Bob Shuman wrote:
I have a 10 year old Sony Handycam Video 8mm - Model #CCD-TR91 that has
served us well. The unit is on it's 4th battery, but still works, kind
of... I suspect the trouble is with tape alignment/tracking since some
previously recorded events and sometimes new events as well do not display
properly. Usually I lose half the picture with tracking lines and at times
it also is in Black and White only.

I do not see any electronic tracking adjustments similar to similar vintage
VHS VCRs. Can anyone provide a reference to a service manual or a tracking
adjustment procedure? At this point I am inclined to replace the unit with
another since price has come down so much over the years, but before I did,
I wanted to take a shot at aligning it myself.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Bob

Hi Bob...

I'd urge you to forget all about electronic adjustment and
instead focus on mechanical problems...

Start with a good thorough cleaning... the tracking head,
the pressure idler, the video heads, the capstan and idler,
and the audio head. A little isopropyl alcohol and a bunch
of q-tips. A little - moist q-tips, *not* wet.

Pay particular attention to the capstan idler. No flat spots,
indents from the idler? Does it line up perfectly with the
idler?

Look at the audio head - it's spring loaded for azimuth
adjustment. Still sitting normally?

Check the supply hub, clean it well.

Then, after completely absolutely dry, I'd watch it play
a tape. Supply side feeding tape smoothly, not jerking.
Nothing skewing the tape.

If still no luck, look at one of the failing tapes. Edges
not "rippled"? If so, invest in one brand new one to try.

Hope this helps... take care.

Ken