Philips VCR N1502 (N1500). A complete disaster.

[@DrCassette]

That's really too bad... but surely this recorder will be useful in the future, even if just as a parts donor.

[@GBOAF216]

Always remember when my school ‘upgraded’ their Sony open reel B&W VTR, to the brand new Philips N1500 video cassette unit, we were all blown away by the tech! It would record in colour too!! By the time I left school in 78/79? I think they’d got some 1502? Units as well. Are people still having recordings transferred to digital these days from this old format? I find it amazing that these units are still working!, though I guess it’s just as a playback format now anyway.

[@video99couk]

Yes I regularly get tapes in for this format.

[@mspysu79]

What a bummer that was with the junk video heads. I do love how easy it is to change the heads on those machines, try that in an MII or DVC Pro....

[@frankowalker4662]

Back in the late 80's, early 90's I had the N1700. I was the bane of my life, We moved house alot and they weigh a ton. So I got rid of it. LOL.

[@markpirateuk]

I can feel your disappointment, I have had a few of these Philips machines, most were used until the heads were so worn as to make the picture unwatchable. Sadly, hens teeth are easier to find!

[@bobsbits5357]

HI i s there's a din socket in the back i saw it when changed over the beltss you are right about the tape basf i got the deck from a carboot sale was keep in the right place for video decks great video's

[@MyPOLYSTAR]

👌👌👌tenho 2 cassetes virgem lacradas BASF.

[@moow950]

I remember these N1502 recorders being used at my high school ;-)

[@michaeldranfield7140]

When I was at junior school we had a brand new Phillips video recorder in the assembly hall , cant remember the year but it was video very first came out so it would be early 1970 s but the school only had it for about 3 weeks before someone smashed the window , broke in and took it .

[@video99couk]

Around 1972 or 1973 then. The video recorder was worth as much as a new small car.

[@ianbakke]

I actually happen to have a spare head drum for the N1500. I really don’t know what condition the heads are in, at least they’re not smashed. The main issue is that I live in Sweden.

[@video99couk]

It wouldn't cost much to post, but would need careful packaging in foam so the head tips don't touch anything. Please email me via my web site if you would like to sell it and I'll feature testing it on my channel!

[@Videofarming]

Hello are the rear drive belts still available?

[@video99couk]

Yes all drive belts are available, you may just have to measure them and order by size.

[@martynquiney9121]

Hi Colin great video I love these old philips N1502 the heads are all ways a problem I found a old radio rentals vcr with the heads good it's mutch like philips 1520 the head has four heads would it work in my philips 1502 or would it be a problem

[@video99couk]

I also have an N1520. I doubt the heads would work but it depends how they built the rotary transformer.

[@bobjerome5390]

hi worked on this model so many times i am a betacam fan myself i picked deck from free ads in the parts

[@eggplantcasserole]

I had an unused N1700 head drum sitting on the shelf in its original box. Came in one day to find it had fallen on the floor, the drum was out of the packed and one head had smashed. As for my N1502, it's been in storage for years as the head drum is marked as N1700! One day I'll get a chance to get it on the bench....

[@video99couk]

Oh that must have been a terrible moment, you have my sympathy. If someone has an N1700 head in an N1502, it might have been modified for slow speed operation.

[@eggplantcasserole]

@@video99couk Yes, I wasn't the calmest when I discovered it!! I've often suspected the N1502 had been modified, though it wasn't a priority at the time with a huge pile to go through, and into storage it went! I do look forward to experimenting with it, though... when I find it!!

[@matthewgibb2640]

I have an n1500. Not sure what the heads are like. It may power up with a new cord. It was hard wired in by the previous owner

[@kokodin5895]

how similar are the heads of that thing to earlier black and white real to real 1000 units? also what is a chance to make a head like that at home frome come ferrite wafer and winding wire? it seems simple enough and if you have trashed head you don't really risk much trying to make one either

[@video99couk]

I asked that question of a Philips person (new video to come out in a few days) and he didn't know how similar the heads are. Aligning the heads is the big problem, you could never do it.

[@kokodin5895]

@@video99couk then i hope my polish licenced versions of ldl1000 and n1500 both have healthy heads and i didn't break them by moving stuff around i just got n1500 clone from a friend and i am just looking up what that is other than an old mess of post soviet era and failed licencing deal (unitra mtv10 and mtv20 respectively)

[@FirenzePrima]

Su queste macchine (pure la serie LDL 1000 e 1002) le testine video si rompevano facilmente. Addirittura lo stesso nastro, se era deteriorato meccanicamente, poteva romperle.

[@royphillips4758]

Could you quickly tell me what do you do with the machines after repair

[@video99couk]

Use them for video transfers in my business. Very, very occasionally I will sell something if I have too many, like I did sell a Sanyo Beta recently. Certainly won't be selling any N1502, N1700 machines any time soon, not until I retire which I don't expect will be for many years yet.

[@bobjerome5390]

hi was looking at the comment list please i know there's alot of audio fans out there reel to reel deck like fostex M80 A8 R8 E8 have a 8 channel heads i have unit that have no wear at all because i used the right tape do you get any body asking about the models at all wear on reel to reel decks is a right pain if i copy of a 8 track i take the tape out and put it on my A8 where i have made change to the eq and speed i have the tooling to make pulleys and belts 8 track tape recorders are very poor because the way they are made 4 track carts are far better

[@jahh5917]

BASF are the best tapes of this format, the rest (Philips, Scotch and also Agfa) are pure garbage that needs to be cleaned or baked before playing. Sometimes not even can be digitalised cause the sticky-syndrome. I'm just making a video to show some not-running tapes with these vcrs... Search my channel to see a working one!

[@video99couk]

Yes the BASF tapes can be used as head cleaners! I suspect they may cause a little more head wear though. The Agfa tapes are the worst, even baking won't always bring them back.

[@JacGoudsmit]

Par for the course, unfortunately, for these machines. Oh well. I hope you didn't spend too much money on it.

[@zx8401ztv]

Well yes it is a real shame, but you didn't damage them. Not your fault, not even slightly. You can't win them all, but you do really well with your repairs, there isnt much you can't repair. A new rule for buying a vcr: Take a torch with you and inspect the heads, And make sure you wife is out :)

[@electronicwaves]

Learned about your channel through drcassette. Excellent work, I am sorry that this time it could not be saved. Where are you located?

[@video99couk]

I'm near Plymouth, Devon, UK.