Thank you for the video. I had one "eating tapes" that my son uses to watch some old movies. After seeing this video I was able to locate the mode switch and clean it. Without any fancy brushes I used the next best thing. A dried out ole permanent marker. That polished up the brass real nice. Then a shop towel to clean any residue left over. Works like a charm now.
I've been looking for a working VCR for a while and found one in my father in law's basement while cleaning his house out after he passed away. The thing worked pretty well - decent picture and sound - but when I tried to eject a tape it always got tangled up inside. He was also a heavy smoker so the VCR smelled like cigarettes and was filthy inside. This video gave me the courage to take the VCR apart and find the mode switch - it was much smaller than the one in the video and located in a different place, but I found it, took it apart, shined it up with a toothbrush (I don't have the cleaning tool shown in this video) and re-lubricated it with a tiny dab of WD40, then cleaned the tape head and rollers with alcohol and a soft cloth, put the whole thing back together and now it works good as new. I never thought I'd be able to repair a VCR, but this video showed me everything I needed to know.
I always enjoy hearing when someone has success using my tips. One tip on the mode switch. I'm not sure how long the WD40 will last on the mode switch. I generally use a light coat of Dielectric Tune Up Grease available at most auto part stores,
So glad I found this video! I found a VCR/DVD recorder for $10, but the VCR was eating tapes. After cleaning the mode switch like you show here it's working perfectly! Thank you!
Beautiful, this is what I was looking for... He made the comment about the dual DVD/ VHS players "not really meant to be worked on," but I held out for hope in the comments - ¡viola! Here you are! Thank you!
This helped me fix my tape-eating Emerson VCR. Just needed to clean the mode switcher with a Q-tip...it was quite dirty and oxidized. Never thought I could fix a VCR, lol. Thanks!
Thank you for this. I bought a Sony hi-if vcr SLV-N50 at the Salvation Army but turns out was eating tapes. I followed your instructions and so far seems fixed! The switch was mounted on the circuit board with the gear facing up so made removing the gear easy. The gear has a small nub that protrudes upwards and fits into the big gear on the chassis to keep things in time. Thanks again! 👍👍👍
Mode switches in combo VCR/DVD recorders - HOLY DOODLE - you're right - they are IMPOSSIBLE to get at. Those machines must be put together from scratch by tiny people in factories in Lilliput land of Gulliver's Travels, but apparently deliberately designed so you can't get back in to repair things.
That was completely educational and got me excited to go get that stuff that I once used to design a Flip-Flop Multivibrator PWB, at my local electronics store, and clean that wheel and its contacts. I wish I had seen a tutorial like this back in the day when these machines were relevant. I used to get lots of VCRs from people I knew who were throwing them out and knew that I could get them working. Eating tapes were mostly the reason, and all I did was keep the cover off and nurse the tape through and run it that way until so much dirt got in that it would affect the electronic elements and something would short out. Once the problem is digital, into the dumpster. I got through the whole 90s on free junk VCRs that lasted a year or two.
@7:06 you likely saved me a lot of trouble. I'm having problems with a dual VHS/DVD eating tapes and sounds like a waste of time for me to bother with it. Still watched the rest of your video and found it very informative. Thanks for the post.
Brillian trip down memory lane. I remember mode switches, as a new engineer back in the day, I spent hours chasing a fault. I have 2 Panasonics next door for repair. 1 is a Nicam VDC and the the is a Combo DVD + VCR
I'm sad that I'm the 290th comment - but this absolutely worked on my rare and versatile LG RC199H DVD/VCR combo unit, a machine made even better by having HDMI out for both tape and disk playback. I bought it used a few days ago for a Hamilton, ugly and eating tapes and now it's 100%!
I grew up in what I can now see was the very beginning of the throw-away consumer product age, e.g. mid-70s through late-80s. As time goes on it's interesting how many things I used back when I was a kid and young adult are things I go back looking for specifically nowadays, from mechanical (but for basic metering and some AE function) film cameras to (as now) 80's era early Hi-fi VCRs. Everything made past the early 90s and into today are throw-away... Or, *worse* even if now some hardware seems better manufactured but so much of it is tied to firmware and software that it become obsoleted and useless. I think the IoT craze is about to undergo at least a mild awakening and perhaps a revolt. Enough rant. :) Thanks for this video.
Dave, I used to use the eraser on a pencil, i would shape the rubber with a razor and found it will take off the carbon or oxidation off the metal just as well, then clean the area with alcohol and put the grease back on with a work quality Q tip...esentially what you have done, just different materials to achieve the same results..... Was definately a great repair in our day money wise..!! I also found the biz hard to walk away from after 35 yrs....but, unfourtunately I was forced to as i'm sure you are aware of the service industry is almost non-exsistant....too bad tho..!!
+Frankie Pitochelli I suppose an eraser could do the job if your careful not to press to hard. I once broke a video head by using a stiff bristle brush and applying a little to much pressure. Their are still a few of us TV repair shops in existence, but our numbers are quickly diminishing due to all the changes and challenges.
you could price it a little higher for older ones maybe less they come but higher price tag. and still do other things with it , like fixing newer tvs and other things that people would want to bring in. so basically could go from only tv repair to so so and so + tv repair? owo just an option.
I wish I had fixed my Mom's old VCR instead of giving it away. Back in the day it cost almost $550 and was top of the line. 30 years later the only reason it didn't work was the motor wouldn't pull the tape all the way in. I donated it to a thrift store for someone to find and fix and got a newer machine. First thing the new machine did was eat my tape. My old machine never ate tapes. I miss it.
Yeah, but the one my BF got from a thrift store, that said it had been "tested", just ate my tape last night. I had to pry it open with screwdrivers just to get my tape out in one piece. I'm about to give up and send all of my tapes off to be made into DVD. *sigh* The newer machines are just crappier in general. That's why I'm sad I gave away the one from 1985, it NEVER ate tapes.
I've also picked up a few duds at garage sales that were suppose to work. I suspect the people who sold them didn't realize there was a problem, or they worked okay the last time they were tested.
I also bought a fishtank pump from a supposed tank afficianado, only to get it home and try it a week later and it didn't work. All those filters are useless. So yeah, I think your idea that it worked for them last may be more likely.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge! I enjoy your videos and the fascinating ingenuity of the past. There was a JVC model that had a mode switch with optics instead of contact switches - that one never went bad. I used to spray Deoxit on mode switches and never had a single recall.
Nice! I’ve been troubleshooting a lot of VCR’s recently. I normally just swap out a broken VCR for a new (to me) VCR but the supply of good quality VCR’s is drying up lately. Now I’m going back and replacing belts and recapping some of the better VCR’s I own. I have a few of the old top loading VCR’s that are built like tanks. The only downside is the picture is not very good on those compared to the Super VHS types. My prized piece that I use at least weekly is a Sharp TV/VHS combo. VHS looks good on a smaller 4:3 screen.
This Sony VCR I have would eject the tape then shut itself off when I try to pull the tape out and get all tangled up if I push it back in and chew it up, sometime itd be okay if I turn it back on and push it in then ejected it real fast. But I like this parituclar VCR since it dub DVDs very well.
Hey I have a question. I finally pulled out my vcr player after like 5 years of it being stored. It was working fine until my dad decided to watch some really old tapes. When i play a tape now it will pull the tape out of the vhs and eject it. I pull the the tape out and there is a few inches of tape still out of the cassette. It will play the tape for like 4 seconds and then immediately do this behavior. Do I just have to clean the vcr or is it something more serious? If you have any idea of what it could be please let me know
@@muskiellunge465 Yeah it turned out the tape he put in was covered in oil and it got all over the head thing. I just looked up a cleaning video and used printer paper and 90% rubbing alcohol. I did it like three times and when I put it back together it works just fine now! Hope that helps.
Thanks for the informative video. I found a great old beast of a VCR that works well. I just want to clean it up and make sure the important parts aren't in disrepair before I put too many tapes in it.
We need to know this stuff because. We might have to go backwards before we can go forward again. I come from the year 2029! Thank you so much! In my time all that's out there is AI video's that just tell you how to destroy stuff, but we don't know that we are messing it up! And it's so hard to tell the real videos from the AI. So glad I found this, and it was real! Thank You!
I was really excited to watch an old VHS tape that I had, the last one too. My grandparents had VCR/DVD player in their RV and the DVD side worked fine. Unfortunately the VCR side ate my tape and kept making a bunch of strange noises. My grandfather took it apart, apparently having fixed such machines in the past. We still have NO IDEA what's wrong with it.
Good "tool" for removing 4 notch latches are thin-walled pipes (maybe some part from old ball-pen?). They will push all notches same time. you can widen a bit top of pipe if is from the brass or other soft material (I use scissors tops for this rotating inside opening). Have to be vary cautious during "operation" as plastic goes crispy in time.
Smashing job :-D, i used to repair a lot of vcr's in the past and mode switches just sent the machine into madness lol, a machine would be playing a tape and suddenly on its own it would rewind it ha ha, they looked posessed :-D. Dirty heads,pinch rollers, guides and belts/jocky wheels were common to all machines, and once in a blue moon i would see the reel brakes fail so the tape spooled out if you hit stop on a forward fast mode. The older machines were much nicer than the "plastic fantastic" cheap types, well i thought so. Ive never seen a cleaning pen, i had a rubber/abrasive block that worked well :-)
Is it possible to do that kind of repair to a VCR that's built into a CRT TV or does it require removing the CRT and stuff before making that kind of repair? Whenever my TV VCR combo eats the tape, the tape itself is usually damaged so barely to the point it's not noticeable, but it does force me to wiggle the tape a bit and by the time I finally get it out, I usually will have to turn one of the tape reel to get the loose tape back in.
I always thought it was cheapo dielectric grease in those mode switches. good points on removing and cleaning/repairing. I used to repair a lot of VCRs then everyone bought DVD players, and gave their old VCRs to me, so i had hundreds of them. lol
Samsung DVD/VCR combo. Mode switch is a tiny thing that can't be removed but I managed to get it apart. Didn't look like I got much grunge out of it. I used a q-tip. I greased it with a film of Vaseline. Now it'll play the very tape it ate, even past the mangled part. I think I have it so thank you!
I have a Toshiba VCP B1E, it was sitting somewhere for years at my grandma and I picked it up, the first time it was turned on it almost didnt work at all, and then I replaced the rubbers inside with some jar rubbers, and applied some strong 90% alcohol, it worked for 2 movies and I think it just ate my tape, I mean it sucks but I made some progress. I will try applying alcohol everywhere where it is supposed to be put and lets see. 2019 VHS gang!
Oh how i wish you were my neighbour! I love old VCRs and kassett players (still refuse BlueRay, feels unnstural to watch) and half of em needs service. Have a pretty nice Philips one that been loyal but i think the motor os symtarting to go. It is haveing a hard time rewind and forward and play all tapes. Heard that some VHS kassett go bad so it gets to heavy to play, but i have other backup players that works with said tapes.
Take a look at each gear it will have either a hole or indentation make sure each one is lined up with its neighbour that will do it hope this helps you from UK 👍
I have two DVD recorder/VCR combos and both are similarly afflicted. No cassette tapes can be played, recorded or anything because both VCR's spit the tapes (PE-TOUHY!) right back out! That is to say... I push a tape in. It goes in and drops down onto the _spindles_ or _hubs_ and then it pops right back up and out... The actual tape gets caught on the clips that pull the tape around the head drum and so you have to take the top cover off and lift the tape free to get it out of the door of the machine. One failed first and then the other soon followed and they've been this way for years. I hold onto them because they have DIGITAL TUNERS built in and both still record and play DVD's. I bought both machines at the same time, but I noticed today that one has a sticker that says it was manufactured in 2008. Could this mode switch problem be what's causing this? *And now I have just heard the portion of the program where **_"...those things just aren't made to be worked on..."_* So, I should just wait for them to totally die and then start anew, correct?
I need to try this Bough an old vcr to play vhs c tapes it ate a 22 year old vhs c I wanted to watched 😢😢 Wish me luck hope I can fix it and fix the vhs c as well 🙏🏻
I have a Mitsubishi HD-2000U VCR that seems to have developed tracking issues. It was in storage for several months and when I hooked it up and put in a tape, the tracking noise wouldn't go away. I tried to adjust it manually with the manual directions. It would get better and then a line of noise appears at the top of the picture covering about 10% of the screen. I've tried different tapes and it is the same. It has always worked flawlessly for years. I cleaned the head and various tape guide areas. That didn't help. You mentioned in a video you might be willing to have people send you their sets to repair.
From Farm and Fleet's web site: "Dielectric grease, or tune-up grease, is a silicone-based grease that repels moisture and protects electrical connections against corrosion. ... The grease does not conduct electricity, so it shouldn't be applied directly to the mating surfaces (pins and sockets) of an electrical connection."
Thanks for the video fellow Oregonian! I am trying to convert my family's old VHS tapes to DVD and the first tape I put in, the VCR ate it! I was able to carefully get it out, respool it, and then watch it eat the tape again. I'm done with that VCR! It was a freebie from a friend and seemed to work in tests until I tried to convert videos that might actually matter. While I like to think I could fix whatever is going wrong, I might try one from Goodwill and roll the dice.
Very good Video! THX ... please can you show me where the Mode select switch is from Panasonic NV-FS200 ? i can't find it ??? best Regards from Hamburg Germany
Had a problem with a recent Hi8 camcorder that I got from eBay. It took me awhile to find out the problem, apparently the camcorder chews tapes when put into rewind. I tried another tape that hadn't been chewed and after I was done recording, I put the tape inside a Video8 camcorder to rewind it. (The Video8 has a dead image sensor, it's only good for playing and rewinding.) I then proceeded to put the tape back into the Hi8 to play it, the recording came out perfectly fine. So I think I need to find a tape rewinder to keep inside the Hi8 camcorder's bag. I am okay with rewinding in my Video8, as long it don't start chewing tapes. :P
Nice and informative video. I own a dual Phillips VCR/DVD player that I purchased new about 12-14 years ago, only used it about 10 times or so. When I insert a VHS tape in it, the machine turns it self on, when I power it up again it ejects the tape. Can you offer some advice if this could be what I am going through? What state are you in?
Grant does a sharp vcr from the year 2000 and newer have a mode switch? I took most of it apart and cant find one. The machine plays but sometimes it stops on its own or wont stop rewinding when i push stop then powers off on its own.
My vcr is eating tapes and I took it apart, cleaned with compressed air and cleaned the heads but it still eats tapes. I don’t see a mode switch like that in mine. Not sure what else to do with it.
Hi I have an Emerson ewv404 VCR player. I’ve watched a lot of your videos on VCR repair but I can’t seem to locate the mode switch on this model to clean it. I’ve cleaned the heads etc and it’s still eating my tapes and ejecting them. I’ve had multiple of this model with no issues, this one I got recently I can’t seem to fix.
There are so many different models I can't give you a one size fits all answer, but if you take note of how the gears are lined up when the VCR is in the off ejected mode and mark the gears with a marking pen before you take things apart, it may help you stay out of trouble.
I used this advice to clean the mode switch in my upscaling VCR/DVD combo. What a pain in the neck. He was right when he said they didn't make those things to be repaired...
Just fixed a Sony SVO-2000 that was eating tapes by cleaning the mode switch, the outside contacts had turned black, had to scrape the corrosion off and scrub with Deoxit.
That's great about helping to prevent the VCR from eating tapes but the problem I'm having currently is that my Sony VCR (1999-ish) is molesting my tapes. Twice now I've woken up to go to the bathroom and my VCR was touching my tapes inappropriately. How do you handle an issue like that? Do they sell a solvent or something?
Really nice of you to inform on this subject. One question though! The dielectric tune up grease, I've been finding info on it as I've never used it before, and it seems that it is an insulator and doesn't conduct? What are your thoughts on that, please. Thanks for your tips.
I've also wondered about the dielectric tune up grease being an insulator, but when I put some of it on my voltohmmeter probes and lightly touch them together I see full conduction. I've noticed it did had some insulating properties when I used it on some ribbon cables if the contact pressure on the connectors is to light, but never on mode switches. and it's often used in the automotive industry inside of light bulb sockets.
@@GrantsPassTVRepair High Grant. Erm, interesting. I did see it when applied to spark plugs but not on the contact end, just as the plug entered the socket as a sort of weatherproof issue. I haven't any so I can't measure it. Thanks for the prompt reply though. Singem. PS Isn't it possible when you put the probes together the metals were touching?
I have a Symphonic SC313B combo TV/VCR. It plays a tape fine. If I stop the tape the TV shuts off about 5-10 seconds later. If I turn it on it runs for another 5-10 seconds and shuts off. If I turn it on and play a tape it plays the tape fine. Any tips or tricks I can do to make the TV work without shutting down? I don't care about using the VCR. Thanks,
I Live in the past and use my VCR daily. It has gotten to where those arms that pull the tape out around the drum won't go the full distance unless I help it along. I really don't know what I'm doing so pleases give me suggestions. Is it a slipping belt or do those arms require any type of lubricant? I appreciate you listening to this. Zane.
It's been my experience that when a VCR has loading arms that fail to reach their resting point, it's likely to be from a broken gear tooth that's causing a misalignment problem.
I'm having an issue with my vcr. It's a cheap one but it's so hard to find them in general these days I'm hoping I can get it back on it's feet. How much would a repair like the mode switch generally cost if I sent it to you?
I had a vcr/dvd combo once that ate tapes and the issue with it was the power supply. A capacitor and a bunch of resistors went bad and was causing the vcr side to not receive power to run correctly and then it quit working altogether and when I pulled it apart, some of the circuit board traces were burnt and I had to throw it out because I couldn't save it :(
May I ask a question? I have 2 brand new VHS dubbing decks. If I don't use them for a year maybe 2, just keep them in the box, will they go bad from non use? Thanks in advance for your help.
Yes they can still go bad in the box, but I can't say how it might take, and some models will fail sooner than others. Some VCRs have rubber belts and idler wheels that can go bad. There is also the possibly that a mode switch can oxidize.
@@GrantsPassTVRepair I've over in the UK so maybe it's branded differently. That fiberglass method of cleaning the mode switch is fantastic, it's now sparkling, cheers! I put some contact cleaner in too. Put the machine back together and forgot to put some grease in! but it appears to be working much better. I'll get some dielectric grease over the next couple of days and apply to the mode switch.The plastic underneath was very yellowed (which is worrying) but I've got out as much of the old grease out and applied a few smears of silicone grease.
I have a. G E. VG4011 4 head Vcr it R/w and F/f fine but when playing it will drag or stop. I cleaned it taking the top off and still doing same thing any ideas
I don't think a paper towell will work well to remove the corrosion, My friend uses a small wire brush, but I always though a fiber pen was least likely to damage anything while still being able to remove the corrosion.
I got a goalddstar from the 90s I would gues. model m250 ghv-1705m amung 5 other VCRs I got for free from cl. I just replaced the belt yesterday and it no longer eats tapes but the belt has more tention then the original one and fast rew/ffw works fine but normal is weak and It kinda sounds like the tape begins to slack or spill a little bit and I lose signal. If I eject and reinsert the tape it resets the problem sometimes and I wont have a lost signal with that weird noise that kinda sounds like tape spill/tape-eating. The idler seems to have suficient tork even with the new belt.
+Robert Calk Jr. I think automotive tune up grease must be a safe one to use since it's used in the electronics and automotive industry, but I noticed it caused problems when I attempted to use it on LVDS cables in LCD TVs. I also had problems using tuner spray on LVDS cables. Probably because of the low voltage passing through the cables couldn't overcome the insulating properties of the grease. I worked on car where someone had used wheel bearing grease on a 12 volt battery terminal and even at 12 volts it had conduction problems. I'd like to know of a grease or oil I could use on LVDS cables in TVs without there being any problems.
+Grants Pass TV Repair I don't know about what to use on LVDS cables, but I might try my electronic cleaner and lubricant. I have some without lubricant also. I didn't think we were supposed to but anything on LVDS cables. I use di-electric grease on my car battery.
Hi Could You Help Us Out.. I've A Ferguson Videostar 3v31 And The Idler Needs Replacing Or A New Tyre,.. Would You Have Any Idea Where I Could Get One? Regards Darren
Here is a video I made on the subject. If you look at the info section of this video I put a link to the company that sells belts, and how to measure them correctly. th-cam.com/video/ufuELzsMKUg/w-d-xo.html
Ok I have a Magnavox VHS/DVD recorder Combo ZV45OMWS and it eats my tape soon as it hits the head wheel and automatically ejects ate tape. Any ideas on a fix I can try? I did clean head wheel like you showed in another video but the machine you were working on looks nothing like mine so I wanted to tell ya what I had. Hope you got some ideas I can try. I really don't want to buy another one :(
I’m from Grants Pass! But I moved to Nebraska in 2006. I just bought a dvd vcr recorder, with built in sdtv tuner, and I find out when I eject the cassette, the magnetic tape gets a little snagged up inside the little door.
thank god vcr repair stuff was immortalized on TH-cam, it takes forever to find a working vcr these days
Thank you for the video. I had one "eating tapes" that my son uses to watch some old movies. After seeing this video I was able to locate the mode switch and clean it. Without any fancy brushes I used the next best thing. A dried out ole permanent marker. That polished up the brass real nice. Then a shop towel to clean any residue left over. Works like a charm now.
I've been looking for a working VCR for a while and found one in my father in law's basement while cleaning his house out after he passed away. The thing worked pretty well - decent picture and sound - but when I tried to eject a tape it always got tangled up inside. He was also a heavy smoker so the VCR smelled like cigarettes and was filthy inside. This video gave me the courage to take the VCR apart and find the mode switch - it was much smaller than the one in the video and located in a different place, but I found it, took it apart, shined it up with a toothbrush (I don't have the cleaning tool shown in this video) and re-lubricated it with a tiny dab of WD40, then cleaned the tape head and rollers with alcohol and a soft cloth, put the whole thing back together and now it works good as new. I never thought I'd be able to repair a VCR, but this video showed me everything I needed to know.
I always enjoy hearing when someone has success using my tips. One tip on the mode switch. I'm not sure how long the WD40 will last on the mode switch. I generally use a light coat of Dielectric Tune Up Grease available at most auto part stores,
So glad I found this video! I found a VCR/DVD recorder for $10, but the VCR was eating tapes. After cleaning the mode switch like you show here it's working perfectly! Thank you!
Beautiful, this is what I was looking for... He made the comment about the dual DVD/ VHS players "not really meant to be worked on," but I held out for hope in the comments - ¡viola! Here you are! Thank you!
Got a VCR to DVD recorder that eats tapes.
This helped me fix my tape-eating Emerson VCR. Just needed to clean the mode switcher with a Q-tip...it was quite dirty and oxidized. Never thought I could fix a VCR, lol. Thanks!
Thank you for this. I bought a Sony hi-if vcr SLV-N50 at the Salvation Army but turns out was eating tapes. I followed your instructions and so far seems fixed! The switch was mounted on the circuit board with the gear facing up so made removing the gear easy. The gear has a small nub that protrudes upwards and fits into the big gear on the chassis to keep things in time. Thanks again! 👍👍👍
Mode switches in combo VCR/DVD recorders - HOLY DOODLE - you're right - they are IMPOSSIBLE to get at. Those machines must be put together from scratch by tiny people in factories in Lilliput land of Gulliver's Travels, but apparently deliberately designed so you can't get back in to repair things.
Just fixed my DVD/VHS combo using your video! Thank you so much!
That was completely educational and got me excited to go get that stuff that I once used to design a Flip-Flop Multivibrator PWB, at my local electronics store, and clean that wheel and its contacts. I wish I had seen a tutorial like this back in the day when these machines were relevant. I used to get lots of VCRs from people I knew who were throwing them out and knew that I could get them working. Eating tapes were mostly the reason, and all I did was keep the cover off and nurse the tape through and run it that way until so much dirt got in that it would affect the electronic elements and something would short out. Once the problem is digital, into the dumpster. I got through the whole 90s on free junk VCRs that lasted a year or two.
@7:06 you likely saved me a lot of trouble. I'm having problems with a dual VHS/DVD eating tapes and sounds like a waste of time for me to bother with it. Still watched the rest of your video and found it very informative. Thanks for the post.
Brillian trip down memory lane.
I remember mode switches, as a new engineer back in the day, I spent hours chasing a fault.
I have 2 Panasonics next door for repair.
1 is a Nicam VDC and the the is a Combo DVD + VCR
TYVM kind sir! Kids today will never know the struggle of ur fav tapes getting ate! Will do soon as I get home!
I'm sad that I'm the 290th comment - but this absolutely worked on my rare and versatile LG RC199H DVD/VCR combo unit, a machine made even better by having HDMI out for both tape and disk playback. I bought it used a few days ago for a Hamilton, ugly and eating tapes and now it's 100%!
Loved the video! The brush is a fiberglass scratch brush. I went and looked it up so I could try this out on my vcr. Thanks!
it was fun to watch you work! love those brushes.
I grew up in what I can now see was the very beginning of the throw-away consumer product age, e.g. mid-70s through late-80s. As time goes on it's interesting how many things I used back when I was a kid and young adult are things I go back looking for specifically nowadays, from mechanical (but for basic metering and some AE function) film cameras to (as now) 80's era early Hi-fi VCRs. Everything made past the early 90s and into today are throw-away... Or, *worse* even if now some hardware seems better manufactured but so much of it is tied to firmware and software that it become obsoleted and useless. I think the IoT craze is about to undergo at least a mild awakening and perhaps a revolt.
Enough rant. :) Thanks for this video.
Dave, I used to use the eraser on a pencil, i would shape the rubber with a razor and found it will take off the carbon or oxidation off the metal just as well, then clean the area with alcohol and put the grease back on with a work quality Q tip...esentially what you have done, just different materials to achieve the same results.....
Was definately a great repair in our day money wise..!!
I also found the biz hard to walk away from after 35 yrs....but, unfourtunately I was forced to as i'm sure you are aware of the service industry is almost non-exsistant....too bad tho..!!
+Frankie Pitochelli I suppose an eraser could do the job if your careful not to press to hard. I once broke a video head by using a stiff bristle brush and applying a little to much pressure.
Their are still a few of us TV repair shops in existence, but our numbers are quickly diminishing due to all the changes and challenges.
I also use the eraser of a pencil to clean thermostat terminals, works like a charm! ;)
you could price it a little higher for older ones maybe less they come but higher price tag. and still do other things with it , like fixing newer tvs and other things that people would want to bring in. so basically could go from only tv repair to so so and so + tv repair? owo just an option.
I wish I had fixed my Mom's old VCR instead of giving it away. Back in the day it cost almost $550 and was top of the line. 30 years later the only reason it didn't work was the motor wouldn't pull the tape all the way in. I donated it to a thrift store for someone to find and fix and got a newer machine. First thing the new machine did was eat my tape. My old machine never ate tapes. I miss it.
VCRs can be found all over town at garage sales and thrift stores for 5 to 10 bucks.
Yeah, but the one my BF got from a thrift store, that said it had been "tested", just ate my tape last night. I had to pry it open with screwdrivers just to get my tape out in one piece. I'm about to give up and send all of my tapes off to be made into DVD. *sigh* The newer machines are just crappier in general. That's why I'm sad I gave away the one from 1985, it NEVER ate tapes.
I've also picked up a few duds at garage sales that were suppose to work. I suspect the people who sold them didn't realize there was a problem, or they worked okay the last time they were tested.
I also bought a fishtank pump from a supposed tank afficianado, only to get it home and try it a week later and it didn't work. All those filters are useless. So yeah, I think your idea that it worked for them last may be more likely.
Grants Pass TV Repair u got a tape deck for $5
Thanks for sharing the knowledge! I enjoy your videos and the fascinating ingenuity of the past. There was a JVC model that had a mode switch with optics instead of contact switches - that one never went bad. I used to spray Deoxit on mode switches and never had a single recall.
Thanks for the info on Deoxit.
Wish me luck on fixing my Sanyo ! glad this info is out there for the public
I think the effort has value in spite of your success or failure, Nevertheless I hope you succeed.
Nice! I’ve been troubleshooting a lot of VCR’s recently. I normally just swap out a broken VCR for a new (to me) VCR but the supply of good quality VCR’s is drying up lately. Now I’m going back and replacing belts and recapping some of the better VCR’s I own. I have a few of the old top loading VCR’s that are built like tanks. The only downside is the picture is not very good on those compared to the Super VHS types. My prized piece that I use at least weekly is a Sharp TV/VHS combo. VHS looks good on a smaller 4:3 screen.
Good luck Shrek. Here is one more on VCRs you might find helpful.
th-cam.com/video/0_G2y5VDa0w/w-d-xo.html
This Sony VCR I have would eject the tape then shut itself off when I try to pull the tape out and get all tangled up if I push it back in and chew it up, sometime itd be okay if I turn it back on and push it in then ejected it real fast. But I like this parituclar VCR since it dub DVDs very well.
Hey I have a question. I finally pulled out my vcr player after like 5 years of it being stored. It was working fine until my dad decided to watch some really old tapes. When i play a tape now it will pull the tape out of the vhs and eject it. I pull the the tape out and there is a few inches of tape still out of the cassette. It will play the tape for like 4 seconds and then immediately do this behavior. Do I just have to clean the vcr or is it something more serious? If you have any idea of what it could be please let me know
Cheapguitarguy same problem. Did u figure it out ?
@@muskiellunge465 Yeah it turned out the tape he put in was covered in oil and it got all over the head thing. I just looked up a cleaning video and used printer paper and 90% rubbing alcohol. I did it like three times and when I put it back together it works just fine now! Hope that helps.
Thanks! Repaired a VCR yesterday and your video was very helpful!
Glad it helped!
Reminds me of my days in vcr service. I was very surprise while found your videos, really thought those days are gone.
Thanks for the informative video. I found a great old beast of a VCR that works well. I just want to clean it up and make sure the important parts aren't in disrepair before I put too many tapes in it.
We need to know this stuff because. We might have to go backwards before we can go forward again. I come from the year 2029! Thank you so much! In my time all that's out there is AI video's that just tell you how to destroy stuff, but we don't know that we are messing it up! And it's so hard to tell the real videos from the AI. So glad I found this, and it was real! Thank You!
Well I want to thank you, for making this video, keep then coming. I like the old VCR machine.
I was really excited to watch an old VHS tape that I had, the last one too. My grandparents had VCR/DVD player in their RV and the DVD side worked fine. Unfortunately the VCR side ate my tape and kept making a bunch of strange noises.
My grandfather took it apart, apparently having fixed such machines in the past. We still have NO IDEA what's wrong with it.
mines doing this too and it was just fine a min ago ... and a long time before that
Good "tool" for removing 4 notch latches are thin-walled pipes (maybe some part from old ball-pen?). They will push all notches same time. you can widen a bit top of pipe if is from the brass or other soft material (I use scissors tops for this rotating inside opening). Have to be vary cautious during "operation" as plastic goes crispy in time.
Thanks for the tip, Surprisingly I've often got away with pulling the two plastic sections apart, without pressing in the plastic tabs.
That was awesome. I'm very much an amateur at electronics, buy I think I could handle this. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Like the stepper switches in pre 1980's Electromechanical Pinballs.
Great video, help me fix my Emerson VCR - it was the mode switch and cleaning it up fixed it. I plan to replace the drive belt as well.
Smashing job :-D, i used to repair a lot of vcr's in the past and mode switches just sent the machine into madness lol, a machine would be playing a tape and suddenly on its own it would rewind it ha ha, they looked posessed :-D.
Dirty heads,pinch rollers, guides and belts/jocky wheels were common to all machines, and once in a blue moon i would see the reel brakes fail so the tape spooled out if you hit stop on a forward fast mode.
The older machines were much nicer than the "plastic fantastic" cheap types, well i thought so.
Ive never seen a cleaning pen, i had a rubber/abrasive block that worked well :-)
You can splice the tape and remove the bad portion of the tape, but it generally means part of the tape will be missing.
Is it possible to do that kind of repair to a VCR that's built into a CRT TV or does it require removing the CRT and stuff before making that kind of repair? Whenever my TV VCR combo eats the tape, the tape itself is usually damaged so barely to the point it's not noticeable, but it does force me to wiggle the tape a bit and by the time I finally get it out, I usually will have to turn one of the tape reel to get the loose tape back in.
The CRT can remain in the chassis, but you will need to remove the VCR unit from the chassis.
Thanks for letting me know, I will keep that in mind if I ever am able to repair the TV VCR combo I have.
I always thought it was cheapo dielectric grease in those mode switches. good points on removing and cleaning/repairing. I used to repair a lot of VCRs then everyone bought DVD players, and gave their old VCRs to me, so i had hundreds of them. lol
do you have any videos that show how to repair emerson 19" tv/vhs combo? the whole cassette is stuck inside the machine and will not eject.
Samsung DVD/VCR combo. Mode switch is a tiny thing that can't be removed but I managed to get it apart. Didn't look like I got much grunge out of it. I used a q-tip. I greased it with a film of Vaseline. Now it'll play the very tape it ate, even past the mangled part. I think I have it so thank you!
I have a VCR DVD combo I need repaired... Could I email back and forth with you to see if I can fix mine?
@@OmarMemorial You mean me, or the guy that made the vid? I'm always up for tying stuff out.
@@heliarche I meant you because your response is much more recent than the original video :).
Nuthinnu4@gmail
@@OmarMemorial Gotcha. I'll e-mail you.
Sent. miltonk124. VCR DVD in subject.
Did you say dvd/vhs combos are best avoided? Thanks
I have a Toshiba VCP B1E, it was sitting somewhere for years at my grandma and I picked it up, the first time it was turned on it almost didnt work at all, and then I replaced the rubbers inside with some jar rubbers, and applied some strong 90% alcohol, it worked for 2 movies and I think it just ate my tape, I mean it sucks but I made some progress. I will try applying alcohol everywhere where it is supposed to be put and lets see. 2019 VHS gang!
Oh how i wish you were my neighbour! I love old VCRs and kassett players (still refuse BlueRay, feels unnstural to watch) and half of em needs service. Have a pretty nice Philips one that been loyal but i think the motor os symtarting to go. It is haveing a hard time rewind and forward and play all tapes. Heard that some VHS kassett go bad so it gets to heavy to play, but i have other backup players that works with said tapes.
Thanks for the video. New subscriber!
5:30 big brain move
I moved the gearing by mistake during repair.
Now the gears are all jacked up and it wont accept the tape.
Any ideas how I can get those realigned?
Take a look at each gear it will have either a hole or indentation make sure each one is lined up with its neighbour that will do it hope this helps you from UK 👍
I have two DVD recorder/VCR combos and both are similarly afflicted. No cassette tapes can be played, recorded or anything because both VCR's spit the tapes (PE-TOUHY!) right back out!
That is to say... I push a tape in. It goes in and drops down onto the _spindles_ or _hubs_ and then it pops right back up and out...
The actual tape gets caught on the clips that pull the tape around the head drum and so you have to take the top cover off and lift the tape free to get it out of the door of the machine. One failed first and then the other soon followed and they've been this way for years. I hold onto them because they have DIGITAL TUNERS built in and both still record and play DVD's.
I bought both machines at the same time, but I noticed today that one has a sticker that says it was manufactured in 2008. Could this mode switch problem be what's causing this?
*And now I have just heard the portion of the program where **_"...those things just aren't made to be worked on..."_*
So, I should just wait for them to totally die and then start anew, correct?
It could be one of the infrared sensors is bad or a misaligned loading carriage or loading post issue but I can't guess about something like this .
It could be one of the infrared sensors is bad or a misaligned loading carriage or loading post issue but I can't guess about something like this .
I need to try this
Bough an old vcr to play vhs c tapes it ate a 22 year old vhs c I wanted to watched 😢😢
Wish me luck hope I can fix it and fix the vhs c as well 🙏🏻
I have a Mitsubishi HD-2000U VCR that seems to have developed tracking issues. It was in storage for several months and when I hooked it up and put in a tape, the tracking noise wouldn't go away. I tried to adjust it manually with the manual directions. It would get better and then a line of noise appears at the top of the picture covering about 10% of the screen. I've tried different tapes and it is the same. It has always worked flawlessly for years. I cleaned the head and various tape guide areas. That didn't help. You mentioned in a video you might be willing to have people send you their sets to repair.
From Farm and Fleet's web site: "Dielectric grease, or tune-up grease, is a silicone-based grease that repels moisture and protects electrical connections against corrosion. ... The grease does not conduct electricity, so it shouldn't be applied directly to the mating surfaces (pins and sockets) of an electrical connection."
Thanks for the video fellow Oregonian! I am trying to convert my family's old VHS tapes to DVD and the first tape I put in, the VCR ate it! I was able to carefully get it out, respool it, and then watch it eat the tape again. I'm done with that VCR! It was a freebie from a friend and seemed to work in tests until I tried to convert videos that might actually matter. While I like to think I could fix whatever is going wrong, I might try one from Goodwill and roll the dice.
That would be my recommendation if your not motivated to repair it. VCRs are a dozen at garage sales and thrift stores.
Very good Video! THX ... please can you show me where the Mode select switch is from Panasonic NV-FS200 ? i can't find it ??? best Regards from Hamburg Germany
Thank you. This fixed my vcr. Thank you again.
Good to hear, and thanks for the comment.
Had a problem with a recent Hi8 camcorder that I got from eBay. It took me awhile to find out the problem, apparently the camcorder chews tapes when put into rewind. I tried another tape that hadn't been chewed and after I was done recording, I put the tape inside a Video8 camcorder to rewind it. (The Video8 has a dead image sensor, it's only good for playing and rewinding.) I then proceeded to put the tape back into the Hi8 to play it, the recording came out perfectly fine. So I think I need to find a tape rewinder to keep inside the Hi8 camcorder's bag. I am okay with rewinding in my Video8, as long it don't start chewing tapes. :P
I'm like 3/4 through. Do you ever explain how this switch causes it to eat tapes?
Very helpful video, thanks. I like how you cleaned up that circle of contacts.
this worked for me to my surprise! usually youtube videos never solve my problems
Nice and informative video. I own a dual Phillips VCR/DVD player that I purchased new about 12-14 years ago, only used it about 10 times or so. When I insert a VHS tape in it, the machine turns it self on, when I power it up again it ejects the tape. Can you offer some advice if this could be what I am going through? What state are you in?
Grant does a sharp vcr from the year 2000 and newer have a mode switch? I took most of it apart and cant find one. The machine plays but sometimes it stops on its own or wont stop rewinding when i push stop then powers off on its own.
Good job ... I watched - got "stuff" - followed your video - yaaaaaa - works as good as "NEW" .. thank you thank you👍👍👍👍👍👍
My vcr is eating tapes and I took it apart, cleaned with compressed air and cleaned the heads but it still eats tapes. I don’t see a mode switch like that in mine. Not sure what else to do with it.
Hi I have an Emerson ewv404 VCR player. I’ve watched a lot of your videos on VCR repair but I can’t seem to locate the mode switch on this model to clean it. I’ve cleaned the heads etc and it’s still eating my tapes and ejecting them. I’ve had multiple of this model with no issues, this one I got recently I can’t seem to fix.
Helpful video, thanks. Was hoping to see how to align the switch with the other parts. Where does that notch need to be, relative to...????
There are so many different models I can't give you a one size fits all answer, but if you take note of how the gears are lined up when the VCR is in the off ejected mode and mark the gears with a marking pen before you take things apart, it may help you stay out of trouble.
See if this video helps. th-cam.com/video/O3b0bZ07WIc/w-d-xo.html
Very well done video, clear and well explained, thanks.
I used this advice to clean the mode switch in my upscaling VCR/DVD combo. What a pain in the neck. He was right when he said they didn't make those things to be repaired...
Just fixed a Sony SVO-2000 that was eating tapes by cleaning the mode switch, the outside contacts had turned black, had to scrape the corrosion off and scrub with Deoxit.
Hi how do i get the mechanism out of a JVC HR-S860 SVHS VCR, do i have to disconnect the circuit board to remove the mechanism, Please Reply, Thanks
That's great about helping to prevent the VCR from eating tapes but the problem I'm having currently is that my Sony VCR (1999-ish) is molesting my tapes. Twice now I've woken up to go to the bathroom and my VCR was touching my tapes inappropriately. How do you handle an issue like that? Do they sell a solvent or something?
Really nice of you to inform on this subject. One question though! The dielectric tune up grease, I've been finding info on it as I've never used it before, and it seems that it is an insulator and doesn't conduct? What are your thoughts on that, please. Thanks for your tips.
I've also wondered about the dielectric tune up grease being an insulator, but when I put some of it on my voltohmmeter probes and lightly touch them together I see full conduction. I've noticed it did had some insulating properties when I used it on some ribbon cables if the contact pressure on the connectors is to light, but never on mode switches. and it's often used in the automotive industry inside of light bulb sockets.
@@GrantsPassTVRepair High Grant. Erm, interesting. I did see it when applied to spark plugs but not on the contact end, just as the plug entered the socket as a sort of weatherproof issue. I haven't any so I can't measure it. Thanks for the prompt reply though. Singem. PS Isn't it possible when you put the probes together the metals were touching?
Probly the same Principal for an ADAT machine too I assume? I have 2 ADATs & one of them randomly eats tapes.
I have a Symphonic SC313B combo TV/VCR. It plays a tape fine. If I stop the tape the TV shuts off about 5-10 seconds later. If I turn it on it runs for another 5-10 seconds and shuts off. If I turn it on and play a tape it plays the tape fine. Any tips or tricks I can do to make the TV work without shutting down? I don't care about using the VCR. Thanks,
I'll give it a whirl! Thanks for your video 👍
I Live in the past and use my VCR daily. It has gotten to where those arms that pull the tape out around the drum won't go the full distance unless I help it along. I really don't know what I'm doing so pleases give me suggestions. Is it a slipping belt or do those arms require any type of lubricant? I appreciate you listening to this.
Zane.
It's been my experience that when a VCR has loading arms that fail to reach their resting point, it's likely to be from a broken gear tooth that's causing a misalignment problem.
I'm having an issue with my vcr. It's a cheap one but it's so hard to find them in general these days I'm hoping I can get it back on it's feet. How much would a repair like the mode switch generally cost if I sent it to you?
It depends on which model you have. Some of them are far more difficult than the one I show. Probably between 65.00 to 100.00
I have a Toshiba vcr/dvd combo model number D-KVR20. Can tell me how to do this on mine if you happen to know?
I'd like to ship me VCR to you for repair but I can't find any contact infomation?
I had a vcr/dvd combo once that ate tapes and the issue with it was the power supply. A capacitor and a bunch of resistors went bad and was causing the vcr side to not receive power to run correctly and then it quit working altogether and when I pulled it apart, some of the circuit board traces were burnt and I had to throw it out because I couldn't save it :(
Can a chewed up video tape be repaired to the way it was before it got chewed? What I mean is back to the way it was before a certain part got chewed?
Do you know how to fix the Sony slv-286EE?
I need help with repairing my VCR player. I've been trying to figure out what's wrong but I'm a little nervous with playing with it too much
May I ask a question? I have 2 brand new VHS dubbing decks. If I don't use them for a year maybe 2, just keep them in the box, will they go bad from non use? Thanks in advance for your help.
Yes they can still go bad in the box, but I can't say how it might take, and some models will fail sooner than others. Some VCRs have rubber belts and idler wheels that can go bad. There is also the possibly that a mode switch can oxidize.
thanks ! can you use plain old silicone grease instead of dielectric grease, spent a small fortune on this hobby of fixing vcr's.
I'm not sure about the difference between silicone grease and dielectric grease, but I've often wondered if oxgard could be a better choice.
@@GrantsPassTVRepair I've over in the UK so maybe it's branded differently. That fiberglass method of cleaning the mode switch is fantastic, it's now sparkling, cheers! I put some contact cleaner in too. Put the machine back together and forgot to put some grease in! but it appears to be working much better. I'll get some dielectric grease over the next couple of days and apply to the mode switch.The plastic underneath was very yellowed (which is worrying) but I've got out as much of the old grease out and applied a few smears of silicone grease.
I mean why not it's either I fix it by doing this or I throw it away like everyone's telling me to
I have a. G E. VG4011 4 head Vcr it R/w and F/f fine but when playing it will drag or stop. I cleaned it taking the top off and still doing same thing any ideas
Can you use paper towel instead if cleaning pen?
I don't think a paper towell will work well to remove the corrosion, My friend uses a small wire brush, but I always though a fiber pen was least likely to damage anything while still being able to remove the corrosion.
@@GrantsPassTVRepair Okay, but can you gently scrape off the corrosion with a flat screwdriver covered with a paper towel?
Wish me luck, I’m trying on a Mitsubishi cv-20126. Any tips are appreciated.
I got a goalddstar from the 90s I would gues. model m250 ghv-1705m amung 5 other VCRs I got for free from cl. I just replaced the belt yesterday and it no longer eats tapes but the belt has more tention then the original one and fast rew/ffw works fine but normal is weak and It kinda sounds like the tape begins to slack or spill a little bit and I lose signal. If I eject and reinsert the tape it resets the problem sometimes and I wont have a lost signal with that weird noise that kinda sounds like tape spill/tape-eating. The idler seems to have suficient tork even with the new belt.
Nice video Dave. Thanks for the tips. I have a bunch of different grease, including some conductive carbon grease. My fiberglass pen works great also.
+Robert Calk Jr. I think automotive tune up grease must be a safe one to use since it's used in the electronics and automotive industry, but I noticed it caused problems when I attempted to use it on LVDS cables in LCD TVs. I also had problems using tuner spray on LVDS cables. Probably because of the low voltage passing through the cables couldn't overcome the insulating properties of the grease.
I worked on car where someone had used wheel bearing grease on a 12 volt battery terminal and even at 12 volts it had conduction problems. I'd like to know of a grease or oil I could use on LVDS cables in TVs without there being any problems.
+Grants Pass TV Repair
I don't know about what to use on LVDS cables, but I might try my electronic cleaner and lubricant. I have some without lubricant also. I didn't think we were supposed to but anything on LVDS cables.
I use di-electric grease on my car battery.
+Robert Calk Jr. I figured since the LVDS cables have some connection issues now and then it was worth a try, but so far it's only made them worse.
+Grants Pass TV Repair
I'm just a hobbyist, but everyone I've heard just clean up the LVDS cables with an eraser, then clean it with alcohol.
+Robert Calk Jr. At this point I think using an eraser and alcohol is probably the best idea.
Hi Could You Help Us Out.. I've A Ferguson Videostar 3v31 And The Idler Needs Replacing Or A New Tyre,..
Would You Have Any Idea Where I Could Get One?
Regards
Darren
If you lived in Grants Pass I'd tell you to bring it in and see if I can match it,
My vcr plays fine but when I eject the cassette it pulls out the tape... I don't know what the problem is... Any suggestions?
Do you know of a way to clean and then gold-plate the mode switch so it never corrodes again?
I have a combo one
Any recommendations?
Hi there interesting video...is this similar reason in a mini DV cam as I have a chew tape issue in that but it's tiny so don't know where to start.
There are a variety of reasons a VCR or camera might chew up a tape, but other than what I put in my videos I would not know how to guide you.
my vcr only rewinds and fast forwards in play mode,what is happening ? can i fix it,hope so. i need to transfer my favorite videos to dvd,while i can
Do you know where I can get a VCR tape carriage and belt kit for my HR-D550U JVC??? Mine still works, but in case it ever fails. Thx.
Here is a video I made on the subject. If you look at the info section of this video I put a link to the company that sells belts, and how to measure them correctly. th-cam.com/video/ufuELzsMKUg/w-d-xo.html
Do you repair mailed in SVHS Vcr's? I live in Portland but don't know of any repair shops.
+Mark Alan Yes I do. My phone number is on my website at www.tvrepairinfo.com/ Call first and fill me in on the symptoms.
Ok I have a Magnavox VHS/DVD recorder Combo ZV45OMWS and it eats my tape soon as it hits the head wheel and automatically ejects ate tape. Any ideas on a fix I can try? I did clean head wheel like you showed in another video but the machine you were working on looks nothing like mine so I wanted to tell ya what I had. Hope you got some ideas I can try. I really don't want to buy another one :(
Did you try all the things I demonstrated in part 1 and part 2 of these videos?
It's an Emerson model EWV601.
I wish you would have shown the entire unit, not just close up....but. . .
I have a zenith vr 2100 VCR and it eats tapes. I will send it to you to have it repairs. Ive tried taking it apart and ruined the rubber feet.
I’m from Grants Pass! But I moved to Nebraska in 2006. I just bought a dvd vcr recorder, with built in sdtv tuner, and I find out when I eject the cassette, the magnetic tape gets a little snagged up inside the little door.
That's fairly common. Did you try cleaning the mode switch?
No But I’ll keep that in mind, thanks a lot !