VCP problems.... Help?

[BTTF Rini]

I am having a huge problem here. My VCP/DVD combo player isn't playing my VHS tapes correctly. (VCP = video cassette playback.) The picture is perfectly fine, but the sound/music/etc sounds like it echos or out of sync of some sort. It sounds horrible! It just starting doing this today! I looked at my instruction manual. I tried manually tracking it, but it doesn't fix the sound. I tried all of the other problem solvers, but one. Cleaning the VCR heads with a VCR cleaner. Unfortunately, I had bad trouble with VCR cleaners in the past, with other VCR's.

*Sigh* I've only had this thing for about 2 months and it played everything, VHS-wise, perfectly fine. There's no problem with the DVD part. Maybe it's because I played old movies I bought from the vido store too much on it? If the video heads are dirty already, then can I really trust a VCR cleaner? If these old movies really made the inside of the VCR dirty, then I may have no choice then to throw them out. Unfortunately, some of these videos are very rare to come by or haven't or may never make it to DVD.

Basically, I need someone to let me know if they had any problems with VCR cleaners at all. Sorry for the long post.

Note to mods: I couldn't decide with this topic could fit in Venting/Advice section or Help section. Move it, if you feel it is in the wrong section.

[TotallyUsagi]

Honestly I doubt that your VHS's are making it dirty. Have you tried any new VHS's or just your old ones? Because if you've only tried the old ones, they could easily be worn out and just the tape itself is starting to get off sync because it's too old. Either way, I believe that they sell VCR/DVD recorders where you can record your VHS's onto DVDS, then you can keep the VHS's somewhere safe and if you can't afford one yet, you'll want to put your old VHS's somewhere safe anyway without watching them until you can get one.

Anyway if that's not the problem, then I can't see why cleaning would hurt. I've never had trouble with those VCR cleaning tapes, they work just fine for me.

And if it's not any of these problems, you'll probably want to call the manufacturer, but you'll want to wait till after you've tried those things, or else they'll ask if you've tried and tell you to call back once you have

I don't claim to be an expert on VCRs or anything lol, but there's my opinion.

[BTTF Rini]

Sorry I didn't specify in more detail about the tapes. I have played a bunch of tapes, that I bought from the video store awhile back. But, I did try playing my new, barely been played VHS tapes of Back to the Futre: The Animated Series. I've rarely played them, because for years there wasn't a VCR in my house. So, I tried playing them, and the sound was bad on those too. So, maybe my VCP heads are dirty already because of playing those worn out movies from the video store.

Thank you, Totally Usagi! I needed someone to give me some feedback on VCR cleaners. I had trouble with them in the past, so that's why I needed some feedback on them. If all else fails, then I hope the manufactor can repair it.

[TotallyUsagi]

Well if not, you said that it's new? as long as you don't open it up or anything, they should repair it or even send you a new one if this specific one is only 2 months old

[Larry Laffer]

VCR head drum cleaners are what you'd call "safe".


Anyway, the issue here might be the drum being dirty(but you should have some issues with image quality) or the other electronics in the VCR(in which case a few polite death threats addressed to the producer are in order)


Now, normally, I'd yank the player open, clean up the head myself and look for any fry spots. But then again, I void warranties...

[TotallyUsagi]

lol Same here Larry, it's my favorite thing to do

I think I've opened up pretty much everything in this house... and sometimes just to get a look at the inside lol!

Probably not the smart thing for most people though >_< you'd be best whining to the people you've got it from until they fix it for you lol which they will... they don't like whining.

[icryinmysleep]

have u made sure the plug that go's into the tv is in prople *soz bad at spelling*