I just cleaned the heads on my VCR (cotton swab and 90% alcohol).
Picture has improved noticeably.

However, while cleaning I noticed a part that contacts the video head.
It appears to be a self cleaning part, but dirty and full of black
particles. At this point, it is getting the newly cleaned head dirty.

The part is a lever. There is some sort of wiper that lightly contacts
the head. In fact, it seems to be zero pressure so maybe it only
contacts a small percentage of the time. The contact area looks like a
tiny toilet paper roll, 1/2 inch high. On closer examination, it is
actually a cylinder made of up many paper (?) disks. It is hopelessly
dirty, and can't be cleaned.

Before I search for this part, I need to know what it is called... is
there an industry name for this?

VCR is a Goldstar GVR-E-465 Hi-fi VHS vcr

Veggie writes:

I just cleaned the heads on my VCR (cotton swab and 90% alcohol).
Picture has improved noticeably.

However, while cleaning I noticed a part that contacts the video head.
It appears to be a self cleaning part, but dirty and full of black
particles. At this point, it is getting the newly cleaned head dirty.

The part is a lever. There is some sort of wiper that lightly
contacts the head. In fact, it seems to be zero pressure so maybe it
only contacts a small percentage of the time. The contact area looks
like a tiny toilet paper roll, 1/2 inch high. On closer examination,
it is actually a cylinder made of up many paper (?) disks. It is
hopelessly dirty, and can't be cleaned.

Before I search for this part, I need to know what it is called... is
there an industry name for this?
VCR is a Goldstar GVR-E-465 Hi-fi VHS vcr

Just remove it.

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Veggie:
Just remove it entirely. Your VCR will work just fine without it.
electricitym

On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 01:16:18 +0000, Veggie wrote:

I just cleaned the heads on my VCR (cotton swab and 90% alcohol).
Picture has improved noticeably.

Stop using cotton swabs to clean the heads! The fibers tend to get
stuck in the heads and have the potential to make things worse.

Use a chamois swab instead. Don't rub up and down, either, or you WILL
break the head(s).

Like everyone else says (with respect to your part question): Remove it.

Head Cleaner probably, remove it. Just deposits removed dirt back on
heads

nvic wrote:
Head Cleaner probably, remove it. Just deposits removed dirt back on
heads

couldn't agree more. Those head "cleaning" rollers are the worst
invention ever, I have even seen one which destroyed a head chip by
snagging on it, and seen others where the foam decayed and gummed up
the heads.
IMO, The principle is utterly stupid: It's like using the same q-tip to
remove earwax throughout your life!!

off to rant elsewhere now ;-)
Ben.

"b" wrote in message
ups.com...

IMO, The principle is utterly stupid: It's like using the same q-tip to
remove earwax throughout your life!!

You're supposed to change it? Isn't that wasteful?

N

On 16 Jun 2005 03:58:41 -0700, "b" wrote:



nvic wrote:
Head Cleaner probably, remove it. Just deposits removed dirt back on
heads

couldn't agree more. Those head "cleaning" rollers are the worst
invention ever, I have even seen one which destroyed a head chip by
snagging on it, and seen others where the foam decayed and gummed up
the heads.
IMO, The principle is utterly stupid: It's like using the same q-tip to
remove earwax throughout your life!!

Oh :::gag::: Ben, I'm eating pizza here, man!

kaboomie

In article ,
says...
However, while cleaning I noticed a part that contacts the video head.
It appears to be a self cleaning part, but dirty and full of black
particles. At this point, it is getting the newly cleaned head dirty.

If you observe the tape loading in action, you will see that this
is bumped over against the head momentarily during the loading
process. It does tend to knock off some of the crud that accumulates
on the head cylinder, especially with rental tapes, but as you have
observed it can get dirty enough over time to become a problem in
its own right. If you can't find a replacement, leave it out. Newer
technologies are rapidly making tape obsolete anyway, and it doesn't
make sense to spend much money or time on VCR's.