This VCR is plugged in when the record timer was set. There was NO loss
of power. Therefore, there was NO need for a battery (does NOT have one).

After the VCR failed to record at the appointed time, the time and date
was checked and was correct.

Doesn't matter.

If it does have some kind of power backup device, either battery or
supercap, after 35+ years it's probably chemically broken down and is likley
holding one of the lines to the cpu low.

You might think you are programming a record event but the cpu is ignoring
it.

If you are absolutely sure there is no such device, take my other
suggestion and go visit the nearest Salvation Army or Goodwill outlet store.

There are two of those on ebay now, one for $12.50 and the other for $20 (or
best offer) but of course there is $20 in shipping charges on either.

Overpriced.

Assuming everything else is working correctly and it is just a timer
problem, it's so unlikely to find a replacement clock/timer board these days
and probably priced at 10x what the machine is worth, there really is no
other solution except to replace the whole machine.

Hi Bruce,

Since I do not have the SM for this, and I have other VCRs that I can
use for Timer Recording, I will only use this VCR without the Timer
Recoding function.

Regards, John