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

[dellsam34]

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

That doesn't mean anything, If fast forwarding or rewinding gives a better picture it just means the heads are spinning at angle closer to the angle of the recorded video tracks, Still from the limited info available, the unknown condition of the VCR and the history of the tape it is very hard to come up with a diagnosis, I can give you a dozens of possible causes but that will just adds to the confusion, At this point it's better to see a qualified technician to repair it or get another working VCR.