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  1. Hey guys,

    I picked up a VHS/DVD player only six months ago because I wanted something to play the old tapes on. I found out after the fact that it was a refurbished unit but I paid so little for the system, I figured if it works, I'll keep it. So it has worked for about six months. Now the SLP speed on the VHS has gone nuts. I get a glaring white light like somebody shining a flashlight at you from inside the TV. The SP speed records and plays fine. I cleaned the heads and cap stand. Still nothing. One odd thing I noticed, when I pause while playing the a tape at SP mode, no longer do I get a perfect freeze frame. I get sort of this flashing white flicker. Ironically, while playing a tape on the SLP mode, the one that has gone bonkers, if I freeze frame, the picture is beautiful.

    So do you guys think this is dirty heads or something mechanical or what? Thanks in advance.
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  2. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    How did you clean the heads? There is a chance it has been damaged. Ferrite heads are fragile.

    It could also me misaligned.
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  3. Member wulf109's Avatar
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    Some VCR's use different heads for special effects and playback. My guess would be you damaged one or more heads in cleaning. Video heads should only cleaned in the direction of rotation,never with an up/down motion.
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  4. No. I cleaned the heads correctly. Not damaged heads. But I guess my point is I have never come across a situation where one speed works and the other not. Dirty heads would affect both speeds correct?
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  5. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    Theoretically, yes, it would affect both. But I've seen weird stuff with VCRs.

    It sounds like an alignment issue.
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  6. This is wacky. After taping a couple movies at the SP speed, I put in a movie recorded at the SLP speed and surprisingly the image looks stable but there is a little snow. It's almost like this is clearing up on its own. There are a few jagged lines on the top of the screen but nothing like it was before with a loud white flicker.

    I was leaning toward lordsmurf's idea of an alignment issue but now I am not so sure. I will just wait this out.

    They sure don't make these things like they used to. I still have a Magnavox VCR from 1993 that I've brought back from the dead nine times.
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  7. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    I would go back to damaged heads from cleaning.
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