6-429.fm Page 1 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM dCat. No. 16-429 OWNER’S MANUAL Please read before using this equipment.
16-429.fm Page 2 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM FEATURES Your Optimus Model 36 9" Color TV/VCR Combo combines a versatile color TV/monitor and a VCR in one space-saving cabinet. The supplied AC power cord and DC adapter let you enjoy it in your home, office, car, RV, van, or boat — almost anywhere! The Model 36 receives TV programs and plays video tapes. It also records video tapes from TV programs or an audio/video source you connect it to.
16-429.fm Page 3 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Automatic/Manual Tracking — automatically adjusts the tracking for each tape you play. You can also adjust the tracking manually. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or shock hazard, do not expose this product to rain or moisture. Automatic Playback/Rewind/Eject — makes playback easy by automatically playing, rewinding, and ejecting a video cassette tape. CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN.
16-429.fm Page 4 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS AND PRECAUTIONS 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.
16-429.fm Page 5 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM antenna-discharge unit, connection to grounding electrodes, and requirements for the grounding electrode.
16-429.fm Page 6 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Warning: When you install an outdoor antenna, use extreme caution. If the antenna starts to fall, let it go! It could contact overhead power lines. If the antenna touches the power line, contact with the antenna, mast, cable, or guy wires can cause electrocution and death. Call the power company to remove the antenna. Do not attempt to remove it yourself! SERVICE 1. Except as noted in this owner’s manual, do not attempt to service this TV/VCR yourself.
16-429.fm Page 7 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM CONTENTS Before You Begin ........................................................................................................................... 9 Accessories ............................................................................................................................... 9 Moisture Condensation ........................................................................................................... 10 Using This Manual ..................
16-429.fm Page 8 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Special Functions ........................................................................................................................ Things You See ....................................................................................................................... On-Screen Displays ......................................................................................................... Function Indicators ............................................
16-429.fm Page 9 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM BEFORE YOU BEGIN ACCESSORIES Your Model 36 includes the following accessories. Be sure you have all of these items before you store the packing material. Remote Control — controls most of your Model 36’s functions. POWER SLEEP EJECT TIME SEARCH 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 +100 DISPLAY MUTE CHANNEL MENU VOLUME PLAY REW F.FWD STOP RECORD SPEED PAUSE/STILL T-PROG.
16-429.fm Page 10 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM MOISTURE CONDENSATION USING THIS MANUAL Condensation inside the Model 36’s VCR can cause tape jams or video head damage. When the Model 36’s automatic dew sensor senses moisture, DEW appears and the Model 36 will not play a tape. This manual is organized into these major sections.
16-429.fm Page 11 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM CONNECTIONS Before using your Model 36 for the first time, read through this entire section to determine which connections best meet your needs. Then follow the directions for completing the connections. CONNECTING THE SUPPLIED ANTENNA Follow these steps to connect the supplied antenna.
16-429.fm Page 12 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM CONNECTING AN OUTDOOR ANTENNA CONNECTING TO A CABLE SYSTEM The supplied antenna provides good reception in most areas. But, for the best reception in all areas, use a high-quality outdoor antenna, available at your local RadioShack store. Note to the CATV system installer: • If the antenna uses 75-ohm coaxial cable, connect the antenna’s cable directly to the Model 36’s ANT. terminal.
16-429.fm Page 13 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Cable Channel Designations CONNECTING POWER Your Model 36 can receive up to 125 cable channels, displayed as 1–125. Channels 2–13 are the same for VHF and cable TV, and cable companies usually number them as they appear on the TV screen. For other channels, the cable service’s channel designations might not match the channel numbers that appear. Using the AC Power Cord For more information, contact your cable company.
16-429.fm Page 14 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Cautions: • The supplied DC adapter supplies at least 13.2 volts and delivers at least 5 amps of DC automotive power. Its center tip must be set to positive and its plug must fit the Model 36’s DC13.2V jack. Using an adapter that does not meet these specifications could damage the Model 36 or the adapter. • Do not operate your Model 36 while driving.
16-429.fm Page 15 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM SETUP FRONT PANEL Cautions: The buttons on the Model 36’s front panel control the TV and the VCR. • Use only fresh batteries of the required size and recommended type. • Do not mix old and new batteries, different types of batteries (standard, alkaline, or rechargeable), or rechargeable batteries of different capacities. 1. Press down on the battery compartment cover and slide it in the direction of the arrow to remove it.
-429.fm Page 16 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Using the Remote Control To use the remote control, aim the front of the remote control toward the front of the Model 36 and press the desired button(s). 2. To select the on-screen language, press F.FWD/ or REW/ so the brackets appear around the language you want, ENGLISH or ESPAÑOL (Spanish). – SET UP – LANGUAGE [ENGLISH] ESPAÑOL AUTO PRESET 3. Press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select AUTO PRESET. POWER AUDIO IN VIDEO IN STOP/EJECT REW PLAY F.
