I have a Lanier P-127, it has just started to "eat" the tapes. I can listen, but if I eject the tape is caught up inside. Any suggestions?

Lots of parts can damage the tape. For example if the tape is not pulled back inside when it ejects. Another good cause is the pinch roller being damaged or out of place.
The best way to find out is put an old tape in the machine (or at least one that you don't mind be chewed up, whilst the top cover is off and you can watch the tape playing. You should be able to see the problem then and take action to correct it.

This unit most likely has a broken rewind/fast forward rubber belt. This is a very common problem and is easily fixed if you can acquire a new belt. Any place that services Lanier equipment should be able to easily fix this problem.

The tape is caught in the pulley system. It happens on the older players at work. You can eject the tape manually to get it out but you will have to break it to do that. Best to replace it with a new one. If it is under warrenty, get it replaced.

Will need qualified service.

Your VCR is "eating" tapes, this is a common problem. First, wind the tape up by sticking a penny or other rounded object into the white "gears" on the back of the tape (with the tape hatch open by holding down the small button on the left side of the tape) and turn either clockwise or counterclockwise. Then check inside the VCR for moisture and remove any and all moisture with a clean rag. Moisture can cause the tape to stick to the VCR's internal components.

Best of luck to you.

There is a sensor that detects tape movement. Unfortunately they do go bad and will probably need to be replaced.

When a VCR eats a tape, it can be cause by a couple things.

1. There is a rubber wheel called a "pincher wheel" that compresses the tape against the "capstan". The capstan is a shiny metal spindle connected to a motor. The pincher wheel can become worn and/or dirty (slick) from the oxide coating off of the tape. You can try cleaning the pincher wheel and capstan with alcohol or try using a re-grip solution on the pincher wheel. Last thing to do is replace the pincher wheel. Look to see that the pincher wheel is doing its job by pulling the tape through. The pincher wheel & capstan are not used during a fast forward or fast rewind, so if your tape is getting caught during the FF or RW and not Play, it's probably not related to capstan & pincher wheel.

2. There is a small tire wheel called an idler tire. This tire pivots between the sending and pickup reels of the player. Its also used during fast forward & rewind as well as play. If the tire is worn, the tape won't be wound up as fast on the take-up reel as the sending reel during play. This means more tape is coming out of the cassette than can be wound up on the takeup reel. You can try using a re-grip solution on the idler tire or replace it.

3. There's also a brake pad that is designed to grab and stop the tape wheels from spinning when you hit stop. If those pads are worn, the wheels will not stop fast enough and the tape will continue to feed (spool) out of the cassette and not be taken up by the other wheel.

So when when you hit eject, the excess tape that should have been wound up tight in the cassette before the eject sequence, is getting caught inside the player.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

Good luck!
- Jim

The tape can't eject.

Take the top cover off, and see if there is an obvious reason for the no-eject, as in tape spooled out and wrapped around something. Next, is the tape drawn back into the tape housing? Under normal operation this is done before eject. A defect in the tape itself, or in the VCR mechanicals can cause a no "pull in" condition. Otherwise, you could carefully try to assist an eject- push eject, lift lightly on the tape. Sometimes the entire carriage mechanism can be removed with tape in place, but often, screws holding this in place are obscured by the tape, and, if carriage is gear driven, proper gear alignment must be reestablished. This can be a tricky problem, getting tape out without damaging anything, especially since late VCRs are made rather fragile to start with.

When a VCR eats a tape, it can be cause by a couple things.

1. There is a rubber wheel called a "pincher wheel" that compresses the tape against the "capstan". The capstan is a shiny metal spindle connected to a motor. The pincher wheel can become worn and/or dirty (slick) from the oxide coating off of the tape. You can try cleaning the pincher wheel and capstan with alcohol or try using a re-grip solution on the pincher wheel. Last thing to do is replace the pincher wheel. Look to see that the pincher wheel is doing its job by pulling the tape through. The pincher wheel & capstan are not used during a fast forward or fast rewind, so if your tape is getting caught during the FF or RW and not Play, it's probably not related to capstan & pincher wheel.

2. There is a small tire wheel called an idler tire. This tire pivots between the sending and pickup reels of the player. Its also used during fast forward & rewind as well as play. If the tire is worn, the tape won't be wound up as fast on the take-up reel as the sending reel during play. This means more tape is coming out of the cassette than can be wound up on the takeup reel. You can try using a re-grip solution on the idler tire or replace it.
3. You didn't say if the unit played ok. There's also a brake pad that is designed to grab and stop the tape wheels from spinning when you hit stop. If those pads are worn, the wheels will not stop fast enough and the tape will continue to feed (spool) out of the cassette and not be taken up by the other wheel.

So when when you hit eject, the excess tape that should have been wound up tight in the cassette before the eject sequence, is getting caught inside the player.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

Good luck!
- Jim