TV and video

Hi - not really a straight elec problem but here's hoping someone can help: In our 98 SC camper Jap import there's a 12v TV and video. I am told their video is same as ours but TV broadcast is not so a VHS tape should play OK but the TV won't work. When you put a tape into the VHS video machine you get no picture and the remotes and buttons are all in Japanese! Anyone have a view as to whether:
a) It could be made to play videos and if so
b) how we could go about it?

Maybe I should go to the local TV repair man?
Thanks
Luciani

If you are in Europe (and also maybe Aus/NZ) then your VHS tape is PAL format. Japan and USA use VHS NTSC format. (more frames per second and different resolution). Try to get hold of a NTSC tape and see if that works. You'd probably a NTSCtape for next to nothing on ebay, to try it out.
Al[/b]

Brilliant! Thanks Alfazar! That's confirmed what I suspected - that the UK vhs tapes we have won't work on the machine. Thanks.

Yes that'll be the problem. You can still use the antenna and cable for Free to Air TV but you will need to use a tuner in your TV/VCR/DVD Recorder or buy a digital set top box. There are a crappy brand called Telefunken, the size of a packet of ciggies and runs on 12 volts (if you want to save your inverter) Are you seriously still using VHS!? That's sad...buy a dvd recorder they are cheap now....

Thanks doofvan - we are still using VHS - well someone has to...my kids still have a few VHS tapes. Let me get this straight, are you saying we could make the TV work with digital set top box and the existing antennae? (Which looks like a double retrectable metal car aerial...). If so this could be worth a try.

Yes you probably could with your existing antenna however you would benefit alot from getting a proper campervan style one. The one you have sound like it would have very limited reception. You may also need to get a booster which usually run off a 12volt power supply. They are either aerodynamic and/or they fold away. Some of the good quality antenna set-ups may have a booster included. You can get also internal or really tiny ones but expect to pay huge dollars. Try the america websites they are really big on that camper stuff...