RCA VR557, User Manual

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Page 2: ...building as close to the point of cable entry as practical Care and Cleaning Use a soft cloth or the dusting attachment of your vacuum cleaner to dust your VCR Remove dust from both top and bottom ventilation holes Plastic surfaces are easily scratched and can be marred by alcohol and various solvents Avoid excessive use of oil based furniture polishes since the materials used in the cabinet will ...

Page 3: ...CR Plus System Channels 16 VCR Plus System Worksheet 17 Additional Setup Features 18 Remote VCR1 VCR2 Option 18 Auto Play 19 Auto TV VCR 19 EnergySaver 19 Front Panel Brightness VCR Display 20 Preferred Tape Speed 20 Set Auto Repeat 20 VCR Basics 23 Remote Buttons 24 Component Buttons 24 VCR Function Buttons 24 TV Function Buttons 25 Playing a Tape 26 Recording 27 Recording 29 Recording Features 3...

Page 4: ...ocking 49 Time Counter 49 On screen Displays 50 Connections 51 Connecting Your VCR 52 Jacks and Cables 52 Choosing a VCR Connection 53 Advantages of Audio Video Connections 53 TV with RF Jack Only 54 TV with Audio Video Jacks 55 TV with Audio Video Jacks and Cable Box to Unscramble Pay Channels Only 56 Reference 57 Front Panel 58 Display Panel 59 Back Panel 59 Finding the TV s Video Input Channel ...

Page 5: ...king with channels and basic video tape operations are essential to get all you can out of theVCR Once you are comfortable with these features feel free to refer to other sections because they cover the more detailed information What Remains The final sections of this manual contain playback and recording information a detailed connections section and a reference section including troubleshooting ...

Page 6: ...V with AUDIO VIDEO jacks use the jacks for a better connection Refer to the section Connections toward the back of the manual for additional connection options STEP 4 PLUG IN THE VCR Your VCR s power cord has a plastic band strung through the blades Remove plastic band before plugging the cord into the power outlet To remove band cut with a pair of scissors and pull it free of the blades Once the ...

Page 7: ...rst on screen menu during the initial set up asks which language you prefer to use for your VCR Use the remote control s number buttons to select options Select a language Seleccione un idioma Choisissez une langue 1 English 2 Español 3 Français 1 Press 1 for English 2 for Español Spanish or 3 for Français French The remaining menus throughout the set up will appear in the chosen language Just fol...

Page 8: ...s select and change your VCR s preferences For example to select a different preferred on screen language than the one you selected during the initial set up do the following 1 Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU VCR MAIN MENU 1 VCR Plus 2 Timer Recodings 3 Time 4 Channels 5 Setup 6 Preferences 7 Language 0 Exit 2 Press 7 to display the LANGUAGE menu LANGUAGE Select a language 1 English 2 Espa...

Page 9: ...ction Cable box setup VCR channel list setup Auto Channel Search Setting time and date using Auto Clock set or manual setup Daylight Saving Time and time zone set VCR Plus channel list setup RemoteVCR1 VCR2 feature Auto Play feature EnergySaver feature Front panel brightness feature Preferred tape speed feature 5 Setting Up the VCR 2 First things first 1 Recording 3 VCR Basics 4 OTHER FEATURES 7 6...

Page 10: ...thers you may want to set up before you begin using your VCR Language Selection 1 On your remote control press the MENU button to display the VCR MAIN MENU VCR MAIN MENU 1 VCR Plus 2 Timer Recodings 3 Time 4 Channels 5 Setup 6 Preferences 7 Language 0 Exit 2 Press 7 to select the LANGUAGE menu LANGUAGE Select a language 1 English 2 Español 3 Français Press MENU to continue 3 Select English Español...

Page 11: ...e CABLE 4 VCR Plus Channel List 5 Cable Box Setup 0 Exit 3 Press 5 to display CABLE BOX SETUP Then select one of the three choices CABLE BOX SETUP Do you use your cable box to receive ALL channels or only SOME channels 1 ALL channels 2 Only SOME channels 3 Cancel setup 4 If you selected ALL channels enter the output channel of your cable box usually 03 or 04 or press INPUT for the VCR s video line...

