Really Strange Panasonic DMR-E85H Problem

[dafoe]

I've been dubbing over some 15-20 year old games from VHS to DVD. All of a sudden one tape will not record. More accurately, portions of it will not record. I just get a message saying "No record"

WTF?!! This is not a commercial tape. If anybody has any clue as to what is going on here, I would appreciate some help.

Thanks.

[guns1inger]

It sounds like the tracking is off enough for the signal to be lost. If you just play the tape back, does the screen go blue at any point ?

[dafoe]

The tape is a little sketchy but never drops out. It is actually pretty decent quality for it's age.

I get an onscreen message stating that "Recording of this material is not allowed." Again, it is not copy protected.

Unlike my first two recorders, I bought this used. I'm starting to think there is something wrong with it. I've had it for aprx 2 years and occasionally I will come home and find that a program that I know I set to record wasn't recorded. I've come home a couple of times and caught it in the act. It acts like it's recording (REC light on, can't change channels, etc.) but there is nothing on the HD.

It doesn't happen often enough for me to really worry about it. But I'm starting to think maybe it's time to replace it.

I still haven't decided wether I'm going to buy some equipment to deal with the bad tapes or have them professionally restored. Either way, I want all my VHS stuff gone. The sooner the better. I am tired of looking at the damn things.

Anyway, thanks for the reply

[handyguy]

How often do you clean your heads & laser?

[victoriabears]

go to the menu and use the reset option and as suggestion use a head and laser cleaer, or un plugging the unit over night and re starting.

[dafoe]

I have a cheap dry clean tape that I use to clean my VCR heads. I have no idea how to clean them otherwise.

As for the laser, I have never cleaned it. But the timer recordings I had were all being recorded to the hard drive. I can't even remember the last time I recorded directly to DVD. I record to the HD, cut and then dub to DVD.

I am going to try one of my older recorders when I get around to hooking it up.

I have no idea what you mean by resetting the recorder. I will poke around in the menu tonight and see if I can find anything.