Your Expertise is needed: Victor RC-838

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Hey Guys, I would like to get as much info on this radio as I can. I have a line on one and will know in the next few days if I can get it, but I would like to get some info on it and have some questions.

The radio in question is the Victor (JVC) RC-838 (Japanese version). The pictures below are of the actual radio I'm trying to get.

Now I have done some of my own research. I know it was made in 1978 and I know it came in a few different models The one above is an AM/FM model. I have seen the RC-838C, RC-383L, RC-838W and the RC-838JW. The RC-383 seems to be AM/FM and the others appear to be Short wave models. Other than that, are the any differences?

Am I to believe that this could be the FIRST production run, being that is it the RC-383 with out the "C", "L", "W" or "JW" markings? Below are pictures of the other models....(all taken from the web, if yours Thank You!)

RC-838C

RC-838L

RC-838W

RC-838JW

Does this radio have a LINE IN??? Or just Phone In???

This radio is Japanese and is 100V Not So Good, but it runs on D Cells and I have a pile of rechargeable D Cells at home, Not a big deal. It would NEVER be a "Shelf Queen" anyway!

But with that said, I may want to look into doing a power supply conversion (Different Thread) down the line.

One thing I find interesting about the box I want is that it seems to be the ONLY ONE I found pictures of with a BLACK control panel. All the rest are Silver! Not sure what that means, but I want it!

 

[skippy1969]

Another thing to think about is that the tuner does not go up to 108 mhz on fm.

 

[Superduper]

That's right. If as you say, it won't be a shelf queen, I presume you'll want to use it alot, and if so, then you'll want to keep in mind that the FM will be almost useless with only 2mhz of bandwidth instead of the normal 20mhz.

The 838 model is not unusually rare and you might be happier with an 838 model that tunes 88-108 instead. Far as I can remember, it DOES have line-in function.

 

[MONOLITHIC]

I own one of those... Not good if you wanna listen to FM radio, but if you rarely listen to the radio, like I do, you won't miss much...

It has both line in and phono inputs.

Good sounding box!

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Thanks for the feed back guys....

To be totally honest, I haven't listened to a commercial radio station in 10 years. Not on my radios and not in my cars. i know that your thinking "Yeah Right". I also haven't had TV in at least 5 years!

But for further education....I had read on another thread that the radio in Japan and the tuners that were an issue were DIGITAL tuners?!?!?!? I was assuming that an analog sweep dial would be different if it just crossed all frequencies to find the next station?!?!?!?

Can someone explain this to me more? Will the FM pick up ANY radio in the states? I do kind of wish it had Short Wave though.

Below is another picture I found of the RC-383L. This shows the side shot of the "Input Panel". I see a phone in, but not an AUX in. Does anyone have a different picture?

 

[Superduper]

On that tuner in the US, you can ONLY pick up stations between 88mhz and 90mhz. Like I said -- 2mhz bandwidth. Normal USA FM is 88-108 which has 20mhz of bandwidth. Over here, there is virtually nothing between 88-90 so it's useless. Maybe your favorite station where you are is 89.1. If that is the case, at least you got 1 station.

The issue with digital vs analog -- don't know what you've heard but analog, by definition is linear and infinite between the graduations. So theoretically, you can tune 88 to 90mhz and any increment in between including 88.001 ... 88.002, etc. And even finer if necessary. Here in the USA, we tune in .2mhz increments in odd spots on the dial only. So possible stations will be 88.1, 88.3, 88.5, 88.7 etc. Some countries tune in even spots on the dial such as 88.0, 88.2, 88.4 etc. As long as your digital tuner is capable of tuning the odd spots, you are OK. If not, and that tuner is calibrated to ONLY tune in .2 increments from an even spot, then you have a problem since you'll always be .1 mhz off. Even if you could capture a station, it will be off center and not very good reception. Obviously an analog tuner don't tune in increments so this would only be a problem with digital tuners and ONLY digital tuners that don't tune finer than .2 mhz.

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

On that tuner in the US, you can ONLY pick up stations between 88mhz and 90mhz. Like I said -- 2mhz bandwidth. Normal USA FM is 88-108 which has 20mhz of bandwidth. Over here, there is virtually nothing between 88-108 so it's useless. Maybe your favorite station where you are is 89.1. If that is the case, at least you got 1 station.

