Technical Question about VCR...

[sheath]

Yeah, silly, I know. And the answer is probably so simple, I'll kick myself when I figure it out.

I have an old Sanyo VCR, and a Sanyo television. I have my satellite dish running through the VCR so I can record, if that matters. All was working just fine this morning.

I put in a movie for the children, hit rewind, and when it finished, hit play. Suddenly...I get sound, perfectly, just like before, but no picture. Both the VCR and TV are on channel 4, as they should be. All connections are firmly plugged in. When I hit 'stop' on the VCR, the satellite feed comes through just fine, as usual. It's only with the VHS tapes that I have a problem seeing a picture.

Any ideas here? I've worked with this thing for the last hour. And nothing seems to work. At all. Like I said, I'm sure it's simple as can be, I just can't figure it out this time.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

S.

 

[warrior queen]

there's 2 different pickup whateveryacallems inside your vcr (or 4 or 6, depending on how many 'heads' your vcr has).
if the ones that pick up the picture part of the recorded movie are stuffed, then you'll get sound, but no pic.

you could try running a head cleaning tape through a few times (or just use a new blank tape on ff and rew a few times) - it might help.

other than that, i have no idea.

 

[midwestyankee]

It's a long shot, but could someone have gotten in behind the VCR and accidentally unplugged a cable or two? Then, if they did not reattach the cables properly, you'd easily have the kind of problem you describe.

Another possibility is tape tracking. If your VCR is old enough it will have a manual tracking adjustment. Sometimes these get out of whack and require some adjustment.

Yet another possibility is that the tape you're playing is misaligned on its reels. I recall having to whack a few tapes in order to shift the tape on the reels so it lines up better with the playback heads. To do this, whack the large flat side (either one) of the tape cartridge against the flat of your hand. Then try playing it again. If one whack improves the quality, you may want to try a second one exactly like the first (hitting the same side of the cartridge against your hand). If the playback quality gets worse after one whack, smack the other side twice and see what the results are. It's low tech, but it worked all the time on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

 

[Lust Engine]

See if there's a VCR/TV button on the VCR's remote. Try that- sometimes that gets flipped and might divert a signal.

 

[EJFan]

fixing a vcr in 1,000 easy steps

like the above post says, it could be a cleaning problem... the audio heads are clean but the video are not.

the other option, expanding on the cable idea, stems from the type of connection you have to your tv. if you're using coaxial cable and getting sound but no picture, then it's not a connection. i'd guess that since you're tuning the tv to a CHANNEL to view, then you must be using coaxial cable.

if you have to put your tv on a "video" or "aux" setting (sometimes channel 91 or something on some tv's) then it could be that your rca cables became unplugged. the rca cables carry audio and video separately and your video cable could have come undone.

just for the record: to view a tape, it matters not what channel the vcr is set to.

if all else fails, get a bigger brick.

 

[PatMan]

Sheath -

Can you repeat the fault with another recording?

Is there no sound at all or just a ton of crackle and buzz?

HIFI VCR's (usually said to be 6 head) use another set of offset heads on the drum for the stereo audio. They also use a set of conventional fixed audio heads and record the linear mono track at the same time so that the tape will stay compatable with non HIFI VCR's.

The HIFI heads are a little prone to clogging with oxide from well worn tapes and will result in poor / lost sound. Most HIFI VCR's have an "audio out" switch on the remote that lets you select which playback heads the sound comes from. It should toggle between L+R (HIFI stereo), L (HIFI L to both speakers) R (HIFI R to both speakers) and MONO (old mono linear track - non HIFI - to both speakers. Try toggling through these to see if you get sound. If it works on MONO but not the others then you could have crook or dirty HIFI heads.

Pat
www.patski.cjb.net

 

[sheath]

Thanks for all those responses.

I have worked with all the cables and tried to find a loose connection...so far, nothing. Everything is hooked up properly. I did do a tape cleaner, and afterward I had the same thing...a black screen but great sound.