Page 12: ...ordings Press MENU to continue VCR Channels List If you use a cable box for all channels this step is not necessary Your VCR may come with a channel list preset at the factory but you may want to add or delete some channels depending on whether they are active Auto channel searching 1 Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU 2 Press 4 to display the CHANNELS menu CHANNELS 1 Auto Channel Search 2 Ad...

Page 13: ...bout one to two minutes When the scan is complete the VCR tunes to the lowest channel number At this point pressing CHAN up or down on the remote control or VCR should only select the active channels Changing the signal type 1 Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU 2 Press 4 to display the CHANNELS menu CHANNELS 1 Auto Channel Search 2 Add Remove Channels 3 Signal Type CABLE 4 VCR Plus Channel Li...

Page 14: ...ss INFO to add Time and Date The VCR gives you two ways to set the time and date the Auto Clock Feature or manually The Auto Clock Feature enables the VCR to update the clock each time the VCR is turned off The Auto Clock is advantageous because it updates the time for you automatically Before you set the time and date set the Auto DST Daylight Saving Time feature to ON or OFF for your area Auto c...

Page 15: ...ime zone the VCR sets the clock using the first universal time information it finds If the time is not correct select another time zone or manually set the time and date through the menu system Setting Daylight saving time 1 Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU VCR MAIN MENU 1 VCR Plus 2 Timer Recodings 3 Time 4 Channels 5 Setup 6 Preferences 7 Language 0 Exit 2 Press 3 to display the TIME menu...

Page 16: ...uccessful set the clock through the TIME menu The Auto Clock Set feature is set to OFF automatically when you set the clock this way 1 Press MENU to display the VCR MAIN MENU 2 Press 3 to display the TIME menu TIME 1 Set Time and Date 2 Auto Clock Set ON 3 Set Time Zone 4 Set Daylight Savings Time Data was not found 0 Exit 3 Press 1 to display the SET TIME AND DATE menu Spring forward Fall back In...

Page 17: ...ting TV stations over your antenna or cable system Time and date are updated each time the VCR is turned off and after every power interruption So when your TV stations or cable company update their programming lineups your VCR will get the most current channel list automatically This frees you from having to manually change the channel list whenever channels are reorganized If your VCR Plus SILVE...

Page 18: ... Plus channel list for your viewing area or contact your cable company Using the list may save you some time Mapping VCR Plus System Channels Using the VCR Plus system can make programming timer recordings for cable or off air antenna easier but you have to put in a little time right now to set up a channel list A worksheet and abbreviated codes for typical cable services in the United States and ...

Page 19: ...8 Chinavision Canada Corp 60 Country Music Television 63 Family Channel 62 First Choice 96 First Choice Two 97 First Choice Three 99 First Choice Four 90 House of Commons 91 La Chaine Francaise 51 The Learning Channel 65 MeteoMedia The Weather Network 48 MuchMusic Network 55 MusiquePlus 52 Nashville Network 73 Newsworld CBC 53 Le Reseau des Sports 43 The Sports Network 64 Super Ecran 37 Super Ecra...

Page 20: ...o set up Remote VCR1 VCR2 Option If you own a compatible RCA GE or ProScan remote that has a VCR2 VCR2 LD or VCR2 DVD button this feature allows you to set this VCR to respond to that button In the PREFERENCES menu press 1 to select REMOTE CONTROL With the compatible remote control press the VCR2 VCR2 LD or VCR2 DVD button to change which remote controls the VCR PREFERENCES PRESS VCR2 TO CHANGE 2 ...

Page 21: ...al will be changed to VCR automatically eliminating the need to press the remote control button The TV must be tuned to the VCR viewing channel usually 3 or 4 to see the signal Select OFF if you do not want the VCR s signal to change automatically to VCR when a tape is inserted and played EnergySaver By default this VCR automatically turns off after two hours of inactivity To change the time delay...

Page 22: ...me segment over and over in a repeating loop with the Set Auto Repeat feature Set Auto Repeat uses the VCR s memory counter to determine the duration of the loop The Set Auto Repeat dialog box will ask for a loop end time to be specified AUTO REPEAT Set the length of time you want the tape to play in a repeating loop Loop from 0 00 to h mm Press CLEAR to turn off Press MENU to exit The CLEAR key w...

