VCR playback problem

[JB1964]

My old VCR still plays fine, but now when I record and playback the tape jumps and skips, making it impossible to view. The tapes are relatively new, so I doubt that's an issue. Any idea what's wrong and if it's an easy fix? Thanks.

[sanlyn]

Could be anything from worn capstan to worn belts, and on and on. No, it's not easy to fix. Many shops won't even look at VCRs these days, or they smugly hand you some crap about just buying a new one.

[JB1964]

I was afraid of that. Oh, well. At least I can still view old recordings. Thanks anyway.

[jman98]

If you live in a large city you might be able to find a repair shop, but honestly it would very likely be cheaper to just buy a new VCR from Amazon (yes, they do have them). It wouldn't be cheaper but it would be better for you to give up the VCR and go with a DVR type device or get a DVD recorder. VCRs are really ancient now. Even my elderly (in his late 70s) father is capable of using a DVD recorder.

[JB1964]

I agree...and one day we'll step into this century and buy a DVD recorder.