TRANSFER TAPES TO DVD

What should you do when your VCR acts up? Here's a guide to the common issues that many VCRs face. Remember: Transfer tapes to DVD before you see the most typical problem encountered by VCRs: noise in the picture. This can manifest as snow, spots, lines, or picture rolls, and are likely caused by dirty heads or a misaligned tape path.

Video cassette to DVD - issues

Dirty Video Heads: When a deteriorating tape deposits oxide on the heads, the picture is usually affected. A head cleaning cassette can clear up the dirt if a bad tape is to blame. (See our video tape to DVD page for information about why tapes deteriorate.)

However, a head cleaner tape will not properly clean a VCR's heads if long-term oxide buildup is to blame. Proper head cleaning includes cleaning of the head drum, and audio, control and erase heads, which a professional technician is equipped to handle.

Video heads can also wear out. Heads are minuscule and mounted on a wheel that spins thousands of times every minute. Depending on the quality of the VCR and how frequently it is used, life expectancy can be anywhere up to ten years. A DVD player does not have these issues, which is why recording video to DVD is recommended.

Tape Path Alignment: A tape winds through a VCR through a precise path that places the tape at the correct spot for alignment with the upper drum and other heads. A misaligned VCR can be responsible for certain playback issues, such as noise lines across the picture, pulsing noise, tapes curled at the edges, or pops in the Hi-Fi audio. Alignment can only be corrected by a technician using proper test equipment, such as an oscilloscope.

See our Convert Tape to DVD page for examples of issues that can happen even with perfectly-functioning VCRs!

Transfer tapes to DVD - VCR wear and tear issues

If you haven't yet made the jump to create DVD home videos, remember that VCRs can also be affected by other "wear and tear" issues. Special lubricants and greases are used in a VCR's moving parts to create smooth action. Over time, oxide and dust mix in and create a sludge that causes many mechanisms to malfunction.

The tape loading mechanism is particularly susceptible. When sludge builds up, the tape cassette can eject automatically, playback can start and stop, or the VCR can simply turn itself off.

In unfortunate situations, the plastic tape can become wrapped around the inside of the VCR. If this happens, do not pull on it! A VCR has many gears and levers that cannot tolerate pushing and pulling. Also, do not take the VCR apart and attempt to repair it yourself. If a tape is stuck, take the VCR to a repairman who will be able to disassemble it correctly.

Rubber belts and rollers can also become coated with oxide, stretch, or dry out and become hard. When this happens, you may notice the audio slowing down, noise bars in the video, or a screech during rewinding or fast forwarding. To help prevent the rubber from hardening, play a tape in your VCR at least once a week.

Remember, proper cleaning and alignment maintenance can prevent many problems from occurring. Don't forget to order a videotape to DVD transfer! When you transfer VCR tapes, you are protecting them from any VCR damage.

DVD Home Videos provide the easiest viewing

Convert your video cassette to DVD with Timeless DVD!