Vcr doesn't show any video or audio when playing a tape

[Deep443]

My Sony slv 770hf VCR gives me a gray screen when playing a tape. If I just put the tape in it gives me some snow then disappears for a second then comes back with grey then blacks out and comes back to gray and stays their. The counter doesn't appear to move unless I fast forward. I cleaned the head with 99 alcohol and printer paper. The tape gives me mostly snow with a little image if I go frame with the counter moving up and repeatedly losing signal. The tape is a good one. Rewinding seems to cause the machine to shut down.

[themaster1]

Have you manually cleaned the heads with 99 % iso alcohol ? You should looks like they're very dirty according to what you describe

[davexnet]

The OP doesn't mention whether it happens on all tapes or just that one.
Assuming the tape is not damaged, it does sound like the head is still dirty based on the dearth of information so far.

Perhaps the control track head on the stationary head next to the capstan
could be dirty, but I've never seen it completely grey-out the picture