tape stuck in VCR

cath · 05-08-2004, 10:42 PM

Uh oh- a vhs tape from the Greenville County Library (neighboring cnty) is stuck in my VCR

I tried all the things I've heard at work: use a screw driver to press on the shell of the tape while pressing the eject button - that didn't work. Unplugged it and took the top off to so that I could take the tape out - that didn't work. Seems like the tape is wedged in there really good.

Before I take it to a tech place, I thought I'd ask you all to see what you think.

Thanks.

Phishnoob · 05-08-2004, 11:22 PM

Heya Cath,

Can you send it to me. I will get it out of there for you but it will take a couple days going coast to coast.

Find your nearest friend that is handy if you can first and don't be afraid to pull the cover off and goof with the eject mechanism.

Stereo VCR's are under a hundred bucks these days. Once you get your tape out get a new one. I sort of "disappeared" Mrs. Phish's one that acted up.

The parts in there are just as cheap as they get with cheapo Nylon gears and most everything is the same under the hood with a different brand.

PM me if this thing is still being a pest and I will help you out. Whatever you do don't go to a VCR repair guy. He will charge you the same as a new one and I have not met an honest one yet.

Phishnoob

cath · 05-08-2004, 11:53 PM

Thanks for the info, Perry. I'll try messing with the eject button again and see what happens. I sort of thought that once I get the tape out, I'll just buy a new VCR. Of course it's good to have both VCR and DVD.

cath · 05-08-2004, 11:55 PM

hitting enter helps the reply feature

Alice · 05-09-2004, 10:27 AM

Any luck?

JennM · 05-09-2004, 11:00 AM

Enquiring minds want to know!

Doug1 · 05-09-2004, 11:46 AM

I have found a butter knife to be hand...............no what, thats on stubborn cds

cath · 05-09-2004, 01:47 PM

butter knife! I'll try that.

Doug1 · 05-09-2004, 10:33 PM

DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cath · 05-09-2004, 11:33 PM

I didn't. It's ok, Doug. I unplugged it.

Alice · 05-10-2004, 10:02 AM

Well, a butter knife worked on my VC......never mind, I won't go there

(But it did!)

Casey · 05-10-2004, 05:44 PM

Cath try this!

on the VCR

cath · 05-10-2004, 11:54 PM

I sure did feel like that, Casey. One of my co-workers is a video man from way back, and he looked at it today, and he said it was the worst he'd seen. He spared the tape, but the player is kaput. So, on Perry's Practical Procedures, I'm going to just go buy a new VCR.

dark horge · 05-11-2004, 07:00 PM

I'm too late, and it seems this one was beyond redemption anyways...

But I was going to post this:
Stop trying to eject it --you will likely wrinkle the tape further.
Make sure it's unplugged.

Take the cover off the VCR (usually a bunch of screws at the back and sides. You should be able to see the cassette shell, and the tape itself going around the capstans and the video drum.

Plug the VCR back in and then try ONCE to eject.
You should be able to see where the tape is hanging up --usually around one of the capstans. You can push the tape back in, and then unplug the VCR and unhook the tape from the hangup. Re-plug and then attempt to eject.

The tape will likely already be damaged, and some of it possibly hanging loosely outside the cassette:

To take up this slack you will have to raise the flip-up panel at the head of the cassette AND depress the reel-lock through a circular hole in the rear-center underside of the cassette.

The flip up panel can be raised by first depressing a small square-headed stud to it's right side, then lifting the panel up. With the flip up panel raised and the reel lock depresed (disengaged), you can turn one of the reels (I use my thumb, stuck into the white hollow of one of the reel hubs, visible from the underside of the cassette) to take up the slack.

If the tape is twisted, you may have to pull out more tape to find the twist point, and then reel it all back in flat onto the reels (again, while keeping the flip-up panel raised, and the reel-lock depressed).

hth

I'd post pics....but.

I do it by sitting while pinning an upright screwdriver between my knees to depress the reel lock. My right hand holdes the cassette AND depressed the filp-up panel's release stud with my index finger. The left hand lifts the flip up panel with the index finbger, while the rest of the left hand takes over holding the cassette.

Freed, the right hand does a 'thumbs-up' gesture. The thumb feels out the reel-hub under the cassette, and starts winding it --using the thumbnail as a screwdriver head of sorts.

Have fun

JennM · 05-11-2004, 07:53 PM

I think this should be tagged for the archives

Jenn