Reclaiming content of damaged videotape

[nj2nh]

My video tape wouldn't fully eject; it was stuck and the only way to free it was to cut the tape. Is there any way to save any of the contents? After some more mismoves the loose tape was retracted inside the cartridge. How do I get it out so I could try to splice it together with scotch tape, or is that even a good idea?

[presto]

Take a sharp blade and cut the label that is on the edge of the tape right down the middle where the two parts of the cassette meet.

take a small phillips head screwdriver and remove the the five screws that hold the two halves of the tape togethor. Take the cassette apart and carefully connect the broken tape with clear tape. The tape goes on the inside of the join so that it will never come in contact with the tape heads in your vcr.

The tape has to be threaded correctly. Look inside another tape to see the correct tape path. You don't have to take the other tape apart just push the small square button on the side of the door and flip it open and look. Don't touch the tape.

There are a couple of brakes between the two reels that prevent the reels from turning at the wrong time. You will have to push down on the lever between them to turn the reels. Be careful and if any parts come out, put them back where they belong.

If your handy this is a cinch. Some would say you shouldn't attempt this because you might damage the tape more or damage your vcr. Use your own judgement. I'm only passing along what I've learned from doing this many times myself.

When you fix the tape, copy it and then mark the original as damaged and never put it in the vcr again.

Good Luck

[lordsmurf]

If it's valuable, pay a service that fixes VHS tapes.