Page 23: ...rt When a duration time has been set The VCR will automatically switch to rewind if the counter meets or goes past the Auto Repeat set duration The VCR will automatically switch to playback during rewind if the counter equals or is less than 0 00 The Auto Repeat may be adjusted by setting the counter to 00 00 This can be done by pressing the CLEAR button while the tape counter is on screen or on t...

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Page 25: ...a program should do just that This section shows you the basics of using yourVCR It discusses things like using the remote control playing a tape and recording programs VCR Basics tells you what you need to know in order to watch a movie or tape your favorite show Setting Up the VCR 2 First things first 1 Recording 3 VCR Basics 4 OTHER FEATURES 6 5 Connections Program The Remote 8 Reference 7 ...

Page 26: ...frame with each press of the button when tape is in pause FORWARD Fast forwards the tape when the VCR is stopped Searches forward through a tape during playback Starts slow motion during play pause and increases slow motion speed GO BACK Switches between two channels Select one channel and then select another using the number buttons Press GO BACK to switch between the two channels In menu mode pr...

Page 27: ...own Selects next higher or lower channel in the TV s channel memory CLEAR Removes menus or status displays from the screen GO BACK Switches between two channels Select one channel and then select another using the number buttons Press GO BACK to switch between the two channels INFO Shows the TV s status displays on the TV screen INPUT Selects between the TV s input channel or tuner Press to see th...

Page 28: ...nel in the References section of this manual for more information 2 Insert a tape in the VCR REW RECORD INPUT AUDIO VIDEO TRACKING INPUT STOP EJECT TAPE SPEED PLAY P AUSE FWD TV VCR POWER CHANNEL If the Auto Play feature is set to ON the tape automatically begins playback if the safety tab on the cassette is removed Press FWD or REV to position the tape Press PLAY PAUSE if necessary on the VCR PLA...

Page 29: ...P to stop recording If you just want to pause the recording for a short time such as during a commercial press PAUSE instead of STOP For more information about in depth recording features refer to the next section Check the Safety Tab No matter which recording option you use you need to make sure there is a tape in the VCR and that the tape s safety tab is in place You cannot record on a tape with...

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Page 31: ...cording features available to suit your needs including Recording features explained in the VCR Basics section Express Recording XPR Timer recording Timer recording with theVCR Plus system Copying and editing tapes Setting Up the VCR 2 First things first 1 Recording 3 VCR Basics 4 OTHER FEATURES 6 5 Connections Program The Remote 8 Reference 7 ...

Page 32: ...g the VCR to record just by entering a PlusCode programming number found in TV program listings Express Recording XPR Use Express recording to quickly record the remaining portion of the program you are watching 1 Set the tape speed by pressing the SPEED button on the remote control 2 Press the RECORD button REC on the remote to begin recording 3 Repeatedly press the RECORD button to set up the re...

Page 33: ...ata for the program with the number buttons The data includes the channel number press INPUT to select the line input start time and end time including AM or PM The start date is automatically entered based on the VCR clock The date and or speed can be changed when flashing Timer Recording Information The Clock must be set correctly Insert a tape with the safety tab in place and enough tape to rec...

Page 34: ...ive all channels through a cable box or if you receive your TV signal off air Setting Up the Channel List If you did not set up the VCR Plus programming channel list you can do it now 1 Display the CHANNELS menu from the VCR MAIN MENU 2 Display the VCR Plus Channel List menu 3 Go to Setting Up Your VCR if you need more information on setting up your VCR Plus channel list Using the VCR Plus System ...

Page 35: ... in your local television listings VCR PLUS Enter PlusCode Number from TV listing 12876 Press CLEAR to correct Press MENU when done 4 Press MENU to enter the VCR PlusCode system number How often should this program record 1 One time 2 Daily every day 3 Weekdays M F 4 Weekly once per week 0 Cancel 5 Indicate how often you want the program to be recorded Program 1 One time Channel 03 Cable Start Tim...

