I have 3 VCRs and none working. Please do not tell me to spend money to solve this problem. Because I am broke, spending money will get rid of one problem but give me another one.
VCR #1 Panasonic PV-V4620 I bought it used ($15) and it has very nice features and I want to get it working. It won't eject the tape. It worked good for a few weeks. Then sometimes when I tried to insert a tape, it would load and spit out immediately. I pushed one in with more force and now it's stuck. I have it opened up. The large drum spins for about 30 seconds then powers itself off. The tape is unwound--the clear part shows. Please help me try to fix this VCR. I unplugged it overnight and it didn't help. Turned it upside down and pressed eject and it didn't help. I don't care about the tape but I would like to get the VCR working.
VCR #2 Sharp VC-A205 I bought it used ($5) and I used it for several years without problems, although features are basic and I don't have a remote. One day, it wouldn't eject the tape. No other problems at all. I can open it but I don't know how to fix it. The tape was tangled and I pulled the tape out but the empty case is still inside. I unplugged it overnight and it didn't help. Turned it upside down and pressed eject and it didn't help. I had it opened and couldn't figure out how to get it to eject. It doesn't make any noise at startup. I don't care about the tape but I would like to get the VCR working.
VCR #3 Panasonic PV-4415s I bought it used ($10) and I couldn't get it working so seller refunded my money. It has lots of features and appears to work but when playing tapes it shows no picture--just fuzz, either pre-recorded or recorded with this vcr. I think the audio is audible during play back but not the video. It did play back a few tapes but most won't play. I'm sure it's a setting rather than a physical fault. I don't have a manual and I can't locate a manual. It's too complex to figure out how to get it to work without the manual. I tried cleaning the head and the seller said it worked for him and I think it did--it's a settings/control issue.
#3 needs cleaned. Head cleaning tapes don't work. It needs cleaned with a chamois made for cleaning VCR heads wet with alcohol. VCR video heads are very delicate, any up and down force will break them, they need cleaned sideways, the direction of tape travel.
The other two sound like mode switches, unless you've worked on electronics, you can't fix them.