Safe Mode?

My old GE VCR is rigged up with a Phillips DVD player, a Sanyo TV and Armstrong Cable PVR. The VCR has to be on to run the DVD player and it is locked out in safe mode. It all works off of one remote. I've replaced batteries and I've unplugged the whole thing for several minutes. The VCR still says safe mode when I press the power button manually, which is what I've usually had to do to start it. Safe thing when I use the PVR remote and press the VCR button and power button