need help with Aiwa VCR: jumpy picture

[izavorin]

I have a multi-system Aiwa VCR that I bought 6 or 7 years ago. So far it
had worked great. Now things are starting to go downhill. First tapes
would not load. This was solved by turning the unit upside down. Then
about a 2-inch horizontal horizontal line appeared at the top of the
screen. And now the picture became so jumpy that I can't watch it. What
could be the reason? Tried different tapes with the same result.

By the way, I really do not want to get rid of it because it's a
multi-system converting VCR and I only have an NTSC TV and a bunch of PAL
tapes I still watch.

 

[[email protected]]

I have to ask, but have you ever cleaned the heads?

 

[[email protected]]

I have a multi-system Aiwa VCR that I bought 6 or 7 years ago. So far it
had worked great. Now things are starting to go downhill. First tapes
would not load. This was solved by turning the unit upside down. Then
about a 2-inch horizontal horizontal line appeared at the top of the
screen. And now the picture became so jumpy that I can't watch it. What
could be the reason? Tried different tapes with the same result.

By the way, I really do not want to get rid of it because it's a
multi-system converting VCR and I only have an NTSC TV and a bunch of PAL
tapes I still watch.

This very week I have changed a pinch roller in an aiwa vcr. It was
like nothing I had ever seen, at least not in a vcr less than 5 years
old with moderate use - *totally* hard, *totally* shiny and glassy. Of
course, the complaint from the owner was that the picture was
distorted.

Inside there were heaps of shed oxide and black tape dust where the
tape had been scored and crinkled along the tape path. By the sight of
things, they must have played about half their cassette collection on
it before deciding to have it looked at.

Anyway...Open the machine, put it into play and check the tape is not
'riding' up or down on the guides immediately before and after the
capstan/pinch roller point.

if your pinch roller looks Ok, and has a bit of "give" in it when
squeezed, be sure to clean the A/C head, and tape path as per the faq
www.repairfaq.org . The tape path may need aligning if the roller
guides have moved out of position, but dont jump into that without
checking the other stuff first.

Your loading problem is probably caused by a slack belt - replace this
and clean the pulleys before installing another.

If you dont feel up to all that, get the unit to a tech, as
multistandard units are worth looking after!

regards, Ben

 

[Mark D. Zacharias]

Sounds like maybe the tape path has gone out of alignment. It happens -
usually a guide roller has slipped.

Mark Z.