VHS Tracking Question... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

mhadley · 03-26-2006, 05:56 AM

I found 2 old tapes in my dads basement that have 1981 airings of Star Trek on them from a local station (on SLP), I want to transfer these to DVD since they have the commercials and whatnot intact but the freaking tape WILL NOT TRACK. There is a tracking line that keeps running up from the bottem of the screen and I can't manual track through it, otherwise the quality is really good on these. Is there a way to fix this or is the tape ****ed? I thought, maybe if I took the tape reels out and put them into a new case that might help, will that work?

y2k3Joker · 03-26-2006, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhadley

I thought, maybe if I took the tape reels out and put them into a new case that might help, will that work?

If that works, let me know as I have a few tapes with the same problem.

If it solves the problem I'll do it also

Lamont · 03-26-2006, 05:35 PM

i have the same issues sometimes with old tapes

the odd thing is

i have 1 18 year old vhs player that is a big bulky piece of junk
and SOMETIMES not all the times

a tape will play good in that old clunky vhs, but will have bad tracking on newer models

why? i dont know

cooltvshows · 03-26-2006, 11:08 PM

I can tell you why, Lamont. It's because new VCRs have digital tracking, and sometimes digital tracking messes up. My original tape of Frankenstein: The True Story turned to complete junk at the end of the tape when I played in on a relatively new VCR with digital tracking. Something about the sync track freaked out the new VCR, and the digital tracking went nuts. It kept slowing down and speeding up and the sound went all haywire. So I popped the tape in my 1987 Toshiba DX900 antique giant steel semi-pro VCR, and guess what? It played perfectly. No tracking problems at all.

I have a 1995 Sharp VCR that does a great job of tracking old tapes, and also the Toshiba DX900 from 1987 that also tracks very well depending on the tape. So if you need something played back and transferred to DVD-R I may be able to do it for you, depending on the tape.

I doubt pulling the VCR tape off the reels will help, though. Typically it's some peculiarity in the sync track itself. I've found I usually have to use another VCR, pulling the tape or the reels out and sticking it another cassette has never helped me with tracking problems, while using another VCR often fixes the tracking problem completely.

Jeek · 05-04-2006, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhadley

I thought, maybe if I took the tape reels out and put them into a new case that might help, will that work?

Oh, like that's even possible!

Grow up.

03-26-2006, 05:56 AM	#1
mhadley Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 22, 2003 Posts: 572	VHS Tracking Question... I found 2 old tapes in my dads basement that have 1981 airings of Star Trek on them from a local station (on SLP), I want to transfer these to DVD since they have the commercials and whatnot intact but the freaking tape WILL NOT TRACK. There is a tracking line that keeps running up from the bottem of the screen and I can't manual track through it, otherwise the quality is really good on these. Is there a way to fix this or is the tape ****ed? I thought, maybe if I took the tape reels out and put them into a new case that might help, will that work?

03-26-2006, 05:35 PM	#3
Lamont Lamont says Smile! Forum Veteran Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Deep in the Heart of Nowhere Posts: 5,217	same issues i have the same issues sometimes with old tapes the odd thing is i have 1 18 year old vhs player that is a big bulky piece of junk and SOMETIMES not all the times a tape will play good in that old clunky vhs, but will have bad tracking on newer models why? i dont know
	__________________ I have not been trading for some time now, so please do not ask---- sorry, i cannot help you!

03-26-2006, 11:08 PM	#4
cooltvshows Banned Banned!! Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 41	Why your new VCRs won't track I can tell you why, Lamont. It's because new VCRs have digital tracking, and sometimes digital tracking messes up. My original tape of Frankenstein: The True Story turned to complete junk at the end of the tape when I played in on a relatively new VCR with digital tracking. Something about the sync track freaked out the new VCR, and the digital tracking went nuts. It kept slowing down and speeding up and the sound went all haywire. So I popped the tape in my 1987 Toshiba DX900 antique giant steel semi-pro VCR, and guess what? It played perfectly. No tracking problems at all. I have a 1995 Sharp VCR that does a great job of tracking old tapes, and also the Toshiba DX900 from 1987 that also tracks very well depending on the tape. So if you need something played back and transferred to DVD-R I may be able to do it for you, depending on the tape. I doubt pulling the VCR tape off the reels will help, though. Typically it's some peculiarity in the sync track itself. I've found I usually have to use another VCR, pulling the tape or the reels out and sticking it another cassette has never helped me with tracking problems, while using another VCR often fixes the tracking problem completely.