a dirty vcr can cause a slightly fuzzy recordings??

[kenmasters83]

i had a problem with my captures err recordings on my new hr-3911u i noticed the picture quality was fuzzy around the edges regardless of what tape i was using but i thought nothing of it until i played it on a friends svsh deck and it showed the same problem..

i then thought either my vcr is crappin out or the head is slighlty dirty?? but i figured i would have terrible snow or tracking problems with a dirty head.right??

i then gave my vcr a good swabbing with some alcohol with some q-tips i cleaned them gently and to my surprise there was gunk all over it and it was not possible to see it with the naked eye until i started swabbing it..

i then let the alcohol dry after 5 mins and i then started another recording i let it do that for about 2 mins..

then played the tape and the picture was crisp and smooth and it looked nothing like it did before..

has this happened to anyone else's vcr?? i figured it would be something else as it didnt show the usual symptoms as a dirty unit..

also this gunk that came off the heads was brownish colored and looked like shavings or droppings of some sort..??

could this gunk be pest's or flakes from old tapes??

regardless the unit works damn good now like it should..

[redwudz]

Gunk from old tapes, yes. Probably a little smoke or grease from the air for glue. Probably what happens is the tape doesn't make good contact. Usually causes the snow or maybe tracking problems as you mentioned, though. Never noticed blur, but if it works better now, great.