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Videotapes that record picture but not sound

Is it possible to have previosly used videotapes that will record picture but not sound? Or sound that plays with very diminished volume?

I got some tapes from my uncle that I played once and then put them into my blank tape pool. They may have outnumbered the tapes that were there, and I can't tell which are which. Usually I throw away tapes when the picture gets bad.

But lately I've been having trouble with both old and newly acquired but vouched for vcrs that do ok to excellent on the picture, but have no sound or very low sound. It's hard to imagine that the sound circuit has failed on so many vcrs at the same time, so I'm wondering if it could be the tapes I'm using.

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Reply to
mm
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Check the tapes for edge curl. A bad tape guide nay have creased the tapes and now they will not position properly.

If you have a bad VCR that is recording improperly, the tape will play fine on that unit only, all others will have problems with the tape.

- Tim -

Reply to
Tim

(manually) clean your sound head, that may help. Otherwise as another poster suggested, check teh edges of the tape for distortion. Toss any that are wavy.

Reply to
PeterD

First check the edges of the tapes as suggested. Or even better check on another known good vcr. if they are alright, chances are the Audio/control head in the vcr is dirty - clean it with a cotton bud dipped in pure alcohol.

it may be useful to watch the tape path with the vcr top off. if there is any unevenness or slanting of the tape as it passes the a/c head and capstan, then the pinch roller may need replacing. This is a very common fault. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. check the other things first.

-B

-B.

Reply to
b

Thanks to all of you. You all seem to say that the only thing wrong with a tape that would interfere with the sound is if the edge of the tape is folded or wavy. So far I've only been able to check one part in each of two tapes but they seem fine.

I only have 3 vcr's connected at a time, two in the bedroom and one for testing on the kitchen table. One has already tested bad, but I have to replace my water heater, fix my lawn mower and mow the lawn, fix the fence where the dead tree fell on it, and spray the apple tree (this is the last year before it is totally dead if I don't spray) so comprehensive testing of the vcrs, including opening them up, is postponed.

But if you that if the picture is good but the sound is bad, it can't be the tape itself unless it is folded etc. then I won't waste time looking for old or new better tapes, and I'll put my efforts into finding one of my newly acquired vcrs that were all supposed to be working when I got them.

Two cost 10 and 15 dollars, 3 cost 2 dollars each, 1 was free. The two most expensive, at a large sunday flea market on York road outside the beltway in front of the elementary school, neither worked. Even though I asked both sellers and one had a tape in it that wouldn't come out. It kept hitting the door, which didn't open. That was easy to fix, by removing the door (when I didn't see how to fix the door's function) but she didn't know that,

And that same frined as in the next thread has 2 expensive ones that he is going to sell. I hope he doesn't forget my offer.

If you are inclined to email me for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

Reply to
mm

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