VHS Tapes - Fixing video that keeps "rolling"??

[RobV]

Hi guys,

I'm in the process of restoring a bunch of old VHS video tapes (some 25 years old ). I'm going to capture them via Canopus ADVC100 to my PC then edit/author them so they can end up on DVD's.

I'm doing some previewing of the tapes prior to capture and I'm noticing on some of the tapes I'm getting a lot of problems with the video "rolling" vertically (up/down) on the screen. I remember that on some of the old VCR's I've had you can do "tracking" adjustments on them to try and improve this condition.

I would like to know.... is there a way I can correct this?

Is the only way to make this better is to buy a new VCR (high end VCR)? Right now I'm using a Magnavox HQ 4 head VCR which is a bit old, but hasn't been used very much at all over the years.

Thanks in advance!

[lordsmurf]

New VCR, yes.
Read the VCR Buying Guide (S-VHS, D-VHS, Professional)

[classfour]

LS - Why did the Panny AG-1980 play far better than the JVC HR-S7500U that I was using before?

It was very noticable at first play.

[RobV]

New VCR, yes.
Read the VCR Buying Guide (S-VHS, D-VHS, Professional)

Ugh...that's what I was afraid of.

Thank you!

[davexnet]

I always thought a rolling picture was more likely to be edge damage on the tape.

[creakndale]

Are you sure you can't do manual tracking on your current Magnavox VCR? Some old VCR's had a knob for tracking. Some of the following generation VCR's have you simultaneously push 2 panel buttons to take it out of auto track mode then you can use the panel buttons to manually track.

creakndale

[olyteddy]

Some of the following generation VCR's have you simultaneously push 2 panel buttons to take it out of auto track mode then you can use the panel buttons to manually track.

And many consumer VCRs allow you to adjust the tracking using the 'Channel UP/DOWN' buttons on the remote.

[lordsmurf]

LS - Why did the Panny AG-1980 play far better than the JVC HR-S7500U that I was using before?
It was very noticable at first play.

Don't mistake this as Panasonic being better than JVC. Each deck operates a bit differently for the transport and tracking; also heads are different, etc. I own several decks, for this reason. And then the condition of the JVC could be worn vs the Panasonic. Lots of variables.