Is it possible to have previosly used videotapes that will record
picture but not sound? Or sound that plays with very diminished
volume?

I got some tapes from my uncle that I played once and then put them
into my blank tape pool. They may have outnumbered the tapes that
were there, and I can't tell which are which. Usually I throw away
tapes when the picture gets bad.

But lately I've been having trouble with both old and newly acquired
but vouched for vcrs that do ok to excellent on the picture, but have
no sound or very low sound. It's hard to imagine that the sound
circuit has failed on so many vcrs at the same time, so I'm wondering
if it could be the tapes I'm using.

If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

In article , NOPSAMmm2005
@bigfoot.com says...
Is it possible to have previosly used videotapes that will record
picture but not sound? Or sound that plays with very diminished
volume?

I got some tapes from my uncle that I played once and then put them
into my blank tape pool. They may have outnumbered the tapes that
were there, and I can't tell which are which. Usually I throw away
tapes when the picture gets bad.

But lately I've been having trouble with both old and newly acquired
but vouched for vcrs that do ok to excellent on the picture, but have
no sound or very low sound. It's hard to imagine that the sound
circuit has failed on so many vcrs at the same time, so I'm wondering
if it could be the tapes I'm using.

If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

Check the tapes for edge curl. A bad tape guide nay have creased the
tapes and now they will not position properly.

If you have a bad VCR that is recording improperly, the tape will play
fine on that unit only, all others will have problems with the tape.

- Tim -

On Wed, 16 May 2007 23:07:20 -0400, mm
wrote:

Is it possible to have previosly used videotapes that will record
picture but not sound? Or sound that plays with very diminished
volume?

I got some tapes from my uncle that I played once and then put them
into my blank tape pool. They may have outnumbered the tapes that
were there, and I can't tell which are which. Usually I throw away
tapes when the picture gets bad.

But lately I've been having trouble with both old and newly acquired
but vouched for vcrs that do ok to excellent on the picture, but have
no sound or very low sound. It's hard to imagine that the sound
circuit has failed on so many vcrs at the same time, so I'm wondering
if it could be the tapes I'm using.

If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)

(manually) clean your sound head, that may help. Otherwise as another
poster suggested, check teh edges of the tape for distortion. Toss any
that are wavy.

mm wrote:
Is it possible to have previosly used videotapes that will record
picture but not sound? Or sound that plays with very diminished
volume?

I got some tapes from my uncle that I played once and then put them
into my blank tape pool. They may have outnumbered the tapes that
were there, and I can't tell which are which. Usually I throw away
tapes when the picture gets bad.

But lately I've been having trouble with both old and newly acquired
but vouched for vcrs that do ok to excellent on the picture, but have
no sound or very low sound. It's hard to imagine that the sound
circuit has failed on so many vcrs at the same time, so I'm wondering
if it could be the tapes I'm using.

First check the edges of the tapes as suggested. Or even better check
on another known good vcr.
if they are alright, chances are the Audio/control head in the vcr is
dirty - clean it with a cotton bud dipped in pure alcohol.

it may be useful to watch the tape path with the vcr top off. if there
is any unevenness or slanting of the tape as it passes the a/c head
and capstan, then the pinch roller may need replacing. This is a very
common fault. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. check the other
things first.

-B
-B.

On 17 May 2007 16:19:35 -0700, b wrote:


mm wrote:
Is it possible to have previosly used videotapes that will record
picture but not sound? Or sound that plays with very diminished
volume?

I got some tapes from my uncle that I played once and then put them
into my blank tape pool. They may have outnumbered the tapes that
were there, and I can't tell which are which. Usually I throw away
tapes when the picture gets bad.

But lately I've been having trouble with both old and newly acquired
but vouched for vcrs that do ok to excellent on the picture, but have
no sound or very low sound. It's hard to imagine that the sound
circuit has failed on so many vcrs at the same time, so I'm wondering
if it could be the tapes I'm using.

First check the edges of the tapes as suggested. Or even better check
on another known good vcr.
if they are alright, chances are the Audio/control head in the vcr is
dirty - clean it with a cotton bud dipped in pure alcohol.

it may be useful to watch the tape path with the vcr top off. if there
is any unevenness or slanting of the tape as it passes the a/c head
and capstan, then the pinch roller may need replacing. This is a very
common fault. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. check the other
things first.

Thanks to all of you. You all seem to say that the only thing wrong
with a tape that would interfere with the sound is if the edge of the
tape is folded or wavy. So far I've only been able to check one part
in each of two tapes but they seem fine.

I only have 3 vcr's connected at a time, two in the bedroom and one
for testing on the kitchen table. One has already tested bad, but I
have to replace my water heater, fix my lawn mower and mow the lawn,
fix the fence where the dead tree fell on it, and spray the apple tree
(this is the last year before it is totally dead if I don't spray) so
comprehensive testing of the vcrs, including opening them up, is
postponed.

But if you that if the picture is good but the sound is bad, it can't
be the tape itself unless it is folded etc. then I won't waste time
looking for old or new better tapes, and I'll put my efforts into
finding one of my newly acquired vcrs that were all supposed to be
working when I got them.

Two cost 10 and 15 dollars, 3 cost 2 dollars each, 1 was free. The
two most expensive, at a large sunday flea market on York road outside
the beltway in front of the elementary school, neither worked. Even
though I asked both sellers and one had a tape in it that wouldn't
come out. It kept hitting the door, which didn't open. That was easy
to fix, by removing the door (when I didn't see how to fix the door's
function) but she didn't know that,

And that same frined as in the next thread has 2 expensive ones that
he is going to sell. I hope he doesn't forget my offer.

-B
-B.


If you are inclined to email me
for some reason, remove NOPSAM :-)