Loose T-160 VHS VCR Tape Rewinding
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Proscan_User Unregistered guest | I have a number of Proscan PSVR70 series (72, 73, 74) VCR's, and one RCA VR688 VCR that I use 8 hour (T-160) tapes in. After rewinding a tape(s) from the end (8 hours) back to the beginning, the last hour or so is very loose on the spool inside the tape case so that it occasionally is bunched up and outside the spool. When I attempt to play such a tape from the 0:00:00 mark in the RCA machine, it'll jam and shut the machine off. When I try to eject the tape some of it is loose inside the machine around parts of the tray. The only way that I can remove the tape from the tray (without ripping it by just pulling it out) is to insert a small screwdriver into the tape case's ratchet lock arm hole to release it so that I can pull the tape out to get enough slack so I can put my fingers in and lift the tape up above the parts that it's looped behind. It is not *stuck* in anything mechanical. The Proscan machines appear to handle this better than the RCA machine in that they will usually play such a tape, but will rewind very slow for the first hour or so of the tape. However, the tape is still loose after a full rewind with any machine as well as with a Radio Shack VCR rewinder. The 6 hour (T-120) tapes do not appear to have this loose rewind problem, or at least not as bad. What I've been doing is to open the tape case, remove both spools and transfer the loose tape to the right spool (the recorded/watched spool) manually until the remaining tape on the left spool is tight. Then I rewind it in the R/S rewinder and it will be tight. My question is this: Is it possible that the belts are loose so that the rewind ratio is affected, or would it be some other issue? Thanks Eddie |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2245 Registered: Jul-04 | Probably not belts. There should be a plastic arm with a felt pad on it that keeps tension on the right reel while it rewinds, the felt pads sometimes slip out of place or come off the arm. 8 hour tapes have problems, 6 hour tapes are a lot more reliable. |
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Proscan_User Unregistered guest | Hi David, thanks for your input. I've always wondered just what maintained the ratio difference between a full spool/reel, and when it gets to the empty end, etc., knowing that it would have to spin at different speeds but I never did look into it. I took the top cover off of a Proscan PSVR72 that I had put aside after it was in a local shop here after it started acting up a few years ago during taping, but it was never 100% afterwards, and I see what you described. However, there are 2 such "tension bands", one for both the "supply" (left) spindle, and the "take-up" (right) spindle. I found a picture online of "typical VHS VCR tape transport components" at this link http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/vcrxprt.gif if you care to look at it to possibly offer some more detail(s) for me? It's not an exact depiction of the Proscan components, but it's real close. There is a single small coil spring on each tension band's arm mechanism in the Proscan PSVR72, and I could understand a weak spring allowing some loose tape rewinding for an individual machine, but I can't see where there would be a weak spring in every machine. I would have to assume that would be too much of a coincidence. You said: "8 hour tapes have problems, 6 hour tapes are a lot more reliable". The only problem that I've noticed with the 8 hour tapes, is the loose rewinding, other than that, I love them. To my thinking, it's almost as if the mechanical parts of the VCR were designed for the 6 hour tape, where it's just the last couple of hours on the 8 hour tapes that are rewound loosely. In other words, the first 6 hours rewind tightly, but the last 2 hours are loose. I've noticed this as soon as I started using the 8 hour tapes many years ago, but as I mentioned: "The Proscan machines appear to handle this better than the RCA machine", so it really wasn't a problem for me until I got the RCA machine (used) which didn't handle the problem without jamming due to the tape being outside of the spool/reel and most likely rubbing up against something. So, bottom line, will I just have to live with this condition for the 8 hour tapes? Thanks :-) Eddie |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2259 Registered: Jul-04 | Proscan/RCA are both GE. The tension band on the left reel is to keep the tape tight when playing. 8 hour tapes also have tension problems during play/record on some VCRs. When an 8 hour tape gets near the end on rewind, the right reel is turning a lot faster than with a 6 hour tape, thus the tension problem. The felt on the tension arm may be worn. You could try a different brand of tapes that might have a better mechanism, other than that, there's not much you can do. |
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Proscan_User Unregistered guest | Hi David Again, thanks for your input. After looking inside of the Proscan PSVR72 yesterday that I had put aside, and realizing (with your help) just how the rewind process worked as far as maintaining the tension/ratio, I came to the same conclusion as you stated: ["When an 8 hour tape gets near the end on rewind, the right reel is turning a lot faster than with a 6 hour tape, thus the tension problem."] So I guess unless I want to venture into replacing the spring on every machine that I have with a slightly stronger tension spring, I guess that I'll just have to live with it. Again, many thanks for your time  Eddie |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2266 Registered: Jul-04 | I have hundreds of springs. If you want to replace it, you can send me the old spring with a self addressed stamped envelope and I can probably find a slightly stronger spring. PM me if you want to do that. |
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New member Username: Proscan_userPost Number: 1 Registered: Feb-06 | Hi David, I attempted to send you a PM after I registered for this forum yesterday so I could send it, but I'm not sure if it went through or not. I checked the: ["Send a copy of this message to myself"] but I never received it, so I just tried it again. Eddie |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2280 Registered: Jul-04 | I never got it. I know it works, I've had plenty of them. |
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Gold Member Username: SamijubalPost Number: 2286 Registered: Jul-04 | I sent you a PM. |
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New member Username: Proscan_userPost Number: 2 Registered: Feb-06 | Hi David Well, I didn't receive yours either, maybe there's something wrong with that feature right now. OK, here's what I just did, I have my own domain so I just set up an e-mail address for you to use to contact me: David_Massey@MisterEd.us Once we get together, I'll remove it. Eddie |
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New member Username: Proscan_userPost Number: 3 Registered: Feb-06 | Hi David I received your e-mail, and replied to it. Just for the record for anybody else, I've removed that e-mail account that I set up for you to use. Thanks again Eddie |
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