Page 36: ...TOP button for three seconds Reviewing and Clearing Programs To review programs that you have already set up 1 Press 2 when the VCR MAIN MENU is displayed to display the TIMER RECORDINGS menu TIMER RECORDINGS 1 Create a New Program 2 Review Existing Progs 3 Use VCR Plus Code 0 Exit 2 Press 2 to display the Review Existing Progs screen Program 1 One time Channel 104 Cable Start Time 12 00 AM End Ti...

Page 37: ...d TV 3 Tune the TV to the VCR viewing channel either 3 4 or TV s video input 4 If you are using coaxial cables for the connection tune recording VCR to channel 3 or 4 the one selected on the playback VCR If you are using audio video cables select the line input on the recording VCR 5 Insert the tape you want to copy into playback VCR Insert a blank tape with its safety tab in place into recording ...

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Page 39: ... television It is programmed to control an RCA GE or PROSCAN TV Other manufacturer s brands need to be programmed by using the information in this section 5 SETTING UP THE VCR 2 FIRST THINGS FIRST 1 RECORDING 3 VCR BASICS 4 OTHER FEATURES 7 6 CONNECTIONS 5 Program the Remote 5 8 REFERENCE ...

Page 40: ...ode list 5 Release TV and then press CHAN up or down If the TV responds to the remote commands the remote is programmed 6 If the TV does not respond repeat these steps using the next code listed for your TV s brand Operating the TV After you set up the remote see which buttons operate your TV 1 Point the remote at the TV and press the TV button If the TV does not turn on press the TV button and th...

Page 41: ... Kenwood 06 12 Loewe 04 Luxman 06 LXI 04 05 07 Magnavox 04 06 12 Marantz 04 06 MGA 06 12 Mitsubishi 06 12 MTC 06 NAD 07 NEC 06 Panasonic 04 08 11 Philco 04 06 12 Philips 03 04 06 12 Pioneer 06 Portland 06 12 ProScan 01 Proton 06 Quasar 11 Radio Shack 01 05 13 RCA 01 06 12 Realistic 05 Sampo 06 Samsung 06 09 12 Sanyo 05 08 Sears 01 05 06 07 08 10 12 Sharp 06 13 Sony 03 Soundesign 06 Sylvania 04 06 ...

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Page 43: ...n Commercial Advance Movie Advance Picture Search Options Tracking Pro Tect Plus Locking Time Counter On Screen Displays Setting Up the VCR 2 First things first 1 Recording 3 VCR Basics 4 OTHER FEATURES 6 5 Connections Program The Remote 8 Reference 7 ...

Page 44: ...see the video as the commercials are skipped Because television signals do not indicate where commercials are located this feature finds and marks them through a set of formulas based on how television is broadcast today Since television stations broadcast differently and insert their own commercials you may experience some variations in this feature s effectiveness Station promotions identificati...

Page 45: ... to turn commercial marking ON or OFF Select ON and the VCR will mark commercials within approximately 30 seconds for the following types of recording Timer Timer with VCR Plus System or Express Recording The VCR automatically marks the commercials after the power is turned off Recording When you stop the recording the VCR prompts you to mark the commercials The VCR is waiting to mark commercials ...

Page 46: ...f the program is skipped rewind the tape to the beginning of the skipped program segment and press PLAY Select MANUAL and the VCR won t advance through the blocks of marked commercials until you press SEARCH If you press SEARCH during playback of material other than commercials the VCR advances to the end of the next marked commercial block and resumes playback The VCR resumes playback when it rea...

Page 47: ...onse and takes you to a different search feature If you accidentally make a wrong selection press STOP EJECT on the VCR and reinsert the tape Press SEARCH If you press 1 the MOVIE ADVANCE menu appears MOVIE ADVANCE Would you like to go to the start of the movie or to the next preview 1 Go to movie 2 Go to preview Press CLEAR to cancel 3 Press 1 to advance directly to the beginning of the movie or ...

Page 48: ...his display will time out after a few minutes and the VCR will enter the Stop mode Pressing 2 to GO TO PREVIEW has the following screen appears with a video background Searching for preview Press SEARCH to reverse Press STOP to cancel When a preview is detected the VCR cues it and begins playing automatically Pressing SEARCH goes back to the beginning of the previous preview Pressing STOP cancels ...

