Go to your locla goodwill or other thrift store.
Pick up a VHS deck that appears to be in good
physical shape and isn't too dirty.
Power it up and see if it will load and play a tape.
Over the last few yers I have bought several VHS decks
this way and they allworked and only needed head
adn tape path cleaned.
The last VHS deck I got was a steal. S-VHS, with
the manaul and remote for $3. After a complete
cleaning, it is now the off air deck from my radios.
I use a real cheap "computer" camera that produces
NTSC to lock the VCR up. Many will lock up just fine
with no video but this one was stuborn.

I like to capture odd signals with WWV in one ch and
the target in the other. Makes it real easy to see what
happens when.

I try to cpautre to my Pc, but I don't want just to leave
my PC recording all night. While I most often use SP/2Hr mode,
LP/4Hr and SLP/EP/6Hr works fine on macines with "HiFi"
audio. the audi is recorded with the video as is much better
then the tiny linear audio tracks.

I bought a Teac 8CH mixer for $10 and use it to mix the
various sources to my VHS or PC. Sounds complex, but
it is real easy to use, after I got it wired up correctly!

I have thought of buying an Ipod to use as a recorder, they
capture as MP3, have USB for fast upload to a PC and are
selfpower and pretty RF quite. Belkin makes a $30 add on
that converts it into a recorder. But unless I can find one used,
I doubt if I will spring for one as they are just too pricy.



Terry