Another thrift, a Harman Kardon Video Monitor, VM100

Is there anything HK hasn't hung their name on ?

The thrift had what looked like a Harman Kardon TV, model VM100. The HK website has a small mention of a VM100 25" Direct View Monitor.

It had $44 price tag, way beyond my thrift budget. While I was standing there a manager type person told the clerk that it should have a higher price simply because it was Harman Kardon. I chimed in that might be 20 years old. No matter, he said HK stuff gets a higher price.

Of course I hate this particular thrift. Broken VCR and Inkjet printers are marked $20, computer monitors I buy elsewhere for $10 are marked $25 - $35.

Anyhow, was HK's foray into monitors anything of note ?

Other than it was made from 85 to 87, the h/k site lists nothing about it.

Never seen one. So, sorry I can offer no opinion. It is around the time they sold VCRs. Probably a rebadged product from another company. BTW they made a projection TV for a while as well...

Regards,
Joe

h/k's 1980s A/V Gear was generally made by Mitsubishi

You have to remember in the mid-1980s, Consumer Audio was excited about the integration of Video and Audio. A lot of electronics vendors (e.g. Sony, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, NEC) were making 25" to 27" video monitors with comb filters and multiple A/V jack to enable connections to VCRs and audio systems.

h/k offerred a VHS Hi-Fi VCR, the VCD-1000, that was a Mitsubishi VCR with special audio circuitry by harman/kardon. See attached picture below. This VCR had outstanding audio capabilities BUT nothing special in terms ov video. If was neither VHS HQ or S-VHS. I have owned this unit for 20+ years.

I did see the VCM-1000 (V=Video; C=Component; M=Monitor) in the mid-1980s. The cabinet was silver in color (to match the other h/k components of the era), it has a clear glass cover over the tube, did NOT have a tuner or speaker (as it was a monitor) and had a 25" tube. The video tube was nothing special as it did not take advantage of the newer, color tube technologies being introduced by Sony (Trinitron) and Toshiba (FST). I had the opportunity purchase a VCM in 1986 as part of a package with the VCD-1000. As a long-time h/k fan, I considered it, but I went with a Toshiba CZ-2685 monitor. The Toshiba had similar syling to the h/k VCM-1000, but had a much better picture quality. I still have and use the Toshiba in 2006! :yes:

The VCM-1000 was the only direct view television offerred by h/k in the 1980s. My 1987, h/k was featuring projection TV technology as part of it's Audio/Video product offering.