Page 49: ... play or play pause using slow motion Slow motion works well for tapes recorded at the SP or SLP speed 1 Press SLOW on the remote to begin slow motion playback 2 During playback press PAUSE and then FWD or REV to begin slow motion playback 3 Press FWD to increase or REV to decrease the speed of the search 4 Use TRACK up or down to remove any streaks from the picture 5 Press PLAY to return to norma...

Page 50: ...e VCR will locate your index mark and begin playback If you did not enter a specific index number the VCR will locate the next index mark and begin playback 5 Press STOP to end index searching Some index marks may be missed by the VCR A mark too close to your location on the tape The mark at the beginning of a recorded segment of five minutes or less The first index mark on the tape when you start...

Page 51: ...ring recording only playback Pro Tect Plus Locking To disable the usage of the VCR or to protect your timer recordings you can lock the VCR so that the buttons on the VCR or remote won t work To Lock Press and hold the VCR button on the remote for approximately six seconds To Lock While a Timer Recording is in Progress Press and hold the VCR button on the remote for approximately six seconds To Un...

Page 52: ... counter from the screen and return to the normal display mode On screen Displays The INFO button shows the status of the VCR STOP PLAY RECORD etc channel number time counter date time and tape speed on the TV screen The date and time must be set before they can be displayed 1 Press INFO to see the on screen displays 2 Press INFO again to have only the time counter remain on the screen 3 Press INF...

Page 53: ...ad cables and keep them away from the audio video cables as much as possible Make sure all antennas and cables are properly grounded Refer to the Safety Tips sheet packed with your unit Protect Your Components from Overheating Do not block ventilation holes in any of the components Arrange the components so that air can circulate freely Do not stack components Allow adequate ventilation when placi...

Page 54: ...OUT The coaxial cable supplied with your VCR is used to connect the VCR s RF OUT jack and your TV s antenna input Audio Video Jacks and Cables RCA type The AUDIO VIDEO jacks provide very good picture quality and sound and can be used if your TV has audio video input jacks These jacks are used for most audio video connections between components The VCR AUDIO VIDEO jacks are color coded yellow for v...

Page 55: ...o video jacks and cable box to unscramble pay channels only If you need to connect additional components not shown in the diagrams here and are unsure of how to connect them refer to the instruction manual that came with that particular component Advantages of Audio Video Cable Connections Using a simple coaxial cable connection gives you good picture quality If your television has audio video jac...

Page 56: ...ection coaxial cable for cable box connection To connect 1 Connect cables as shown 2 Return to First Things First then follow the steps Using This Connection Tune your TV to channel 3 or 4 whichever one you selected with the 3 CH 4 switch on the back of the VCR To play a tape 1 Insert a tape 2 If necessary press PLAY To record one program and watch another 1 Begin recording a program using one of ...

Page 57: ...tion or two coaxial cables for cable box connection two audio video cables To connect 1 Connect cables as shown 2 Return to First Things First then follow the steps Using This Connection Tune your TV to its video input channel To play a tape 1 Insert a tape 2 If necessary press PLAY To record one program and watch another 1 Begin recording a program using one of the recording features 2 Select a d...

Page 58: ... To connect 1 Connect cables as shown 2 Return to First Things First then follow the steps Using This Connection Tune your TV to its video input channel To play a tape 1 Insert a tape 2 If necessary press PLAY To record a scrambled or unscrambled program and watch another unscrambled program 1 Begin recording a scrambled or unscrambled program through the cable box using one of the recording featu...

Page 59: ...ll find a TroubleshootingTips section and a question and answer section about COMMERCIAL ADVANCE in this Appendix which might help to resolve some of those simple problems Finally this section contains your warranty information Setting Up the VCR 2 First things first 1 Recording 3 VCR Basics 4 OTHER FEATURES 6 5 Connections Program The Remote 8 Reference 7 ...

Page 60: ... unwanted scenes POWER Turns the VCR on or off RECORD Starts VCR recording Used for express recording Remote Sensor Receives signals from the remote control Aim the remote at this sensor REV Rewinds the tape when the VCR is stopped Searches the picture in reverse during playback Starts slow motion during play pause and decreases slow motion speed SPEED Selects a tape recording speed either SP or S...

