gizzer777 said:
Fantastic find!
I have that Wineguard mound with a Wineguard 8 ft perforated disk. Have had it 15 yrs and 2 houses! Only changed out the LNB dish mover once....been thru 100 mph windstorms too Excellent product!!! (IMHO nuch better than a mesh dish)
best of luck with it...congratulations! (I use it with 4dtv in Reno, NV....beautiful picture! (C+KU and now FTA!!!)
Jeff
You can check the VCII BATTERY for voltage with a cheap Volt/ohm meter as a start. fROM THE LOOKS OF YOUR CASE, IT IS STILL EPOXIED CLOSED...LOOKS LIKE THE STICKER SAYS 1993 MFG DATE....IT IS VERY CLOSE (SAME DATE AS MY OWN!) TO BATTERY EXPIRATION AND THE PICTURE LOOKS LIKE IT HAS THE YELLOW PANASONIC 3.0 V BATTERY. THERE ARE BLACK, THEN BLUE, THEN PINK MODULES...I AM GETTING A RED ONE WHICH I DID NOT KNOW EXISTED! My old one will become a spare if the new one dies...VCII will not be around too much longer since it seems like anything decent is going over to the 4dtv digital side on BUDS
note: observe correct polarity!!!!
If you find decent voltage, the next step is to try it out in a receiver. You press the correct buttons on the receiver (depends on the receiver) to bring up the unit id which will match the id sticker on the back of the VCRS (OR VCII+) MODULE If they are different, it has either been rebuilt AND REPROGRAMMED (there is a screw under the top seal, IF IT IS VISIBLE, SOMEONE HAS BEEN INSIDE, or it is probably dead!
Use alligator clips to extend the probes and touch the correct leads of the battery through the case...if it is a yellow battery, it is probably 3.0 Volts (panasonic oem)....red will be 3.6 Volts (Maxell oem )...even lower voltage should hold the unit ID...you can send it in to replace the battery if it is still alive (do a google search) or try it yourself...use caution though!! see site below! BTW: you would have to cut through the epoxy they used to seal the board...a real pain EVEN WITH A DREMEL TOOL ...rest is pretty EASY especially if you use the alternate method mentioned with the AA battery and holder! CAUTION WITH LITHIUM...CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY IF THEY BLOW...READ THE ARTICLE VERY CAREFULLY!
MY BLUE VCII+ IS 13 YRS OLD AND STILL MEASURES 3.1 v (IT IS THE YELLOW PANASONIC ONE) THEY SEEM TO KEEP ALIVE LONGER WHEN THEY ARE NOT USED (but can go to 0 over night when they are old!)SO YOU MAY BE IN VERY GOOD SHAPE! I RECENTLY BOUGHT A REFURBED UNIT OFF EBAY FOR $100 WITH A NEW BATTERY AS OF DEC 10, 05....I WILL BE DOING A BATTER-ECTEMY ON MY OWN VCII+ BLUE UNIT WHEN I GET A LITTLE TIME!
(YOURS IS A VCRS ...RENEWABLE SECURITY CARD SLOT, IN CASE THEIR SECURITY WAS BROKEN AGAIN , WHICH WAS NEVER IMPLIMENTED). SINCE IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN IN STORAGE FOR A LONG TIME, YOU HAVE A GOOD SHOT AT IT STILL BEING GOOD!
here is an VERY informative link FOR YOU
http://www.pacificsites.com/~alanjudd/vc.htm
Good Luck
Jeff
