jcc vhs recorder cannot get clock to set or display?

i have a jvc vhs recorder model no. hr-j635ek and i think serial no.112b4521. i have bought a new remote pq21953a which the recorder itself is receiving signals from. but as with the old remote i still cannot get clock to be set by either the remote or manually. do you have any ideas as to why this is? does/did this vhs recorder work from analogue tv signals? now of course the analogue signal is turned off! is this why it will not work? digital signals only are now transmitted