Page 61: ...ing Channel is 3 or 4 Press the TV VCR button on the remote or front VCR panel to turn on or off VCR Indicator on Picture from VCR VCR Indicator off Picture from the TV channel Back Panel CH VIDEO AUDIO ANT IN RF OUT OUT IN 3 4 3 CH 4 Switch Selects the channel to which you will tune the TV to see the VCR picture if you connect the VCR using one of the basic hookups AUDIO and VIDEO IN Jacks Receiv...

Page 62: ...V If so follow the step above If those options do not work try the following ideas You might access the Video Input Channel by pressing a button on the remote see table below selecting the channel from the TV s menu system see table below tuning directly to the channel by selecting a specific channel number see table below going through all the channels in the channel list by pressing the channel ...

Page 63: ...ections between VCR and TV monitor Check to make sure the TV monitor is set to video input Try another tape Some snow streaks are normal during search stop action frame advance and slow motion playback Streaks in picture during normal playback Press one of the TRACKING buttons to move streaks up or down for the best picture Check to make sure the tape is of good quality and not worn out Time count...

Page 64: ...sure the VCR is not in the line mode Press INPUT on the remote Internal clock shows incorrect time or date Power interruption Check to make sure the clock is set accurately check AM PM and date Check Daylight Saving setting The clock may have adjusted for daylight saving time Time did not adjust for daylight saving time Check to make sure daylight saving feature is set correctly VCR makes noise wh...

Page 65: ...rt VCR forwards through commercials or momentarily displays a blue screen during playback Commercial Advance Playback feature is set to AUTO Set it to MANUAL COMMERCIAL ADVANCE feature does not mark commercials when The Marking feature is set to OFF in the COMMERCIAL ADVANCE menu Set it to ON A recording is less than 15 minutes or the commercial is longer than one minute A single isolated commerci...

Page 66: ...e is set to AUTO the marked commercials should be skipped each time the tape is played in a COMMERCIAL ADVANCE VCR After marking commercials is the tape left at the beginning or end of the recording The tape is left at the end of the recording so it is in position to begin additional programmed recordings Does the marking process interfere with other programmed recordings No If two or more recordi...

Page 67: ...es deep 236 mm Weight 7 92 pounds 3 7 kg Storage Temperature 22 F to 149 F Range 30 C to 65 C Operating 41 F to 104 F Temperature Range 5 C to 40 C Check your cable company s compatibility requirements Cleaning the VCR Use a soft cloth or dusting attachment of your vacuum cleaner to dust your VCR Remove dust from the ventilation holes on the top back sides and bottom of the cabinet Plastic surface...

Page 68: ...pleted What your warranty does not cover Customer instruction Your Owner s Manual clearly describes how to install adjust and operate your VCR Any additional information should be obtained from your Dealer Installation and related adjustments Signal reception problems not caused by your VCR Damage from misuse or neglect Cleaning of video audio heads Batteries A VCR that has been modified or incorp...

Page 69: ...ecting your VCR 4 connections 51 A V cable 53 TV A V jacks cable box 56 TV with A V jacks 55 TV with RF jack 54 two VCRs 35 copying and editing tapes 35 D Daylight saving time 14 display panel diagram 58 E eject 26 EnergySaver 19 Express Recording XPR 30 F F ADV button 24 forward reverse searching 47 frame advance 47 front panel diagram 58 front panel display feature 20 FWD button 58 G GO BACK but...

Page 70: ...ox 9 language 8 using menus 8 signal type changing 11 skipping commercials 44 57 64 slow motion search 47 SLP tape speed 26 solving problems 61 62 63 SP tape speed 26 Specifications 65 SPEED button 25 speeds recording 20 SLP 20 SP 20 STOP button 25 STOP EJECT button 58 T tape speed 26 tape speeds 20 tapes ejecting 26 time counter 49 timer recording 30 31 stopping 34 tips troubleshooting 61 TRACK b...

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Page 72: ... please contact your dealer or the nearest Service center from the yellow pages Please do not send any products to the Indianapolis address listed in this manual or on the carton This will only add delays in service for your product As an ENERGY STAR Partner Thomson Consumer Electronics has determined that this product or product model meets the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency ...