VCR plays 15 seconds, TV shuts off. Same without tape inserted

This is a problem of the mechanism vcr. loock into the vcr because may be the kids put some objet inside vcr. To check also all the vcr belts.

Hello,
The problem is not with your TV. I have had this problem as well and the older the VCR gets the harder it is for it to turn the tape. Does your VCR react the same way with other tapes? Try Fastforwarding the tape about halfway and then test it again.

You have to change the two VCR rubber bands
Jc
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on vcr's if the tape is hard to turn the tape will sense this and reject the tape. Try to get a tape that you can feel turn free eaiser. I would rewind it to the middle of the tape so each side is equal and it would make the tape run easier. If it runs ok then the unit is bad and is too sensitve to the pull on the tape. This is all designed in the electronics and there is not much you can do about it then get return it if you can.

1. Set tv to channel 4
2. insert a pre-recorded tape into vcr.
3.press play once to start playback.
4. after a few seconds press play on the vcr for 3 sec you will see a playback picture.
when a picture doesn't appear on the tv screen repeat step 4.
5. press stop to stop playback.

the tape carriage is probably stuck, or something stuck inside blocking the tape sensor.
feed a tape in and see if it does it "with" the tape too

hope this helps

(FROM MANUAL)
RF Output Channel
1-Set TV to Channel 4
2-Insert a prerecoeded tape into the unit
3-Press Source until VCR light is lit
~ if noise is seen on TV screen, press (VCR/TV) on remote
4-Press play> once
5- After a few seconds, press and hold {Play>} on the unit for 3 seconds
~ The RF output channel will change to channel 4 from 3 and you will see a playback picture
~ When a picture does not appear on the TV screen, repeat step 4
6- Press (STOP) to stop plasyback

VCR is set with blank tape..Bring up vcr control on TV with television set on Chanel #3, go to menu
Follows procedure for progamming date,time start,time finish,chanel and.speed and single recording.finally click on menu and turn vcr off. Vcr lights indicate set for taping,,.Does no start to tape at requested time and lights indication taping ready stays on ??????

What you're describing is common when the center LED has failed / gone out. If you're really good at taking a unit like this apart and putting it back together - and not too bad with a solder stick you could attempt this one yourself... It is a pretty intensive repair but not difficult for a good shop just time consuming. The part isn't too expensive either, just an infared LED... In fact, we've run a bit short on stock once in awhile and bought one of the off the shelf versions from Radio Shack which worked just fine. Good Luck Bill

Sounds like the idler assembly isnt working. Without this assembly, the system cannot get the tape to actually move, and most systems will shut down if the tape isnt moving to prevent damage to the tape. In truth, this can be a complicatred repair, requiring the machine to be taken apart quite a bit. I would suggest taking this kind of a problem to a repair shop, but with the cost of simple VCR's coming down constantly, and the upcoming switch to DTV making the machines tuner obsolete, it would probably be more economical to just replace the machine.