Hi all,

I have a Sony Hifi VCR from about 1998. It's a 4 head machine and the model
number is SLV-X825. It no longer plays or records in stereo. It still
receives broadcasts in stereo, and the sound is excellent, (in fact better
than my brand new digital set top box) and the picture remains crystal
clear, but tapes are all in mono now. If I put a factory made movie in it,
the stereo light flicks on for a split second and then dissapears. It's not
a fault with the stereo light, as the equalizer on my amp indicates both
channels working on identical levels all the time when a tape is playing.

Does anybody know what this might be? If so is it an expensive repair?
I'd like to keep it going as it's an otherwise excellent machine and I have
heaps of tapes.

yes, VHS Hi-Fi will sound much better than anything coming from your
digital set up box, due to the amount of digital compression your cable
or satellite provider uses.

From your description (which is a very good one I might add), it sounds
like quite possibly your Hi-Fi heads are either dirty or worn. Have the
heads and tape path professionally cleaned first and see if that cures
the problem.