The issue with digital vs analog -- don't know what you've heard but analog, by definition is linear and infinite between the graduations. So theoretically, you can tune 88 to 90mhz and any increment in between including 88.001 ... 88.002, etc. And even finer if necessary. Here in the USA, we tune in .2mhz increments in odd spots on the dial only. So possible stations will be 88.1, 88.3, 88.5, 88.7 etc. Some countries tune in even spots on the dial such as 88.0, 88.2, 88.4 etc. As long as your digital tuner is capable of tuning the odd spots, you are OK. If not, and that tuner is calibrated to ONLY tune in .2 increments from an even spot, then you have a problem since you'll always be .1 mhz off. Even if you could capture a station, it will be off center and not very good reception. Obviously an analog tuner don't tune in increments so this would only be a problem with digital tuners and ONLY digital tuners that don't tune finer than .2 mhz.

Thanks for that Super...clear as a bell now!

Well, FM isn't a real interest to me, but the line in is and so is the cassette. I listen to ALLOT of cassette's and of course MP3's.

 

[MONOLITHIC]

Norm, actually, it's from 76MHz to 90MHz...

not that that makes much of a difference when looking for stations.

__________________________________________


Inputs on my Victor RC-838...

 

[sony_apm_fan]

Thanks for the feed back guys....

To be totally honest, I haven't listened to a commercial radio station in 10 years. Not on my radios and not in my cars. i know that your thinking "Yeah Right". I also haven't had TV in at least 5 years!

But for further education....I had read on another thread that the radio in Japan and the tuners that were an issue were DIGITAL tuners?!?!?!? I was assuming that an analog sweep dial would be different if it just crossed all frequencies to find the next station?!?!?!?

Can someone explain this to me more? Will the FM pick up ANY radio in the states? I do kind of wish it had Short Wave though.

Below is another picture I found of the RC-383L. This shows the side shot of the "Input Panel". I see a phone in, but not an AUX in. Does anyone have a different picture?

[ Image ]

Hi Lasonic,

The DIN plug, does that give you line in? Via REC? Or is that only to tape from? Others will know!!

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Norm, actually, it's from 76MHz to 90MHz...
[ Image ]
not that that makes much of a difference when looking for stations.

__________________________________________


Inputs on my Victor RC-838...
[ Image ]

Hey Monolithic, Thanks for the pics. This looks just like the pictures at the top, of the radio I am looking at (not sure about the plug panel). Yours is a "Black Top" model AM/FM Victor!

If I can get this radio AND it has a Line In, I'll be stoked! I should no in a day or so.

BTW, Yours is SUPER CLEAN! Nice man!

 

[MONOLITHIC]

Yeah, the box you're trying to get has all the stuff on the side that mine has.

No problem and good luck!

 

[hemiguy2006]

That Din port on the 383"L" version that says rec/pb is the line in / line out on that version.
Those connections were popular in Europe / Germany.
The "C", "L", "W" or "JW" markings are designations C= Canada L= Europe JW= Universal voltage
W= never heard of it??

 

[restocat]

If you want SW bands why not just wait for a SW band one to show up?
Check ebay for instance.

or perhaps a member would help out finding the exact one you want.

 

[blah blah]

I dig the idea of just dragging a box back from your trip. if you dont get that get something

 

[Lasonic TRC-920]

Yeah, the box you're trying to get has all the stuff on the side that mine has.

No problem and good luck!

AWESOME! That's what I wanted to hear! As long as I have a usable line in and a cassette player, I'm a happy man....A line out is great too, for daisy chaining radios together at parties!

That Din port on the 383"L" version that says rec/pb is the line in / line out on that version.
Those connections were popular in Europe / Germany.
The "C", "L", "W" or "JW" markings are designations C= Canada L= Europe JW= Universal voltage
W= never heard of it??

Does this info go on other boxes as well? An international code? If so, I will keep that in mind. As for the "W", I found that on a picture on some website, that might just be a JW!

If you want SW bands why not just wait for a SW band one to show up?
Check ebay for instance.

or perhaps a member would help out finding the exact one you want.

Well, I do have some radios with SW, so I'm not that hurt over it. If I really needed it, out comes the TRC-920 or the GF-777z. But if this pan's out (fingers crossed), it's a price I just can't walk away from! I'll know in a day or so...

I dig the idea of just dragging a box back from your trip. if you dont get that get something

THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING! I've been searching and searching...and nothing....BUT if this comes through....at least I don't come home empty handed! And I do like the idea that it's a Japanese model.

 

[toasty]

Does anyone know if the 838L model has line in too? or just DIN?