How to clean Video Tape Recorder Heads

[usernamemykel]

Thanks for the video.

You might want to check out YouTube videos on how to use a nail brush and how to give yourself a manicure.

[twatlasher]

can i stick it in the bath and just wash it off with bleach and a lump hammer?

[Shayamoya2011]

Thanks Clem. I'm impressed. Thanks for the great tip! Simple but effective

[hansupgwai]

Wow - thanks so much that worked prefectly! I put a head cleaning tape through about 20 times and still no playback picture. I used your paper technique with a few drips of alcohol on the paper and was amazed by the dirt that came off!

Have to admit I was sceptical at first but I was so close to buying a new machine yesterday, Thanks!!!!!

[rhyskallen]

whys this called cooldudeclem

[georgevoinea84]

Thx Haity duude, that really helped! :D

[CLUTCHCARGOJR]

Thanks a million, Clem! I used your method on my ancient Betasaurus deck (which was showing only snow) with excellent results. Paper is cheap...head cleaner is not. Now I can continue transferring more old material to DVD.

Sir Clyde Crashcup.

[aicragleon]

Great video. I like this one and the one about adblock plus. Thanks man.

[dhaney22]

You saved my life! My children hog the tv in the den with their junky cartoons! My husband is away for work for 3 months- I bout them a VCR and some videos. They have been using it a few weeks and they came to tell me that the tv was all "scrambly". I found your video and it's fixed! I have never seen the inside of a VCR let alone cleaned one! I adore your sense of humor and you made it so easy to understand that even my 5 year old boy that was siting there with me, my screw driver, paper and i

[Jamie10004]

can i use any type of paper? Is sand paper ok to use?

[CoolDudeClem]

@Jamie10004 For goodness sake don't use sandpaper, even really fine grain will scratch up the heads and the drum and a scratched drum will in turn damge any tapes you put in it. Normal paper for writing on/printing will do fine.

[Jamie10004]

@CoolDudeClem it was a joke - ive been cleaning these buggers for years

[fordskool]

@Jamie10004 hahahahahahahhahahahhaha

[theRedRage]

Thanks a lot!, this really works, and it really helped me!. I literally couldn't see anything with some of my tapes, I could hear every now and then, but the rest was snow, ALL snow.

Everything is fine now, all my tapes play just right.

[jason24568]

I tried to record some TV shows on cable TV using my second VCR. If I played after I recorded, it becomes too snowy picture (but a sounds comes from the recording tape) Pls. Help!!!

[wwwy2000]

@jason24568 your vcr tape needs to be cleaned

[mczr00]

Dude i'm afraid i'm sending mine to a service. I got a -probably '91-92- akai and it seems really complicated (about that circle hell) to clean it lol..Thanks though =)

[trilogypart3]

This guy's certainly a bit odd, but he's right. This is one of the more clever ways to clean heads. The only thing he's doing wrong is his slight vertical movement. You should never move vertically when cleaning heads.

[ScrapNfight]

I still would think alcohol and a cotton swab would pick up more dirt

[TheOmegaman33611]

Any ideas on how to fix my Emerson 4hd DVD/VCR? Each time I put a VCR in the tape appears to load, but then the drum dies. Fast forward, rewind and play do not function. Please help if you can...

[mraldovera]

Gracias por el video. Sencillo y muy util.

[zagz005]

Good video man, simple.

[Arstar]

good video! is there anything i should be careful not to touch in there when it's powered on though?

[Lachlant1984]

@Arstar Well the first thing you don't touch is of course the power trransformer, usually it looks like a medal box at the back of the unit, generally don't touch parts you don't need to, perhaps get a plug in surge protector plug when doing this sort of work and make sure you have a circuit breaker fitted to your home's wiring, most people do these days.

[hpstarman]

great idea using paper ! as wet cleaner tapes that use solvent could attack the head winding coil insulative properties

[Lachlant1984]

This is very instructive, but for those of us who don't want to take our VCRs and Camcorders apart, do you think that cleaning cassettes are as effective as your technique of cleaning the head drums?

