New VCRs Have Trouble with Older Tapes

[homeboy]

I have a lot of old VHS tapes. As I have upgraded to newer VCRs over the years, I have almost always been able to play my library of tapes, albeit sometimes with the horizontal snow that indicates the tracking if off. (Some won't play now even on the old machines.) However the latest two machines (both Sony) don't seem to want to play many of the tapes that the older machines (also Sony) do still play. I just get a blue screen.

1. If I was rich, is there a way for an outside company with multi-million dollar equipment to correct the tracking problem and copy these tapes to DVD?

2. Is there a way for me to do the same thing using consumer or prosumer equipment?

3. If the tracking can't be corrected, what's the best consumer or prosumer machine that can simply play older tapes (even with the image degraded because of the tracking lines)?

[redwudz]

Maybe just me, but I would convert all those tapes to DVD format while you are still able to locate VHS players that will play them back. A set top DVD recorder would be the easy way.

What I've done with old tapes is to use a cheap VCR, pull the cover off and adjust the tracking manually, one adjustment for each series of tapes from a particular machine.

Yes, there are restoration companies out there that 'may' be able to get around the problems if tracking is the only one.

I'll let someone else suggest the best deck.

And welcome to our forums.

[lordsmurf]

Consumer VHS machines don't really track well anyway.

[SmokieStover]

I have never owned anything but consumer VCR's. The ones I have owned which have been best at tracking older tapes have all been made by Sharp. Sharp H993 and H994 will even track SLP recordings from a junk Symphonic and the most non-standard VCR I ever owned...a Panasonic bought in 2006. That Panasonic plays nothing well except tapes it recorded, be they SP or SLP.

I have an older Sharp out on loan to my sister (do not recall the model number, but it's a heavy midmotor drive) with manual only tracking that is even better in PQ. All do a good job with audio, but sometimes it is necessary to switch to Mono for output.

I also have an old Sanyo Mono and old Sharp Mono VCR with manual tracking that will play almost any thing I throw at them. And most suprising of all is a new cheaper than cheap Sanyo Hi-Fi VCR with nothing but auto tracking which plays every old SLP tape I have....it's out on loan too!

[bendixG15]

From your initial post, sounds like you haven't tried any corrections.

When I get tracking problems on my 2 year old consumer JVC, i can sometimes fix it with the manual tracking function. If that doesn't work, I can turn on the Video Stabilizer function and that does it.

So far I have been able to correct all the tapes (over 200), typically 20-25 years old and a mix of home and commercial stuff.

So maybe you can find the manual and it may offer relief.

[orsetto]

Most of your machines over time appear to have been Sonys. Sony, like many other makes, had up and down years with their VCR models. Some of them do not age well, which could be contributing to your issues. If you have not already done so, you should use a wet headcleaning tape cartridge on the VCRs that you say DID play well but recently got snowy and mistracky. Often, dirty heads will give mistracking symptoms. As was also suggested earlier, try every possible manual override on the decks to adjust tracking. On some machines there is no obvious way to adjust tracking manually but the option is always there: look in your manual. If you lost the manual, look for the answer online. Sometimes manual tracking involves some crazy combination of buttons like "channel up button + menu button", and may be limited to either the remote or the front panel.

"Problem" tapes are usually best played with a mid-range or inexpensive consumer VCR, the very pricey ones tend to be less tolerant of off-spec tapes. Those who suggested Sharp VCRs know what they're talking about: Sharps can track almost anything. Also you might look around for a late-1990s Quasar or Panasonic, the ones with the compact cabinet: these had quite a wide tracking range and are good-quality machines. Also, if you can find or borrow a "third-tier" VCR like Goldstar or Emerson, thats worth a shot. Look on Craigs List or eBay for sellers in your neighborhood who are offering this kind of VCR, they generally sell for under $20 and are a good investment to keep on hand until you've tranferred all your VHS to digital.

Whatever you do, try and be quick about it. Make it a priority to transfer the worst tapes first: Murphy's Law will make these deteriorate faster than you might imagine. Capture them to DVD now while you still can.

[homeboy]

Although I'm not replying to each comment, resassured that I'm reading them and appreciate the help. I especially like it when several people concur.

I was apparently looking in completely the wrong direction. I had thought some fancy machine with lots of bells, gongs, horns and whistles was the answer figuring there would be adjustments for this sort of thing. But it looks as if I need to re-buy my old Sharp. Yes, most of my machines have been Sony, but there has been a Sharp and a JVC sprinkled in.

[orsetto]

The fancy machines do have their place, most of us use at least one to transfer most of our tapes. But they often over-react to poor-tracking tapes made on older off-spec vcrs: the "bells & whistles" additional video processing (TBC and DNR and Stabilizer circuits) can exaggerate and complicate the problems seen on mistracking tapes. Simple older decks like your Sharp will often track these tapes better, due to different mechanics and being more contemporary with your older tapes. The simple vcr can't smooth and refine the image as nicely as the high-end vcr, but will at least let you pull a viewable signal. "Rough-looking but tracked correctly" is better than "enhanced garbage", sometimes we have to compromise. Its always a good idea to keep a "cheap but solid" vcr on hand as backup for a fancy vcr: they make a good team.

[Video Head]

Most tapes play back best in the machine they were recorded in. I know people who have bought old, non-functioning machines at flea markets that were the same model they recorded on and rebuilt them to play back old tapes. Upgrades are not always so.

[Marvingj]

Sharp Vcr is known to have good tracking ability but if you get a video stabilizer it should correct your problem.

[victoriabears]

I have 7 vcr's and recently had a problem tape, it played best on my oldest / most used machine.

I think the observation that vhs tapes play bacj best on the original machine is a good one.

[homeboy]

I had been somewhat embarrassed to have seven VCRs, but I guess I can come out of the closet. In my bedroom, I have one Sony DVD/VHS/RW combo (RDR-VX500), one Sony Beta VCR (SL-HF300), and three Sony VHS VCR S(VO-2000). In two other rooms, I have Daewoo DVD/VHS combo units (DV-6T955B) which I think cost about $29.95 each. I rarely deal with the Daewoos, but I'll try them.

[SmokieStover]

Thru ebay you can find just about any particular VCR you want if you just take the time to do it.

Generally, none of the consumer VCR's made in the last 5 years play tapes recorded on other brands of VCR's (old or new) very well, if at all. I took the time to check on the Panasonic I bought in 2006 (PV-V4525S), which is the poorest VCR I ever owned. I Found a NIB going for over $100: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200209222426&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010

At least 2 suckers that want one. If I didn't have a battery of Sharps that played EP tapes from that Panasonic better that it does, I would have returned it in a heartbeat. It is now used only to play rental tapes (yes I can still rent tapes) and to time and place shift recorded TV.

My newest Sharp is a VC-H986. You can find them in like new condition for less than $40.00

[SmokieStover]

Stranger than fiction. Panasonic PV-V4525S now $116.27 plus shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200209222426&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010

[KeepItSimple]

It looks like shill (FAKE) bidding went on with that auction. Any time the price is driven up with multiple bids by someone with 0 or near 0 feedback I suspect that, and they are never the winning bidder so there you have it.

[orsetto]

Ugh. Just in case anyone gave this overpriced "new" vcr even a passing thought- DON'T. The Panasonic PV-V4525S is a total dog, made from leftover JVC junk parts and palmed off as a Panasonic. It's a gross mass-market cinderblock: not a good JVC, and not a good Panasonic either- the worst of both worlds.

For $100 you could buy 3 or 4 excellent-quality used Quasar, Panasonic and Sharp decks that would blow this "sealed-box" loser into the weeds.