SONY SLV-770HF EATS TAPES SOLVED!

Just wanted to post on this easy fix for tape eating machine. If you
take the cover off and observe, you will see an "arm" swing forward in
the vicinity of the rubber idler wheel when the tape loads. When you
eject the unit, this arm does not properly retract, catching the
tape. The problem is the lubrication on it has gone dry. The problem
and tips on fixing are described here:

http://www.fixer.com/dbase/sony/slv750hfs5.shtml

I have also posted the contents here in case the link dies:

Symptoms: half load arm
1.) eats tape.
2.) tape loads incorrectly.
3.) cassette ejects with a loop of tape caught in VCR.
Check half load arm to see if it pivots freely. The half load arm
keeps tape in contact with the ACE head, which feeds information to
the reel time counter. The half load arm on this VCR sticks. The cause
is dry oil.
The Cure - clean and re-oil the pivot point for the half load arm.
Make a sketch for the spring to reassemble it correctly. To get the
height right, mark the nut and count the turns. Difficulty rating 2 -
easy.

Be sure to take a few photos and carefully examine the mechanism prior
to disassembly so you can re-assemble properly. Count the turns on
the spring prior to disassembly. Carefully observe how deep the nut
screws into the threaded part and count the turns as indicated above.

Good Luck!

 

This is common knowledge among the VCR repair crowd, but for those who
didn't know about it - THANK YOU!
Please continue to share tips.

 

I had the same issue with a similar model Sony. The tape used to emerge with
a serration along the bottom edge.
After lubricating the swinging arm, rather than using the turns for the nut
to set the arm height, I used a torch to shine on the tape as it passed over
the pivot arm.
By adjusting the angle of the torch beam and my viewing line I could observe
a distortion (flexing) in the tape surface due to pressure at the bottom or
top edge of the tape guide. With a little tweaking of the nut I could centre
it for no distortion.

As a separate tip, I also use my digital camera to record details during a
disassembly, particularly for wire colours/positions. It sure saves a lot
of sketching.

Don