Need advice with a VHS tape

[racerx10]

This may be a bit old school for this crowd, but since I have gotten help with other video topics here before, I thought I would ask here.

I have a VHS video tape I am trying to copy. When I try to play it, in any VCR, there is a high pitched 'whining' noise that comes from the VCR (not the speakers). Its as if the tape is too tight or something. The picture starts out clear, but in a few seconds, horizontal banding distorts the image. Anyone have any suggestions on how I can get this copied. Its 17 years old and it needs to make the migration to digital before its lost forever (if its not already to late) Thanks.

Sam

[Tommyknocker]

Have you tried to fast forward the tape all the way to the end, rewind it and see if it plays. If unsuccessful, try this suggestion at your own risk. I think the tape housing is bad. If you are mechanically inclined, you can take the tape out of the old cassette and put it in a brand new one.

[racerx10]

I have tried fast fowarding the tape to the end, then rewinding it. It didn't help. As for changing the tape housing, are all tapes the same inside, or do I need to find the same brand of tape??

[arealgijoe]

Not all VHS taes are the same, they do vary, best to get another tape of same brand and SHELL/cassette.

Are you sure your problem is not teh vcr itself?

Have you tried to play teh tape on another VCR?

G@@d luck

JD

[Fred0805]

At one point someone had stepped on one of my vhs tapes and there appeared to be no damage, but when playing at times it would abruptly stop, so I took out a screwdriver and opened up the tape and found that a tiny piece of plastic had broken off and kept jamming the turning. So maybe that could be your problem.

[Tommyknocker]

Arealgijoe asked:

Are you sure your problem is not teh (sic) vcr itself?
Have you tried to play teh (sic) tape on another VCR?

But Racerx10 had already stated:

When I try to play it, in any VCR