16-429.fm Page 17 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Changing the Channels Stored in Memory Although the Model 36 automatically stores all active channels in your area the first time you turn it on, you can manually set the Model 36 to re-program the tuner’s memory. Note: Precede a single-digit number with a 0 — for example, 01, 02 , and so on. or REW/ 5. Repeatedly press F.FWD/ until the channel number for the channel changes to blue (to add the channel) or to red (to delete the channel).
16-429.fm Page 18 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM SETTING THE CLOCK You must set the clock accurately for proper automatic timer recording. In many areas, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) stations broadcast an Extend Data Service (EDS) signal with their regular broadcast. This signal can automatically set your Model 36’s clock to the correct time. If a PBS station is available in your area, follow the steps under “Auto Clock Setting.” If not, follow the steps under “Manual Clock Setting” on Page 18.
16-429.fm Page 19 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM 4. Repeatedly press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select the correct month, then press F.FWD/ . 3. Repeatedly press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select D.S.T. – SETTING CLOCK – 5. Repeat Step 4 to select the correct date, year, and hour. Note: The Model 36 uses a 12-hour clock. Be sure you correctly set AM or PM. 6. Repeatedly press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select a minute that is 1 or 2 minutes after the current time, then press F.FWD/ .
16-429.fm Page 20 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM BASIC TV OPERATION SELECTING CHANNELS To select a channel, press CHANNEL s or t. The tuner automatically advances to the next channel stored in the tuner’s memory. 2. If you have not already done so, select the desired input signal (TV or CATV). See “Selecting the Input Signal” on Page 17. 3. Select the channel you want to watch. 4. If you are using the indoor antenna, extend and rotate it to get the best reception.
16-429.fm Page 21 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Setting REW/ F.FWD/ BRIGHT to decrease to increase CONTRAST to decrease to increase COLOR toward pale toward brilliant TINT SHARPNESS toward purple toward green toward soft toward clear • To quickly change the displayed setting, hold down REW/ or F.FWD/ . or F.FWD/ • If you do not press REW/ within 5 seconds, the displayed setting disappears. Start over at Step 2. 5. Either wait 5 seconds or press MENU to exit.
16-429.fm Page 22 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM BASIC VCR OPERATION LOADING A VIDEO TAPE Hold the cassette with the main label facing up and the spine facing out from the Model 36. Then insert the cassette into the cassette compartment and gently push the center of its spine until the Model 36 draws it in. 4. To stop playback before it automatically stops at the end of the tape, press STOP/ EJECT on the Model 36 or STOP on the remote control. 5.
16-429.fm Page 23 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM CHANGING THE TAPE’S DIRECTION/VARYING THE PLAYBACK SPEED You can use the buttons on the front of the Model 36 and remote control to change the tape’s direction and vary the playback speed. Visual Search Notes: • During freeze-frame, the picture quality is lower than during normal playback. The picture quality is best with recordings made at the SLP speed. See “Recording/Playback Speeds” on Page 28.
16-429.fm Page 24 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM SPECIAL FUNCTIONS This section describes your Model 36’s special on-screen, display, and search functions. Function Indicators Each time you press a function button (such as STOP), the selected function’s indicator appears for about 5 seconds. THINGS YOU SEE STOP On-Screen Displays To view your Model 36’s current operating mode and other information about your Model 36, repeatedly press DISPLAY during playback or while watching TV.
16-429.fm Page 25 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM USING THE GAME MODE Using Counter Return The Model 36 has a preprogrammed picture control setting for viewing video games or similar programs. This setting softens the contrast and is easier on the eyes. Follow these steps to use the counter to easily return to a selected point on the tape. Follow these steps to turn the game mode on or off. 2.
16-429.fm Page 26 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Note: You do not see the tape’s picture or hear the tape’s sound while you search the tape. 1. Press TIME SEARCH. TIME SEARCH appears. Note: You can also select TIME SEARCH from the main menu. 2. Repeatedly press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select the desired amount of time you want to search. For example, to search 2 hours and 50 minutes of recorded material, press either button until 2:50 appears on the screen. 3. To select the search direction, press F.
16-429.fm Page 27 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Note: Setting rental play to ON might reduce the image sharpness. OFF — Narration does not appear on the screen even if the TV receives a closed caption or text broadcast. 1. Press MENU. The main menu appears. 2. Press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select USER’S SET UP, then press F.FWD/ . The user’s set up menu appears. 3. Press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select RENTAL. or F.FWD/ 4.
16-429.fm Page 28 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM RECORDING GENERAL INFORMATION You can use the following methods to record with your Model 36.
