[New user] Memorex VCR playing slowly.

[Mr.Vhs]

Hello, I got a Memorex VCR which is playing very slowly. Fast forward and rewinding seem to work pretty fast.
Some context. Right now the VCR doesn't eject tape and i manually need to insert and lower the tape/remove I'm fine with that but that's not my issue here right now.
So i currently have a DVD player which i'm using to transfer from DVD to vhs to make cool effects. Due to the player playing back slowly the video is a garbled mess. I checked the underside of the player checking the gears,etc so far everything looks good. Also note that i need to add some weight to the VHS when fast fowarding and rewinding as it it doesn't make good contact and works slowly, however that doesn't seem to improove normal playback speed. Thanks!!

[davexnet]

Do you have any VCR service experience? (based on your user name).
If not, show it to somebody who knows what they're doing and/or perhaps you'll get lucky in finding a similar
problem on Youtube (12voltvids channel for example)

[Mr.Vhs]

Yeah i don't know that much. But hopefully someone here actually would know more about this ...?

[Mr.Vhs]

Also heres a recording i did of me playing back https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/728651751988658288/1079190704665927740/2023-02-...5_19-53-22.mp4

[davexnet]

Check to see if the bottom edge of the tape is damaged (creased or wrinkled). Also the stationary head near the rubber
pinch roller. Clean that head, particularly the bottom with a q-tip and video head cleaner/Isopropyl alcohol

See this image, it actually has the audio/control heads reversed, the control track is the bottom one
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VHS-diagonal-helical-recording.jpg

[Mr.Vhs]

Right now i have no alchohol handy, No the tape isn't crinkled, and i totally understand by what you mean of the control track, if it's crinkcled it will loose track..
And yeah the roller doesn't seem that sticky at all to my sense.

[themaster1]

watch these videos they might help you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0F20A2GoEk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E35t3GlivIU