dave wrote:
My DVD/VHS recorder (TOSHiba) has decided not to eject the tape. I
carefully managed to get it out by teasing various levers etc but then
when I put the tape back in the thing won't play even though there is
much whizzing and things moving about in there :-) The cassette loads
and the tape gets wrapped about the rorating video heads ok.

Is there something I chould check before I bin it? (Tried other tapes
- same thing). I can't see any eg belts off, connectors out , or
indeed any obvious clue. The thing is out of warrantee and I doubt
worth repair costs. I see that the actual tape playing bit seems to be
a sub-assembly screwed to a main board and I thought mabye I could get
it out to see if there's something fixable underneath. Worth doing?
Thanks


On some VCRs (most?) there is a light source (either IR or visible) on a
post that fits into a hole on the underside of the cassette when it is
loaded. There are corresponding detectors which are used to sense the
end of tape (by means of the transparent leader). If the bulb fails it
causes odd problems IME.

HTH

Richard