Tracking issues?

[the98]

Hello everyone.

I'm trying to capture a VHS tape, recorded in SP mode. The tape has an hour of a TV program recorded that looks perfect. Then, another show (from another time period, not continuos to the previous show recorded) begins, and that's when you get a picture that looks as if the VCR had clogged heads. So, I cleaned the heads, and nothing happened. Then I proceeded to adjust the guide posts to see if it was a tracking issue, but I couldn't make any progress, it looked worse.

My next step was to try this tape on every VCR I own, but none of them was able to play it correctly.

Image 1 is the picture I get when playing.


[Attachment 89671 - Click to enlarge]


What has me scratching my head, and makes me angry, is that, when FF the tape, I get color and a clear picture, as you can see in image 2.



[Attachment 89672 - Click to enlarge]


If I press play when FF, I get a few frames of an almost perfect picture (Image 3), and then it looks just like image 1.


[Attachment 89673 - Click to enlarge]


Why do you think I get this issue? The tape is fine, it has no wrinkles, and it's not dirty. There is like an hour an a half recorded that looks like this, no matter on what portion of the tape you start playing.

Do you think there is any way I can recover this recording?


Thanks for your time.

Regards.

[rgr]

Dirty head while writing?

[davexnet]

Perhaps try cleaning the control track head; if it's dirty it
may have trouble locking on

[dellsam34]

From a snapshot it's hard to tell if those are tracking issues, tape drop out, tape damage ...etc. Post a minute or so clip showing the entire screen even with the phone camera.

[the98]

Dirty head while writing?

I thought about that as a possibility. However, why does the picture look fine when FF?

Perhaps try cleaning the control track head; if it's dirty it
may have trouble locking on

Maybe, but I have tried this tape on 6 different VCRs.

From a snapshot it's hard to tell if those are tracking issues, tape drop out, tape damage ...etc. Post a minute or so clip showing the entire screen even with the phone camera.

Right now I can share with you the video that I took the screenshots from. When I'm home, I'll post a capture. I don't think the tape is damaged, it looks perfect (physically). And the previous show recorded on it looked great.

[davexnet]

Have you tried FF and RW start to end a couple of times?
Sometimes repacking the tape will even out any tension issues and help
in situations like this