Discussion:
VCR eats tapes
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Bookish
2011-03-02 23:33:55 UTC
Permalink
My Panasonic PV-V4020 VCR has started "eating" tapes. The tapes play
fine but when rewound to the beginning, the VCR ejects the tapes,
shuts itself off and a loop of the unbroken tape remains in the
machine. I tried using a head cleaning cassette but no difference. Can
this machine be saved, any suggestions? I'd get a new machine but
there don't appear to be made anymore with built in tuners.
Mike S.
2011-03-03 01:28:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bookish
My Panasonic PV-V4020 VCR has started "eating" tapes. The tapes play
fine but when rewound to the beginning, the VCR ejects the tapes,
shuts itself off and a loop of the unbroken tape remains in the
machine. I tried using a head cleaning cassette but no difference. Can
this machine be saved, any suggestions? I'd get a new machine but
there don't appear to be made anymore with built in tuners.
You might find some help in Sam Goldwasser's tutorial:

http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/vcrfaq.htm
Peter
2011-03-03 15:49:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bookish
My Panasonic PV-V4020 VCR has started "eating" tapes. The tapes play
fine but when rewound to the beginning, the VCR ejects the tapes,
shuts itself off and a loop of the unbroken tape remains in the
machine. I tried using a head cleaning cassette but no difference. Can
this machine be saved, any suggestions? I'd get a new machine but
there don't appear to be made anymore with built in tuners.
If that is the only time the VCR is "eating" your tapes, try to find a
stand-alone rewinder. I always use my Kinyo rewinder rather than
rewinding the tape in the VCR. Saves wear and tear. I've had it for
probably about 20 years.

They used to cost $12-$20. Amazon is still selling a few models new for
about $30. E-bay has a lot of used ones for less than that if you are
willing to take a chance on a used one. If you can't do your own VCR
repair for less, it beats spending more than double for new VCR/DVD.

You comment about the built-in tuner in your VCR. If yours has a
digital tuner you've got a rare and expensive beast. If it is an analog
tuner you're limited anyway to taping 1 show because I've never seen a
set-top cable, satellite, or digital-to-analog converter box that can be
programmed to change channels unattended. All those set-top boxes also
have some combination of composite, s-video, component, or hdmi outputs,
so the VCR's own tuner is redundant. The programmable timer and a
video/audio input jack on the VCR is all you need these days.
Bookish
2011-03-04 02:35:40 UTC
Permalink
Thanks Peter,
Getting a rewinder is a good idea. I see them from time to time in our
local thrift stores and will get the next one I see. I'm able to still
use my old analog TV and VCR to tape different shows because my cable
system's signal still allows me to use them just as I did before the
great conversion. Someday I'll go digital but not now.
Book
mm
2011-07-01 02:55:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter
You comment about the built-in tuner in your VCR. If yours has a
digital tuner you've got a rare and expensive beast. If it is an analog
tuner you're limited anyway to taping 1 show because I've never seen a
set-top cable, satellite, or digital-to-analog converter box that can be
programmed to change channels unattended. All those set-top boxes also
have some combination of composite, s-video, component, or hdmi outputs,
so the VCR's own tuner is redundant. The programmable timer and a
video/audio input jack on the VCR is all you need these days.
Dish TV sold and may still sell a settop box, digiatl to analog, that
has a timer and will change digital channels unattended.

In addtion to the $40 coupon it cost me 40 dollars 2+ years ago I
think it wa

It has to have the same times as the VCR of course, which is set to
channel 3 or 4 of course. (It also has other advantages including
an on-screen tv schedule which is better than my other settop box's,
but still not good enough and I just use www.zap2it.com . OTOH, it has
not a single button on the box.)
s.

I tholught there would be a glut of second-hand settop boxes as the
years went on, but I've only seen two and they were no bargains.

Why DISH sold something that seems to compete with DISH tv, I do not
know.

Also, the box seems to go on for no apparent reason. I"ve been told
the comactFL's emit IR. But when it goes on for no reason, it doesn't
receive anything and I can't use it's remote to change stations. All
that is on is the red led. It also goes off for no reason, but who
knows when. I can't turn it off with the remote, I can only do that
by unplugging it for a very short time, then plugging it in, and then
iirc turning it off. OTOH, it doesn't interfere with anything when it
is "on", unless I want to use it, because I can't turn it "actually
on". If yo ever have one, yours might work better of course.

If I didn't have a DVDR until yesterday, I would want this.

P&M

b
2011-03-12 22:37:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bookish
My Panasonic PV-V4020 VCR has started "eating" tapes. The tapes play
fine but when rewound to the beginning, the VCR ejects the tapes,
shuts itself off and a loop of the unbroken tape remains in the
machine. I tried using a head cleaning cassette but no difference. Can
this machine be saved, any suggestions?  I'd get a new machine but
there don't appear to be made anymore with built in tuners.
A rewinder will not help here, that is treating the symptoms not the
cause.
Tape looping like this is caused by the deck not unthreading properly
before ejecting. Top causes are usually the reel idler/clutch being
worn, or a dirty mode switch.
-B
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