My VCR in SLP and LP modes will not get clear when i press AUTO TRACK now..... I started noticing it slightly on 1 tape months ago but none else (That movie is SLP on that tape) then I didnt use my VCR for 4 or 5 days and when I went to use it again,it was really bad in LP/SLP mode.... I press "Auto track" and it gets clear for a split second and then messes up again....

Sometimes it screws up in SP mode also but thankfully not like SLP/LP!!

Could this be very dirty LP/SLP heads? (Safe head cleaning tapes (not abrasive) do not fix the issue)

I hate that head cleaning tapes ONLY CLEAN THE SP HEAD (roller,etc) -- It doesnt touch the other 2 heads does it?? (When the SP mode head is active the other 2 arent touching the tape I dont think are they??)

I started getting alot of tapes off ebay that were recorded in SLP mode mostly and I was scanning to see what was on them...... I hope the SLP/LP heads are just very dirty....

I dont understand how it worked fine after I scanned all the tapes and then about 3 or 4 days I didnt use my VCR and then next time i did BAM it doesnt work well in SLP/LP mode.... (It wont properly track (The top of the picture is messed up (On any tape in SLP or LP mode)))

I dont wanna lose my VCR..... Sometimes if I press MANUAL TRACKING I can get it pretty good. (But bright colours still dont show right sometimes)

Are the 2 heads for SLP and LP just dirty guys?

My poor VCR hasnt ever been cleaned more than just with a head cleaning tape meant for SP mode..... (The transport has been slow for about a year... I dunno if something is jammed in it or what -- Im afraid to take her apart as I dont know what Im doing in there!!)


ARE THERE ANY CLEANING TAPES FOR SLP AND LP??

Thanx for any help....

You're right that you don't know what goes on inside a VCR...The spinning head drum contains ALL the video heads and virtually every machine uses the same heads for all video speeds (and even the few that don't always have the EP heads in contact with the tape so the cleaning tape would attack them the same as the SP heads). There is basically no VCR that takes any heads off the tape in play mode.

Cleaning tapes are kinda a bad method to clean the tape path as they leave dirt on the edges of the tape path that can build up.

If you want to clean it well take something like soft deer hide or a microfiber pad (but not one with loops like a towel) with rubbing alcohol on it, press it against the side of the drum with one hand (do not move the cloth), and spin the drum with the other hand, then use Qtips and alcohol to clean the stationary erase audio and control track heads, rollers etc.

Thank you buddy.... Your right I sure dont know.....

But I do know how much I love my VCR :)


Muchos Gracious!!