Yes, it is a coax cable. And absolutely everything works fine. I can even record from the satellite on the VCR. But again, I only get the sound, not the picture.

So...I'm thinking, if I clean the VCR, will that help?

And I'm wondering what the best way is to clean it. A few weeks ago I had to do that with a CD player and it worked like a charm. When I open up the VCR to clean it, what should I look for first? What parts need cleaning more than others, given this particular problem?

Thanks for sharing your expertise. I really need it right now!

S.

 

[EJFan]

link for ya

here's a link to some general vcr repair issues... maybe you can find the details you need. good luck.

http://www.fixer.com/

 

[SkyyAngel]

I know the big metal circular shiny thingy can be cleaned with a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab/q-tip. But other than that I have no idea.

My dad used to fix VCR/TV and a bunch of other stuff. People wouldd fry their machines up all the time trying to fix them...I'd recommend you take it to a repair shop. If that's too expensive go to a pawn shop and ask if anyone there can fix it for a small fee.

I know it sounds weird but that's what my dad did...fixed all the pawn shop ones. Cheaply too since it was only a part-time/hobby thing.

 

[Weird Harold]

I have an old Sanyo VCR, and a Sanyo television. I have my satellite dish running through the VCR so I can record, if that matters. All was working just fine this morning.

I think "Old" is the key word in your problem. I think the video head circuits just died and it's time for a new VCR.

Video doesn't usually just die when the ehads get dirty, it gets snowy, and then staticy, and then garbled, and then it dies. Since the satellite feed works fine through the VCR, it can't be a cabling problem and sounds goes bad before video does if the tracking gets messed up.

Nine times out of ten when the video just dies without deteriorating first, it's a catastrophic failure and parts need to be replaced at the very least -- and for an "Old" VCR, parts are usually more expensive than a new VCR.

 

[janissary]

As suggested earlier, it might the vcr/tv button on your vcr remote control. I had a Sanyo a couple of years ago and it did pretty much the same thing. It about drove me crazy till I finally pushed that button.

 

[sheath]

Thanks for the replies.

I did try the VCR/TV button first. I even went through and set up the VCR again, just like it was a new one. No dice.

I called the local pawn shop and asked, and they can look it over 'in a few weeks'. I would rather just buy a new one than go that route.

I'm going to open it up tonight and try to clean it, see what happens...I hope to goodness it works. But I have had it for several years, so maybe it's time it went to the great electronics graveyard.

S.

 

[PatMan]

I'm sorry, I mis-read your original post and thought you said no sound, good picture (smacks self in head).

Re cleaning the "Bright Shiny Thing" - that is the head drum. If you do clean it you must be very careful. It is easy to break a head off and then it is all over. Commonly you use a small chamois with some isopropyl alcohol held gently against the drum - then spin the drum slowly with your fingers. You must never use a rubbing motion with the chamois.

Having said that unless you have a major failure like a broken head or crook head preamp or following circuit I would suggest something more like a poor connection or mis-tuned receiver in the TV. Try using a video lead from the video to the TV rather than an RF (aerial type) connection.

But you know what just popped to mind..... Maybe the program you recorded has been Macrovision protected. This causes blank video but good sound. Some of the pay TV networks here in Aus are starting to Macrovision protect their programs on the newer digital network. Not sure about the USA but it wouldn't surprise me.

Can you repeat the fault with another recording?

Pat
www.patski.cjb.net.

 

[sheath]

Can you repeat the fault with another recording?

Pat
www.patski.cjb.net.

Hey there.

In answer, yes. It happens with every video I use. I tried not only videotapes I had recorded myself, but also copies of "The Grinch" and "Harry Potter". There should be absolutely NO problem with those, but they do the same thing as the others. Great sound, no picture.

Thanks for all your help so far.

S.

 

[PatMan]

Ok - scratch the Macrovision idea....

And we will suppose that it is recording OK.

