Poor tracking

I am having problems with my RCA VR502 VCR is not "tracking" right.
It normally does it automatically when I sticked the tape in to play
it. I cannot even use the manual tracking to get the video straightened
out! Funny thing is, when I fast-forward or reverse the video, then
the picture straighten out correctly. I don't know what the problem,
dirty heads, no lubricant, or sensors that has gone bad?? It's a ten
years old and it can still displays the yeardate correctly, at least
until the year 2011 !:-| It's been a good vcr and I am not through with
it yet! Any suggestions? Thank you for your help!

<chesucat twitched>

 

I am having problems with my RCA VR502 VCR is not "tracking" right.

Clarify, please.

When you say "straighten out," you mean when any "snow" in the picture is gone?

When you fast-forward or reverse, do you mean you have a picture only when you
go into those visual search modes or does it come back and then go away when
you get the deck into playback mode again?

The only two possibilities I can think of is that your VCR either requires a
complete cleaning of the tape path (NO cleaning tapes) or that the useful life
of the video heads have come to an end. - Reinhart

 

Certainly! What I mean, is that when I stick a tape into the VCR to
play, I can not get the video to "track". Usually the VCR does some
kind of automatic tracking, according to the owner manual. But there
is also a manual tracking button that I can use to improve a
particularly stubborn video tape. I thought maybe I could clean the
heads with a long cotton swab and some alcohol. But the machine is 10
years old, so the second possibilities might be likely?!

Thank you for your assistance!

~/chessucat

 

With a machine that old, replacement heads may actually be the
cheapest solution- my JVCs all use the same ones and the last time I
replaced a head, it cost all of £5.60 UKP.

Try Telepart, or Grandata for replacement heads, unless you are rich
you want the "replacement" head not the OEM one. While you are there,
get the relevant service kit and replace all the consumables (pinch
roller, idler, belts, etc).

-A