need to cheaply re-tension several hundred vcr tapes

[zug134zwang]

I have about 800 old (10-30 years) standard vcr tapes recorded at 6 hours per tape. I am going to attempt to transfer the videos to my hard disk. My previous vcrs had all died, so I recently purchased a Mitsubishi HS-U746 (4 head) used vcr at Amazon. I also purchased a video capture card that requires S-Video input, and the HS-U746 does provide S-Video output.

Before attempting to use the HS-U746, I took it directly to a vcr repairman. He stated that I got lucky; the HS-U746 is in good working order. In his shop, I watched as he verified (with his own vcr tape) that the vcr's record and playback functions are all fine.

At home, I connected my cable box to the vcr with a coaxial cable and then connected the vcr to my (old) tv with a coaxial cable. The cable box signal goes through the vcr to the tv okay and I am able to watch all my cable channels. However, when I attempted to play a vcr tape, all I got was static (audio and video). Just in case, I also connected the composite (red-white-yellow) cables from the vcr to the tv. Again, the cable box signal plays ok while vcr playback gives static.

Experimenting while attempting to play a vcr tape, I hit the fast-forward button : the video displays okay. With a similar experiment with the rewind button, the video also displays okay. I also experimented by using the vcr's record button to record for about 15 seconds. No joy, its playback is also static.

I chose 5 different vcr tapes at random and repeated these experiments; the results were identical. I am relatively ignorant in this area. My black-box-testing inference is that my 800 vcr tapes all need to be re-tensioned. If I can't find a way to do this relatively cheaply, at home, then I will discard the tapes and abandon the project. Also, I question the advisability of using the HS-U746 to fast-forward/rewind each of the 800 old vcr tapes (perhaps 5 times for each vcr tape).

Questions

1. Do you agree with my inference that the problem is tension in the vcr tapes? If not, what do you think the problem is?

2. If so, is it plausible that performing fast-forward/rewind 5 times will re-tension one of my old vcr tapes so that it will playback okay in the HS-U746? If not, is there a cheap and feasible way for me to re-tension each tape before I play it in the HS-U746?

3. If so, is there a cheap hardware unit designed specifically for performing a fast-forward rewind on a vcr tape? Tentatively, I would fast-forward rewind 5 times on each vcr tape before attempting to play that vcr tape.

 

[VirtualLarry]

My first thought is, Macrovision protection kicking in? But doesn't that make the picture fade to black and back?

When playing back a tape, on an old analog system like that, you should at least see "something" on the tapes. (May have to adjust "Tracking" of the VHS heads, per-tape, or as you go along. Some do this automatically, I think, later-model ones anyways.)

The fact that you ONLY get static, makes me think that maybe the TV input channel, or the VCR output channel, is incorrect somehow? But you say, when you FF/RW, you get a picture?

What happens if you pop in a brand-new blank tape, and try to record a short stretch, and then play it back. Does that work?

 

[corkyg]

It is also possible that the old tapes magnetic oxide surface has suffered some bit rot over the years unless they were stored carefully under climate control.

 

[zug134zwang]

...

VirtualLarry, thanks for the quick reply.

I don't know what Macrovision protection is. I don't think that copyright protection is relevant here. Each of the old tapes was manually recorded by me at home, from tv programs.

Unfortunately, I was NOT able to find ANY TRACKING BUTTON on the HS-U746 vcr.

I am DEFINITELY consistently (on each of the randomly selected tapes) seeing the video okay when I fast-forward or rewind DURING the playback. Also, when I am NOT playing a vcr tape, the signal from the cable box through the vcr to the tv is playing okay. Therefore, I think that the problem is not the cable hook-ups or the vcr channel.

I agree that the "next experimental step" is to buy a new tape and determine if (on long-play : 6 hours per tape) I can record and playback okay. However, it will take several days for me to do this.

HOWEVER, based on my WITNESSING the vcr repairman verify record and playback using one of his vcr tapes, I REQUEST that in the meantime you (and other responders) ASSUME that record and playback on a new vcr tape is okay.

 

[zug134zwang]

Thanks corkyg, interesting response. Assuming that the problem is bit rot rather than tape tensioning, would the video still show okay when hitting fast-forward or rewind DURING the vcr playback of the vcr tape?

 

[corkyg]

Thanks corkyg, interesting response. Assuming that the problem is bit rot rather than tape tensioning, would the video still show okay when hitting fast-forward or rewind DURING the vcr playback of the vcr tape?

If it is bit rot, chances are it won't display. When playing tape, does not the player create tension on the tape passing the head?

 

[zug134zwang]

If it is bit rot, chances are it won't display. When playing tape, does not the player create tension on the tape passing the head?

yes the player does create tension. however i had noticed in the past that tapes recorded on one vcr would play fine on that vcr but were troublesome on other vcrs. As someone fairly ignorant of the technology, a tension problem is the only hypothesis that I can conjure that fits the symptoms. I am in the process of checking whether [fast-forward to the end : complete rewind] : repeated 5 times makes a difference. Will advise.

 

[zug134zwang]

If it is bit rot, chances are it won't display. When playing tape, does not the player create tension on the tape passing the head?

just finished the test of [fast-forward to the end : complete rewind] : 5 times. No joy, same total-static-only on playback. I am starting to suspect that I am stuck.