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It sounds like your cable box died. You can't do ch +/- on the TV because it probably only has channel 3 programmed into it (the box output). You could put in channel numbers directly with the TV remote but probably wouldn't get any stations unless you hooked up an antenna or bypassed the cable box and there were analog stations on the cable as well as digital ones. Try playing a video tape and use only the TV original remote to see if the TV works correctly for that function.
This assumes the equipment is connected in the correct order. Cable in to cable box to VCR to TV. If you reverse the VCR and cable box , it might work for a while but the lack of control signals to the box (blocked by VCR) will eventually cause problems.
Two other notes ;
1: Never plug the AC cord on the TV into the back of the cable box. The TV was not designed to be turned on and off by pulling the plug. This is what the switched power outlet on a box does. This may also been the cause of your turn-on problems.
2: There have been a lot of serious problems caused by spray glass cleaners dripping down the front of the picture tube damaging the circuit board and all of the front panel controls , also causing the symptoms you describe.
You need to figure out a method of checking out the TV independant of the VCR and cable box and cable signal since any one of these is more likely to be the cause of the symptoms than the TV itself.
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