Help break my VCR

[NightFire]

I would like to mis-align my VCR. I have a tape that doesn't playback properly and I am fairly certain it was recorded mis-aligned. I have an old Toshiba VCR to play with so why not break it. I have read online VCR repair FAQs so I am somewhat familiar with the internal workings but haven't found any real information on alignment. A book (with lots of pictures would help) that somebody could recommend would be good too. Here is a pic of the inside.

[hech54]

I have a feeling that mis-alignment to a rookie like you and me would simply result in no picture at all showing up...or bad picture with absolutely no audio.

Was the tape in question recorded by you?

[NightFire]

It was but unfortunately I don't have the original VCR anymore. I tried monkeying around with different parts but it didn't help (actually made things worse). I haven't tried screwing up the idler tire yet so maybe I'll try that next.

[Zukeeper]

The first thing you'll need is a post alignment tool. It looks like a flat-bladed screwdriver with a notch in the blade.

Load a tape, hit play, and watch as the tape is laced around the spinning drum. The arms on either side of the drum (actually, the posts on the end of the arms) are what you want to adjust. Just eyeball it and see if the tape wraps around the drum evenly, that is, the distance between the top of the tape and the top of the drum is the same all the way around. Now you can start monkeying, er, adjusting the posts.

Generally speaking, the left post affects the top of the picture, the right post affects the bottom.

You can also adjust the audio/control head up and down if the vcr isn't picking up the control track (if it isn't, usually the tape runs at the wrong speed or the picture is out of sync).

You may want to practice a bit with a non-valuable but correctly recorded tape to see what adjustments have what effect.

The alignment tool should be available at most better electronic supply houses (not Radio Shack) or perhaps from your local vcr repair shop.

Kent

[lordsmurf]

Find a VCR repair shop, and go there, tell him (or her, but probably a him) what you want to do. They usually cooperate, willing to teach you, though they'll probably want some money for the lesson.

It's not something you can teach online.

[NightFire]

Well I've given up so here is what is wrong with the tape. When played back the image is very very distorted, in B&W, there is no sound and the counter doesn't activate. With the VCR pictured (A Toshiba old Mono VCR) if I moved the right post up all the way the colour returns but the sound is like the old Chipmunks records. Also the tape counter still doesn't do anything. I decided to be brave and try to fix it in the JVC S9600 but I didn't get as good results (got colour but no sound). I must say though that the JVC was a lot easier to work with as the inside is open and everything is easily accessible but you can't move the sound/track reader (the thing on the right with the cable going into it I think). I am going to get a VCR repair book and maintenance book because they are so cheap and see what else I can do. Anyway if anybody has any ideas I am all ears.

[lordsmurf]

I recently had a tape like this. It would only play in my 1981 VCR. Modern "digital" stuff in the newer VCRs (tracking, etc) was confused. The tape was from circa 1984.

[handyguy]

Yes, tracking is all you need to do. It aligns it properly so the picture shows up. Conversely, you can use it to make the picture scrambled.

Usually there is a tracking button your machine, if not, channel up & down buttons DURING playback should do it.

Otherwise alignment is changed by those two posts with white plastic with a screw driver indention on the top, lower third part of your picture.

[NightFire]

I recently had a tape like this. It would only play in my 1981 VCR. Modern "digital" stuff in the newer VCRs (tracking, etc) was confused. The tape was from circa 1984.

Hmmm...I wonder how hard it would be to get such an old decently working VCR from eBay? I tried tracking (first thing I tried) but it doesn't make any difference. Also since Sharps track better is there any Sharp VCR you would recommend? Oh well if I figure any thing out I'll post it so maybe somebody else will have an easier time.

[NightFire]

For people with shearing at the top of the video aligning the tape guide posts worked for me. I tried manual tracking with the S9600U with some luck but not perfect so I decided to go ahead and play with the posts. Since it was the top I moved the left post very slightly up (counter-clockwise) and it fixed it. Obviously doing this is at your own risk but it's not very complicated. I am also using a small flat head screw driver to fit into the posts grooves on top. I am going to try and find a proper screwdriver though as the flat head is a little clunky and cumbersome. Also there was an old Panasonic 1984 VCR on eBay for $15 so I bought it (cheap so why not). Hopefully I can get the other real problem tape to behave.