Question about VHS - Not sure where else to post?

[graffias79]

Hey, just wondering if anyone might have an idea of what would cause an early 90s RCA VHS VCR to work properly almost all of the time, except when you press eject. The machine always like to snag the tape when it comes out. I use it connected to an old Commodore monitor here in my room to watch some tapes that I have, and I learned to always rewind to the beginning so as not to damage any content on the tapes.

Just wondering if there is something that I could do to fix it?

Thanks

[Web Police]

There are arms with rollers that pull the tape out of the cartridge and wind it around the drum with the heads in it. Sometimes these arms dont fully retract and let go of the tape. This can usually be fixed by cleaning and re applying lube on the sliding mechanisms for the arms.

Depending upon your mechanical and electrical abilities you can sometimes repair this yourself.

[MacGyver]

that would likely be the tension arm. an infamous issue with SONYs 1990 TOTL SLV-R5UC S-VHS, actually. the lube would dry out causing the arm to be very tight, on some examples almost stuck in place. generally, you can use a needle nose precision pliers to pull off the C-ring holding it to the shaft. then you can remove it and clean out the shaft hole with alcahol. then you re-lube with a white lithium grease, silicone spray lube, or light household oil. put it back on the shaft, being sure to properly place the spring, then it should move and recoil back into place freely. i believe this is the number one common fualt behind tape-eating VCRs...

[MacGyver]

my recommendation; lose the RCA and get yourself a good MITSUBISHI. generally agreed to be the best VCR make in existence, they made many superb models. some of the very best among them being the 1988 models HS-U70 and HS-U80. the 1987 HS-413UR is also a solid performer, the following year's near TOTL U70 actually being based upon it's design. i own both the HS-U70 and the 413UR. take it from one with experience; if you happen across any one of these models at a thrift, then you just struck gold. by all means snap it up immedately!!


HS-U70 (1988) (two versions were made, a GUNMETAL face, and a COPPER one)


(COPPER FACE)

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/HS-U70409.jpg

(GUNMETAL FACE)

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll310/shaorin-chan/HS-U701.jpg



more info here...

http://www.tapeheads.net/showthread.php?t=485

[TheReeler]

If I were you, I'd record all the tapes you want to keep to DVD and throw them away.

In my experience, VHS tapes old too soon...