Hello there, glad to help.
I've never heard of the JVC HR-D140, although I was able to do some Google searching. I was able to come up with very little, aside from tell-tale signs that this unit was made for either Spanish or Portugese language conutries.
There are two easy ways to tell if the machine has a timebase corrector (TBC) or not.
- The first is to look for a button on the front of the unit, clearly marked as being a "TBC/DNR" button. It will glow a different color (green, red, blue, orange) when engaged.
- On many PAL models, especially latter generation ones, the TBC is a menu option. You'd have to search through the menu on the unit. It usually appears next to the B.E.S.T. option, when present. There is no button on the front of the unit.
In most cases, there is no special marking on the VCR that mentions a TBC being present (except for the button, when present).
Have the seller check for the TBC button, or menu item. He doesn't have to know anything about a TBC in order to look for it. I wouldn't bother explaining it either. At best, just mention it's an internal filter available on some old VCRs. I would not try to explain about how it cleans up picture quality.
I've asked for a secondary opinion, to see if I can find out more.