02/11/2023
PSA - Be careful with your tapes, and don't put them through an untested player!
Here's an example of a VHS tape that was put through a faulty VCR.
You can see some sticky residue on the tape, which came from a deteriorating foam roller inside the machine that was once supposed to be part of an "auto-clean" mechanism.
You can also see a crease in the tape, which resulted from it pulling against a sticky patch from the foam gunk in the machine.
If this tape plays at all, it will transfer the gunk to whichever VCR it's played in. The video and audio signals will also be affected, resulting in flickering, lines, crackling, blank screens and possibly eventual dropping of the signal, with the video now unplayable.
The tape may also sustain further creases or tears as it struggles through a faulty mechanism - you might remember old/worn VCRs "eating" tapes, unspooling them within the machine and sometimes snapping the tape itself.
If you want to try playing a tape in a VCR, make sure you test the machine with a tape you don't mind losing first. Don't risk your only copy of a cherished home video.
All my machines are regularly tested and maintained, and I check all tapes before digitising them - I'll ensure that your tapes are safely digitised and your memories preserved.