16-429.fm Page 29 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM If you want to record on a video cassette that has had its tab removed, put a piece of heavy plastic tape over the erase-protection tab hole. IMMEDIATE RECORDING Notes: • You cannot use the Model 36 to record one program while you watch another. • If you want to record from a VCR or other audio/video source with A/V outputs, see “Dubbing (Copying) a Tape” on Page 34. Follow these steps to record the program you are watching. 1.
16-429.fm Page 30 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Note: If a cassette was loaded when you last turned off the Model 36, you must press POWER to turn on the Model 36. 2. Repeatedly press SPEED until the desired recording speed (SP, LP, or SLP) appears. SP OTR Hints • To ensure that you record all of the desired program, you might want to set the recording stop time 30 minutes later than the scheduled end of the program. • You can program OTR information only while a tape is recording.
16-429.fm Page 31 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Setting the Automatic Timer 1. Insert a blank cassette, or one that you want to record over, into the cassette compartment. The Model 36 automatically turns on. Note: If a cassette was loaded when you last turned off the Model 36, you must press POWER to turn on the Model 36. 2. Press MENU. The main menu appears. 3. Press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select TIMER PROGRAMMING, then press F.FWD/ . The timer programming screen appears.
16-429.fm Page 32 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Timer Recording Hints • The Model 36 can record only one broadcast at a time. If you program the Model 36’s timer to record broadcasts on different channels that start at the same time, the Model 36 records these broadcasts in order as they appear on the list, from top to bottom. • If you insert a tape with its erase-protection tab removed and set a timer, the tape ejects.
16-429.fm Page 33 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Clearing an Automatic Timer 1. Press POWER to turn on the Model 36. 2. Press MENU. The main menu appears. 3. Press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select TIMER PROGRAMMING, then press F.FWD/ . The timer programming screen appears. Note: If the timer recording is already in progress, press POWER then press STOP/ EJECT on the Model 36. 4. Press PLAY/s or STOP/t to select the desired program.
16-429.fm Page 34 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM DUBBING (COPYING) A TAPE The process of recording from one audio/video device to another is called dubbing. Connecting a Dubbing Source You can use a VCR, camcorder, satellite receiver, or other device with A/V outputs as the dubbing source, connect the dubbing source to the Model 36, then use your Model 36 to record the signal from the dubbing source.
16-429.fm Page 35 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Dubbing a Tape Note: For the best results while dubbing, hold the remote control close to the Model 36’s infrared window when you press a button. Otherwise, the remote control might affect the dubbing source’s operation. 1. Prepare the dubbing source to play a tape. 2. Insert a blank cassette, or one that you want to record over, into the Model 36’s cassette compartment. The Model 36 turns on. 3.
16-429.fm Page 36 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE If you follow the instructions in this manual and still have trouble operating your Model 36, try the suggestions in this troubleshooting chart. If you still cannot solve the problem, take the Model 36 to your local RadioShack store for assistance. Problem Possible Cause Suggestion The power cord (AC or DC) is not connected.
16-429.fm Page 37 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Problem Possible Cause Suggestion Operation buttons do not work when power is on and a cassette is inserted ( DEW appears). Dew protection system has been activated. Unplug the Model 36 for about 2 hours or until DEW does not appear when you plug it in. Then proceed with operation. Remote control buttons do not work when the power is on and a cassette is inserted. The cassette might be jammed.
16-429.fm Page 38 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM CARE AND MAINTENANCE Your Optimus Model 36 9" Color TV/VCR Combo is an example of superior design and craftsmanship. The following suggestions will help you care for your Model 36 so you can enjoy it for years. Keep the Model 36 dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry immediately. Liquids might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits. Use and store the Model 36 only in normal temperature environments.
16-429.fm Page 39 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM THE FCC WANTS YOU TO KNOW This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.
16-429.fm Page 40 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM SERVICING YOUR MODEL 36 There are no user-serviceable parts inside your Model 36. If you encounter a problem that you cannot correct using this manual and its troubleshooting guide, take the Model 36 to your local RadioShack store for assistance. Note: Tape can become wound too tightly around the cassette’s spools after you play a tape several times. This can cause the cassette to improperly load and automatically eject when you insert it.
16-429.fm Page 41 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM SPECIFICATIONS Television System ................................................................................ NTSC Standard Color Signal Playback System ................................................................. Rotary Two-Head Helical Scan System Tape Width .............................................................................................................................. 1/2 Inch Tape Speed: SP .........................................
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16-429.fm Page 44 Tuesday, July 20, 1999 3:50 PM Limited Ninety-Day Warranty This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufacturing defects in material and workmanship under normal use for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase from RadioShack companyowned stores and authorized RadioShack franchisees and dealers.
