Panasonic video killed by toddler - HELP!!

[Peter Guest]

Olivia (21 months) seems to have killed the VCR. It's a Panasonic
HS825 SVHS VCR

I can get it to do nothing. It's plugged in and the power lead is OK
(I've tried another lead from a different wall socket. There is no
display at all. She was seen fiddling at the front. She can't reach
the back. Is there some standby mode she can have switched it into?

There is definitely no power.

Peter

 

[Wayne Tiffany]

My first thought is that maybe she dropped something in the slot - like
pennies, or something, that could have shorted something. It's a pretty
inviting slot, and to see Mom & Dad put stuff (tapes) into it, then do it
herself. Just a thought.

WT

 

[Peter Guest]

I hope not! Two weeks ago, she pushed a tape and 3 DVDs into the slot
- she's also destroyed the child proof guard for the case all the
video / dvd / cable is in!

Peter

 

[LASERandDVDfan]

I hope not! Two weeks ago, she pushed a tape and 3 DVDs into the slot

- she's also destroyed the child proof guard for the case all the
video / dvd / cable is in!

Next time, find ways to put your stuff in an elevated location where your kid
can't reach it, and find ways to keep her from figuring out how to overcome it.


Disciplining the child somehow may also work, too, but only if she can
understand why she's being punished. - Reinhart

 

[[email protected]]

I hope not! Two weeks ago, she pushed a tape and 3 DVDs into the slot

Did ALL of them play at the same time? <LOL>

 

[Andre]

Um - tell the child that "the VCR does not need feeding!"



-A

 

[Andrew Rossmann]

[This followup was posted to sci.electronics.repair and a copy was sent to
the cited author.]

I hope not! Two weeks ago, she pushed a tape and 3 DVDs into the slot
- she's also destroyed the child proof guard for the case all the
video / dvd / cable is in!

I've seen locking covers you can 'plug' into the VCR slot to prevent
anybody from inserting anything.

It might also help to keep a tape in it. Anything put in will sit on top
of the casette instead of dropping onto the electronics or mechanical
bits.

 

[jakdedert]

Next time, find ways to put your stuff in an elevated location where your kid
can't reach it, and find ways to keep her from figuring out how to overcome it.

There's also a danger of the child getting his/her pudgy little paws stuck
in the slot. It might not look like it, but they could get 'hooked' on the
door. The harder they pull, the more pressure the closing door is gonna put
on the hand...sorta like Chinese handcuffs. At that point many things could
happen. The child may panic and pull harder, with the possibility of
abrading tender skin; or pull the unit off the shelf if he/she's big
enough...damaging either equipment or child...or both.

Disciplining the child somehow may also work, too, but only if she can
understand why she's being punished. - Reinhart

Agreed...and certainly worth the lesson of 'that's daddy's, and this is
yours;' but the danger's not worth it until they get to a certain age.

As far as the original post...the only option is to open it up and look. If
there's a foreign object in there, removing it may help. It can't hurt, as
it doesn't work anyway. Be sure to disconnect it first!

jak