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A tape is stuck in the VCR. The tape box is outside with the tape itself running into the player and wrapped around what appears to be the play head, which remains in its retracted (play?) position. Prior to the tape ejecting improperly, the VCR was producing only a jumpy picture with many lines. The audio was fine, but the picture was jumpy or even sometime completely blank (blue screen).
Thank you. - Pulling on the tape does not cause it to move at all. It is firmly stuck in the player. Cutting it would not appear to help. The tape would still be stuck. This is not an important tape, so I do not mind cutting it. It is just that cutting it would not do anything.Thank you. - Pulling on the tape does not cause it to move at all. It is firmly stuck in the player. Cutting it would not appear to help. The tape would still be stuck. This is not an important tape, so I do not mind cutting it. It is just that cutting it would not do anything.
Can you give me any pointers on taking it apart myself. The "local" shop is 45 minutes away, and not open on any hours I can get there.Can you give me any pointers on taking it apart myself. The "local" shop is 45 minutes away, and not open on any hours I can get there.
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Could be that you're looking at a blown cartridge for that vcr tape. You may need to cut the tape, to extract that from the unit.
The play head would usually retract when the cartridge is removed, BUT could be compromised by some tape getting into the play head mechanism, and jamming.
be particularly careful with anything pointy or sharp, as the tape head does NOT like those objects near the read surface.
yes..figured as much. guess you either take it apart yourself(not too hard to remove outside case) and see that's up in side, with tweezers, or take it over to the local shop. Which do you prefer?yes..figured as much. guess you either take it apart yourself(not too hard to remove outside case) and see that's up in side, with tweezers, or take it over to the local shop. Which do you prefer?
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Not easy.
If it is a front loader and it is trying to eject the action can be helped with a thin knife or screwdriver and once lifted eased out of the carriage and through the slot with any instrument that will grip the cassette.
This leaves the tape unwound and wrapped around the guides. The tape can be cut with scissors and spliced after being carefully pulled out.
If that method doesn't work you will need to remove the top cover...
Some one needs to open it to see if the tape is loaded but wrapped around a post or tangled up.
What usually causes this is the mechanism that moves the tape has a problem---bad or broken belt or rubber drive wheel that moves tape is bad.
Its called eating tapes.
With it apart you may be able to extract the tape and then insert with it apart to see if reels etc are or are not moving in RR and FF first and then in play to see what is not moving.
Unplug the vcr for 30 seconds, sometimes the tape will eject, failing that ! remove the top cover of the vcr "2 to 6" screws. Now! if the tape is spewed in the mechanical parts and wrapped around the video ahead, get a pair of scissors and carefully cut away the tape and remove any particles, next hit the eject this should remove the cassette without difficulty. If all this fails the problem lies in the vcr itself, a bad idler assembly, broken drive belt, or loading basket problem which will require a technician.
The mechanical part of the vcr has malfunctioned, or the vcr tape has wrapped itself around the video head and pinch roller. dis-assembly will be required to try and remedy the situation. may not be cost effective for repair.
if the video is stuck inside the VSR then you will need to remove the cover. Withe the power OFF! uncrew the cover adn remove it slowly, noting were all the screws came from.
Once the cover is removed yo will see the tape in the mechanism/caddy.
You will need to manually push the cassette out and possibly remove the tape which may have wrapped itself around the spindles or rollers. There is no guarantee that you will be able to save the tape, but you should be able to reuse the VCR.
After you have removed the tape you should clean the rollers and spindles with Isopropal Alcohol (methylated spirits will do) and cotton buds to remove the dirt and dust and let it dry.
Test the unit before replacing the cover to ensure it is working. DON'T use the original stuck tape, but rather try another newer tape. Ensure that all is working ok before replacing the cover.
With care, it is possible to retrieve the tape.
VCR housings are held on only with a half-dozen screws and once those are removed, you will be able to see the transport.
If the tape itself was defective (it only takes a stretch of tape with finger oils on it) then you will see it wrapped around several things with the worst of it around the drum itself.
The transport, if its control electronics has died, can be operated by hand once you have the tape free and laying loose so that you can manually eject the tape.
If you have made it that far, you will have a cassette with a long loop of tape dangling out.
On the bottom of the cassette is a hole a little larger than a pencil in diameter and you have to use something like a pencil stuck in the hole to release the brake.
Once released, you can turn the takeup reel from underneath and wind the tape back into the cassette.
Unless the VCR is totally dead, I would take another cassette, one that isn't important to you, and see if that one will load while you watch the mechanism.
If it loads and can be ejected afterward, then the first cassette was at fault in the jam.
DON'T touch the surface of the video head unless you clean it throughly with a soft cloth and some window cleaner afterward.
there is an acrylic post inside that directs a light beam to several different places so when the light beam is broken then it tells other parts that the tape is loaded this could be broken off or if the tape broke off inside a piece could be wrapped around a capstan or drive post causing the machine to think it is at the end of the tape and to turn itself off.
The tape mechanism is not loading and/or driving the VCR tape properly. Most people don't realize that the tape is physically pulled out of the VCR cassette and wrapped around the video heads in a semi-circle configuration. Your VCR guides are pulling the tape out but not retracting it into the cassette shell when you press eject. Causes: mode switch, mechanical failure, video head speed/drive problems. All these problems are somewhat complex for a novice repair person and don't forget that new VCR's are selling for $30 at the big box stores....Glen.
take the case off and see if the tape is stuck around anything. if not, remove the tape deck very carefully (make sure it is unplugged first). you should be able to remove the tape fairly easy. the tape may be wrapped around something inside of the deck there, or the loading gears could be out of synch. and if it happens again you might consider getting a new vcr because to replace a new loading deck is cost prohibitive because vcr's are so cheap now.
Thank you. - Pulling on the tape does not cause it to move at all. It is firmly stuck in the player. Cutting it would not appear to help. The tape would still be stuck. This is not an important tape, so I do not mind cutting it. It is just that cutting it would not do anything.
Can you give me any pointers on taking it apart myself. The "local" shop is 45 minutes away, and not open on any hours I can get there.
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