Help is available if you have trouble

Press, 12 March 1985, Page 15

Help is available if you have trouble

Sales of video hardware have been steady throughout the Canterbury region over recent weeks and we know that there are a great number of first-time VCR owners among our readers. We welcome these people to the wonderful world of video. Please remember, we are always available to help with any queries or problems. The most common problem that new owners share is difficulty in setting up the unit to record a television programme. The first thing to remember is that you are not alone in having trouble working it all out for yourself, and no-one is going to think any less of you if you call for help.

A video cassette recorder is often an eagerly-awaited addition to the home and, because of the initial excitement, all the installing technician’s careful instructions are inclined to go in one ear and out the other. As long as the unit will play the movie you have been holding for that glorious moment, all other thoughts take wings. We have all been down

that road, so please do not feel embarrassed or hesitant about going back to your retailer if you find that your handbook suddenly appears to be written in a foreign language that you simply cannot decipher. If you are determined to master all the controls and functions on your VCR without calling for help, first sit down and carefully read the instruction manual, page by page and cover to cover, until you are fully conversant with each step. Do not be tempted to open the manual at the appropriate section for the function you need without first reading all that has gone before. Remember, too, that each, model and brand is a little different and you need the instructions that pertain to your particular VCR — not the manual from a friend whose unit looks about the same.

When you do strike problems with any function, the first resource is the troubleshooting section of your manual. We have found, however, that many of these sections have no reference

to problems which are caused through misuse of the remote control unit. Many infra-red remotes are positively directional (they will function only when in a direct line with the sensor on the VCR) so check that you are in good line-of-sight before panic strikes. Remember to keep spare batteries on hand, too, if you are in the habit of controlling your VCR from the comfort of your armchair. Corded remote controls should always be checked for fit in the socket and for breaks in the cable if they are not performing properly. Do not wind the cord tightly around the unit when storing it away because this can stretch and break the wire or break the connection at either end. If you have left your VCR running while out of the room, and find it behaving in a mysterious fashion when you return, check that no-one has been touching the unit or the remote. Family pets which delight in “pinching your possie” the moment your back is turned have been known to

cause all sorts of problems by sitting or standing on a remote control! Do remember that help is always available with any problem you may have and that there is no need to be shy about asking for it. Noone expects you to be able to master everything on a VCR at the first attempt. After all, you did not pass your driver’s licence the' first time you sat behind the wheel of a car, did you?