[W2QYVkz789]

Poor VHS

[taigagato]

Thanks... I think that did the trick!

[AidanLunn]

Also, don't forget you don't just clean the head drum, but you also do the audio/control and erase heads and also the various capstans and pinch roller.

[AidanLunn]

I see you have a Ferguson Videostar.

Mine's away being mended at the moment :(

Although my videostar was an earlier (1984) 3V45 model.

and it';s just the circuit board behind the eject button that seems to have got knocked out of place. Mechanically, electronically and cosmetically, my machine is 100% perfect :)

Those Videostars were built like buses!

[AnalogueJosh]

I usually use Nail Polish Remover and a soft tissue! Is this a lot better?

[CoolDudeClem]

I prefer not to use tissue or anything that is made of fibers and can tear. Tissue and nail polish will work well, but tissue could get caught up in the heads on the drum and could get stuck in there.

[AnalogueJosh]

It's better to use paper I suppose, it's virtually lint free and doesn't tear when the drum is spinning. (I usually did it when the machine was unplugged though and spun the drum round by hand) How about the cloth that comes with my glasses? that's very smooth indeed!

[AidanLunn]

Printing or envelope paper is best.

I would never use anything that has fibres that could easily break off, as these will become caught in the heads and you'll have a broken VCR, so things such as tissue paper and glasses cleaing cloths are not suitable.

[Lachlant1984]

@AnalogueJosh I'd be very concervative about using nail polish remover to clean magnetic heads, Nail polish remover is extremely strong, I'd be very worried about the damage it could do to the heads or other perts of the machine, I would have thought that Isopropul Alcohol would be good enough to clean the heads without damaging them.

[moonlightfury]

thx dude it worked

[ColumbiaTerrace84]

Hello, thank you so much for your head cleaning advice - my old videos play well now!

At the moment I have a problem with the playback on a Panasonic MiniDV camcorder. The problem was most likely a loose connection causing the tape to be misaligned so the picture is slightly distorted and there is no sound. I wondered if you know any way to manually adjust the tape alignment while playing the tape (the camcorder doesn't seem to have a tracking facility) so I can try to recover the footage?

[CoolDudeClem]

I guess you'd have to take the cover off and try adjusting the screws on the rollers either side of the head drum.

[gorton8andy]

@ColumbiaTerrace84 could also be the back tension that needs adjusting

[Alymero]

The problem with most VCRs is that the heads would get scratched after about two to four years of heavy use and it was basically cheaper to replace the entire unit rather than repair it.

[twelvemeister]

guy puts out some helpful advice and you make a cheap comment , bowenjaybee your a fuckin moron !

[Riddler95]

Back in the old days when VHS was a leading Video Format, I would simply clean the heads by dipping Q-Tips in 99% rubbing Alcohol and moving the Q-Tips along the heads.

I use the method when it comes to cleaning Lasers for CD Players, DVD players, and Game Consoles.

[AidanLunn]

Compared to Betamax, VHS has never been a leading video format.

[Riddler95]

I also owned a LaserDIsc movie.

[teletronikoforever]

Is your vcr a JVC?

[CoolDudeClem]

It's actually by Ferguson, but I think it was designed by JVC, I know that the tape transport is by JVC.

[AidanLunn]

Ferguson machines have always been re-badged JVC machines, as JVC used to hold the majority stake in Ferguson (who owned or part-owned many of the UK rental stores), which helped VHS win over Beta.

[wheel456]

thankyou, very helpful, i needed your vide

[4lewis123]

Thanks very much!

[bowenjaybee]

stumbled across this while looking for advice on cleaning my vcr, very interesting will try it. looked at a few of your other vids and one question came to me..... do you have a girlfriend? if not you need to get one fast!!!!!!!1

[whocaresnow2]

LOL

[l14m333]

Thanks, it actually works. nice one

:D

[abalonix]

This video was great help and much appreciated. He is a good instructor