My VERY old VCR (purchased 1988) has suddently stopped recording in color and/or shows a bit of color.
It happily coped with 2000, so it is obviously a good machine.
Is it even worth investigating a fix or should I just buy a new one?
For about $6, you could pick up a VCR cleaning cassette and see if it helps. If not, toss the machine, unless it's really high-end thing with features you can't find any more. You can pick up a new VCR for around $100 these days. Less, actually, if you don't mind a brand you've never heard of, imported by a company which may or may not have a working telephone number.
Thanks for the speedy reply. Forgot about trying a cleaning cassette (have one, but it might be too old).
In fact, other than the fact that the vcr is soooo easy to program, it does not have any wonderful bells and whistles. Plus, when I try to play tapes it has recorded on my newer VCR, there is usually a synchronization problem with voice and image. So the mouths are moving, but the words don't match!!
Will try the cleaning (btw, it does record even if only b&w) and then (probably) start looking for a new one.
I agree to clean the heads, and a cleaning cassette may work, but it's better to clean them manually if at all possible. Pop off the cover and get the kit with cleaning wands and liquid (usually alcohol). Follow instructions. There is probably a website to show you how.
Otherwise, list it on ebay, using these words "L@@K VINTAGE L@@K" Make your ad as large as possible so the buyers are exhausted by the time they finish reading it, and just place a bid out of exhaustion. Be sure to use the words "L@@K VINTAGE L@@K" at least 25 times in the ad. Be sure to NOT list the shipping and handling fees where they are easy to see. Bury them in the 1/2 meg of text and use a very small font. Be sure to tell everyone it's LIKE NEW, and in perfect working condition. You will likely find some sucker to pay you $5 for it as an antique, them punch them in the gut with a $89.95 shipping and handling fee. That's how ebay works these days, so you may as well do your part in robbing someone too.
Be sure to include pictures of the VCR, and individual pictures of the end of the power cord, the jacks on the rear, each button, the clock flashing 12:00 AND with the correct time, and if possible include a FLASH movie of a cassette being inserted. Then too, it never hurts to put some shots of your tv screen with a naked woman in the picture. Remember - SEX SELLS.
By the time you finish, you should have enough money to buy a new VCR.
There are a variety of DVD-players/VCRs for $100 or thereabouts.
18-yr-old VCR has probably had its head polished down summat.Maybe it WAS good- nothing to do with Y2K, though. Right now, it's telling you something- like, grandkids could use it as a toy. Or, it could prop up a tv.
J
I just worked on one that had this problem. If a thorough cleaning dosen't bring it back usually the head is shot and needs to be replaced. More expense than it's worth. I have two all used units purchased at garage sales or on Craig's list for under $10 each. Richard
Its an antique, fix it someday it will be worth alot of money
It's definitely the case that there are many features that can't be found on current machines. Mine kept track of how much tape was LEFT on the reel. Displayed the time and station and everything else at the same time. Enabled me to mark spots on the tape, just by pressing a button, in addition to the spots marked when I started recording, and to ERASE marks that I or the machine had put there.
That machine needs r epair and my current machine won't even tell me what station it is recording off of.
But even if cheap, I would keep the old machine to PLAY tapes that were recorded elsewhere.
Myt friend bought a cheap one, with a DVD player. Doesn't even keep track of the time or presets during a power failure. Drives her crazy.
Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.
This is good. You can practice lip reading, and learn if you got it right just a couple seconds later. If the sound comes out earlier, change which one records and which one plays.
When you are done, you'll be able to watch spies having meetings in outdoor cafes, and you'll be able to repeat what they say.
Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let me know if you have posted also.
Hope I never buy anything from you!
You can't fix it for the cost of a new one and a $50 new one will be way superior to your old VCR. Heck, by a VCR and DVD combo unit.
What's a VCR???
It is worth repairing your VCR only if it has sentimental value. A machine that old has exceded its design life and is likely to give you more trouble in the future - don't expect video cassets to be popular for much longer.
Consider, getting a newer one or buying some new technology like recordable dvd or a hard drive recorder.
An you can probably buy a better and much newer one for about $2 at a local thrift shop. They are being thrown out by the thousands.
Use a Maxell wet cleaning tape available from Circuit city.
Or buy a used Mitsubishi 795 or 778 vcr on ebay. They are probably the best units ever made and go for $100 to $150 and are well worth it. Far superior to the junk being sold today.
Just get the replacement color cartridges. You got a lot of life out of them, most don't last more than a few years. Any appliance store will have them.
or rent an 8300HD scientific atlanta cable box with up to 100 hours of recording from your cable company. it will play even the hd channels onto your standard tv set. like mine. what a picture!
trust that your eBay comments were tongue in cheek :-D
Must agree.
My Y2K comment had more to do with all of the naysayers who said that equipment 'that old' would be unable to cope. I think they are the same folks who think that people of a certain age would be unable to keep up with technology!
Since it is not my only VCR, think I'll put replacing it on the back burner.
SInce this would be my 'second' vcr, might bypass the used market and get a dbd/vcr combo. On the other hand...
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