1 to 9, first press "0" button then 1 to 9. 100/ENT button- When selecting cable channels which are more than 100, press this button first, then press the last two digits. (To select channel 125, first press "100/ENT" button then press "2" and "5").

13. TAPE SPEED button- Press to set desired recording speed: SP/LP/SLP.

14. VOL button- Press to adjust the desired TV's volume level by using either or button.

15. MENU button- Press to display the main menu on the TV screen.

16. SELECT button- When setting program (for example: setting clock or timer program),

OPERATING CONTROLS AND FUNCTIONS

press to determine your selection and proceed to a next step you want to input. Press to determine setting modes from on screen menu. Status function- Press to display the counter on the current channel number and current time on the TV screen.

17. COUNTER MEMORY button- Press to set counter memory on and off.

18. ADD/DELETE button- Press to add or delete channel numbers during channel preset. Press

to cancel a setting of timer program. Press to correct digits when setting program (for example: setting clock or timer program).

COUNTER RESET button- Press to reset counter to 0:00:00.

19. MUTE button- Press to mute the TV's sound. Press it again to resume the sound.

20. VCR/TV button- Press to select VCR or TV mode.

VCR position: to view playback, to monitor video recordings or watch TV using the VCR tuner. TV position: to watch TV or to view on program while recording another.

21. Mode Select buttons

• CATV button- For details, see page 28.

• TV button- For details, see page 28.

• VCR button- For details, see page 28.

22. Power cord- Connect to a standard AC outlet (120V/60Hz).

23. AUDIO OUT jack- Connect to an audio input jack of your audio equipment or another

VCR.

24. AUDIO IN jack- Connect to an audio output jack of your audio equipment or another VCR.

25. ANT. IN terminal- Connect to an antenna or CATV.

26. VIDEO OUT jack- Connect to a video output jack of your video camera or another VCR.

27. VIDEO IN jack- Connect to a video output jack of your video camera or another VCR.

28. CH3/CH4 selector switch- Use to select a video output channel (3 or 4) for playback from

the VCR.

29. ANT. OUT terminal- Connect to an antenna input terminal of your TV.

NOTE:

SLOW Function- Press both PLAY and PAUSE button on the remote control at the same time to reduce the playback speed. Slow speed can be controlled by pressing F.FWD button (faster) or REW button (slower).

PREPARATION FOR USE

CABLE CONNECTIONS

For some of the most common types of connections, see the following drawings. Use only one connection. For any further complex connections, please contact your local dealer or other qualified persons. (You may need additional accessories which are not supplied).

1 Disconnect the antenna or cable from your TV. 2 Connect the antenna or cable to the ANT.IN jack of your VCR.

3 Connect one end of the coaxial cable (supplied) to the ANT.OUT jack of your VCR. 4 Connect the other end of the coaxial cable (supplied) to the UHF/VHF antenna jacks.

PREPARATION FOR USE

SETTING A VIDEO CHANNEL

If your TV does not have A/V terminals;

When the VCR is in the Playback mode or when the VCR/TV button on the remote control is in the VCR position, your TV will receive the signals from the VCR on either channel 3 or 4. To use the VCR with your TV, set the selector switch to CH3 or CH4, whichever is not used or least used for normal broadcasts in your area. Then set your TV to that same channel.

A/V TERMINALS

If your TV has A/V input jacks, you may connect your VCR's AUDIO/VIDEO OUTPUT jacks to the audio/video input jacks on the back of your TV. Direct audio/video connections usually result in a better picture and sound quality for tape playback. Please see your TV's owner's manual for A/V input connections.

PREPARATION FOR USE

CONNECTING TO INPUT JACKS

When you copy a video tape, or watch a program recorded on an another source, use audio/video input jacks.

INPUT SELECT

To use the external input jacks, select the AUX position. Press the CHANNEL or button or enter "00" with number button on the remote control so that "AUX" appears on the screen.

Note: "AUX" is found before the lowest memorized channel. (Example: CH2)

INSTALLING THE BATTERIES

1) Open the battery compartment cover by pressing the cover on the remote unit in the direction of the arrow.

2) Insert 2 "AA" penlight batteries into the battery compartment in the direction indicated by the polarity (+/-) markings.

3) Replace the cover.

Note to CATV system installer:

This reminder is provided to call the CATV system installer's attention to Article 820-40 of the NEC 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 poing of cable entry as practical.

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