Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Question - What is this website?
Answer This website is an educational site for anyone who wants to learn how to fix VCRs. It also includes a huge database that contains common failures indexed by model number. Our knowledgebase also has valuable common failures for all VCRs as well as service instruction. Depending on a persons skill level, some of the easier repairs can be learned in a matter of minutes.

Question - Will I be able to fix any VCR?
Answer - No. If you are a beginner and you familiarize yourself with the basics on this website, you should be able to repair about 60 percent of the problems. As you become more familiar, your batting average should improve to 90 percent. Remember even the best repair shops seldom fix over 95 percent of the problems that cross their bench.

Question - Doesn't it require extensive electronic knowledge to repair VCRs?
Answer - Yes, but only for the most difficult repairs. That is about 5 to 10 percent of the problems. The rest of them actually require very little electronics knowledge. In fact, even with no electronics knowledge at all, you can still accomplish an amazing two thirds of all repairs. Remember, 10 percent of the knowledge fixes 90 percent of the problems.

Question - How can I tell if my repair shop has repaired my VCR properly?
Answer - You can't. We estimate that as many as 50 percent of all profesionally repaired VCRs are not repaired correctly. That is another reason to familiarize yourself with this website and learn how to fix it yourself.

Question - Are there any special tools or equipment needed?
Answer - About 5 percent of all VCR repairs require expensive equipment and advanced electronics knowledge to use it. The rest of the repairs can be done mostly with ordinary hand tools.

Question - Everyone knows that idlers and belts are very common problems in VCRs, why are they in your data base?
Answer - Not everyone knows they are common problems. Furthermore, not everyone is familiar with the symptoms these parts cause.

Question - What can I use for a monitor when troubleshooting my VCR?
Answer - You can use anything. Literally any TV in your house can be used as a monitor, even a black and white TV. They are small, compact and easily fit on your bench. Black and white can show just about any problem in a VCR except color related troubles. Color problems in VCRs are rare.

Question - Are all VCR problems in your database?
Answer - All of the common problems we are aware of are in the database. We have not made any additions since the year 2000.. Rare problems are not included simply because few people are likely to encounter them.

Question - We are not having much luck with this website. We have tried everything but can't seem to make any progress at all. What's wrong?
Answer -Your VCR is probably one of those in the top 10 percent of the most difficult to fix catagory. There is not much a beginner can do with one of these tough ones. In fact, many service centers don't repair many of these either because there is no money to be made on these jobs.

Question - My VCR was recently cleaned and the repair shop now says it needs to be cleaned again. Did they do it right?
Answer - Well I can't say for sure, but they probably did the job okay. It only takes one gunky cassette to get a perfectly spotless VCR dirty again. A technician can do an excellent job cleaning your VCR, but he can't prevent you from inserting dirty cassettes. Your best chances for running into gunky cassettes are cassttes rented at video rental stores. Many cassettes are rented to a huge number of people, which increases the chances for exposing rentals to gunky machines.

Question - On my VCR I found a fuse that was defective. After replacing it, as soon as I plugged it in, the new one failed instantly. Should I try another fuse with a higher value?
Answer - Under no circumstances should a fuse be replaced with one of a higher value. Also, anytime a new fuse fails, it should always be presumed that something is causing it to fail rather than presuming your new fuse was defective. If just one replacement fuse fails, you need to stop and investigate why. Trying more fuses will only cause further damage.

Question - When are you guys going to have complete schematics for VCRs online?
Answer - Right now we don't have plans for that. It would be a very intensive job to put those drawings online; also there are copyright obstacles with manufacturers that would need to be solved first.

Question - The model number on my VCR matches one on the database list except for the last letter, the suffix. Is this a good match?
Answer - Usually, but not always. The last letter usually indicates something minor like the color of the cabinet or a small option. In other cases a different suffix means a completely different VCR. To find out, look at the Database Page in question. You can tell by looking at the deck layout drawings if it is your VCR or not. Be careful when ordering parts off a different page. Sometimes an option can be an upgraded video head for example.

Question - The idler tire on my VCR is defective. You list both the idler tire and the complete idler assembly for my model number. Should I replace the tire or the complete idler assembly?
Answer - We recommend that you first read the Database Page for your VCR. If there are any strange problems with your idler assembly listed there, you should replace the entire assembly. But if nothing is mentioned, it is perfectly OK to replace the tire only.

Trivia Question - in the United States alone, how many VCRs are disposed of every year simply for dirty video heads?
Answer - 5 million. The owners who got rid of them had no idea they could be easily fixed with a simple cleaning. They did not want to hassle with repair shops and since the cost of new ones were relatively inexpensive, they chose to replace instead. Dirty video heads alone, generated over a billion dollars in new VCR sales last year.