I think the next suggestion is to try another connection method. If the video connects to the TV with aerial coax (RF connection) then I sugest trying it with a straight video connection. the video will have a vellow coloured RCA called video out. Hopefully the TV will have a yellow video in. Use an RCA lead - any RCA lead to connect the two and set the TV to AV in. You can also connect the red and white audio outs to the audio in's. If it works then this suggests a problem in the tuner (or tuning) of the TV or RF modulator in the Video.

Good luck - Pat
www.patski.cjb.net

 

[Lust Engine]

Uh...dare I say it might be time to switch over to DVD's??

I know you've probably got one heck of a VHS collection but once you switch over...you'll never want to come back.

 

[sheath]

Uh...dare I say it might be time to switch over to DVD's??

I know you've probably got one heck of a VHS collection but once you switch over...you'll never want to come back.

I am going to look at the connections and try something different. We'll see how that works before I tear the thing apart.

DVDs are great, but I have several of my friends' performances on VHS. I tend to use the VCR more for songwriting/review purposes than anything else. Therefore, I really do need to keep it.

S.

 

[EJFan]

miscellaneous thoughts

hey sheath...

couple o' things bouncin' round in my head for you.

1. i sold vcr's and electronics for many years. did you know that the audio recording ability of video tape is of a higher fidelity than standard audio cassettes? this is true... excepting, of course, DAT's.

2. don't throw out the vcr if you have any porn on vhs.

whew. now i can sleep.

 

[Lust Engine]

I am going to look at the connections and try something different. We'll see how that works before I tear the thing apart.

DVDs are great, but I have several of my friends' performances on VHS. I tend to use the VCR more for songwriting/review purposes than anything else. Therefore, I really do need to keep it.

S.

Yeah...I know what you mean. I still have a VCR but only for watching what isn't on DVD yet...such as work related things. But for watching movie rentals (porn and otherwise), all I do is DVD now.

Could it be time to convert your VHS tapes to DVD format?

(I know... just ANOTHER expense!)

 

[GeorgeWBush]

It would be cheaper to just buy a new one then fix it.

You are more likely hate me for saying this go to wal-mart or anywhere that has vcrs and buy a cheap one they all have about the same stuff inside.

Good luck.

 

[sheath]

Thanks for all the advice!

I didn't get around to cleaning it last night, but it's on the agenda for tonight. And if it doesn't work, then I'm going to go with a new VCR. It's time, anyway.

If the cleaning works, I'll let you know.

S.

 

[JoseIsWild]

It sounds to me like your head is bad. I have one here in my office floor that is doing the exact same as yours. I cleaned the head, took the head off and cleaned the contacts between the head drum and the stationary part, tried playback from tapes at different speeds and nothing solved the problem.

I think this would be a good excuse to buy a DVD recorder!

 

[Lust Engine]

I think this would be a good excuse to buy a DVD recorder!

Ouch...more cash that poor Sheath has to dole out!

 

[sheath]

Ouch...more cash that poor Sheath has to dole out!

Ah, what the hell. I have to join the modern age sometime, right?

It never ceases to amaze me that I can run a state-of-the-art mix board in a recording studio with my eyes closed, but I can't fix a simple VCR or CD player.

Just more evidence that I'm weird, I guess.

S.

 

[sheath]

YES! I fixed it!

I decided, what the hell was I waiting for? I had resigned myself to spending a lot of money on a really good new one, so why not play with the old one? So I took it apart...completely apart. I drew a diagram as I went along so I would know how to put it back together. Then I cleaned every part of it. Put it back together...

Voila. It works better than it EVER has.

Then I got brave and did the same thing to do the TV. I figured, well, I saved that money on a VCR, why not? So I got out the small vacuum attachments and a diagram off the web and went to work.

It's like having a whole new system. The sound is awesome now, and it was good to begin with. You would be amazed at the dust I got from inside that TV. *cringe*

Thanks for the links. They all helped.

I feel like superwoman now. Wonder what else I can fix? LOL

S.