Samsung VCR no video sound only

[shonkster]

Its a combined DVD and VCR player... Still plays dvds fine... I was going through a stash of old tapes and was playing them then I got to one it would play for about a second then it ejected the tape. I tried to fast forward the tape and play again.. same thing... then every tape I tried after that I get sound but no video.... The tv even has the no video box bouncing all over the screen so no signal is coming out. No sure if head cleaning is going to fix this or are the symptoms leading up to it looking like something else could be wrong... the tape that I kept trying to play could have broken a belt or something? but if there is sound does that mean the belts are still in tact?
Some of the videos had a lot of noise..not sure if it was the tape or heads.. just a little weird that it goes from having video to completely no video... can that happen if heads are really dirty?

Thanks

[bob_m_54]

If there is sound, the tape is transporting over the heads. Possibly the video head is really dirty, or if it's worn, just a bit of grime will cause no video. The tape ejecting is usually caused by too much tension on the tape. Maybe the crook tape had a lot of grime on it and was binding on the posts too much. Pull it apart and have a look at the video head, audio head, pinch roller and capstan, guide posts and even the felt brake bands around the bottom of the spindles. clean off any grime with isopropyl alcohol, being very careful with the video heads. Best to use a chamois covered head cleaning stick paying particular care to only clean in the direction of tape travel (ie no up and down over the heads) don't try using a cotton bud or soft cloth on the video heads or you will snag them and damage them. A fine textured lint free cloth can be used if you fold it tightly to form a flat pad, but use minimal pressure and same direction as tape travel. Make sure you clean the complete drum also. If this doesn't fix it, you may have just have a damaged or worn head. The Capstan and pinch roller, if dirty, can cause the tape to ride out of alignment with all the heads. This will normally cause video problems first (ie tracking) with warbling or low audio.

Edit: of course you have made sure that the video cables are connected properly before doing this haven't you? lol.
re Edit: oops, scratch that, i just remembered, it a built in vcr isn't it.. my bad...

[Tiny]

+1 for what bob said. Also if it has a built in auto head cleaner (looks like a sponge wheel) near the video heads it will need a thorough clean.
It will have already been filled with grime & your last session will have totalled it. If you can pull the sponge wheel off & soak in isopropyl alcohol for a couple of seconds then squeeze it out.

That's how I fixed my old VCR, as head cleaning was only temporary without cleaning the auto head cleaning sponge wheel; the grime was just deposited back on again.
Since cleaning the auto head cleaner, mine is all good picture & sound.

Edit: BTW as our video tapes get older there is chance that they will grow mould or start to decay, so this maybe be an ongoing issue with your old tapes depositing crap on the heads.

[bob_m_54]

+1 for what bob said. Also if it has a built in auto head cleaner (looks like a sponge wheel) near the video heads it will need a thorough clean.
It will have already been filled with grime & your last session will have totalled it. If you can pull the sponge wheel off & soak in isopropyl alcohol for a couple of seconds then squeeze it out.

That's how I fixed my old VCR, as head cleaning was only temporary without cleaning the auto head cleaning sponge wheel; the grime was just deposited back on again.
Since cleaning the auto head cleaner, mine is all good picture & sound.

Edit: BTW as our video tapes get older there is chance that they will grow mould or start to decay, so this maybe be an ongoing issue with your old tapes depositing crap on the heads.

Good point Tiny. I thought those bloody foam wheels were a waste of time anyway and used to remove them more often than not. And yes about degradation of the old tapes too. Can be a pain in the bum if you don't know which tape keeps clogging up the heads etc. and soon after cleaning the VCR is back to being filthy again.

[shonkster]

I tried another tape today.. sound only... and it ejected after a few seconds... maybe i have a mechanical issue..

[mtv]

Is the sound FM from the drum heads or from a separate audio head? Eg: is the VHS Hi-Fi audio?

Seems you have a combination of issues, undoubtedly related to age/wear.

All rubber components are highly likely to have deteriorated. pinch roller, idler, belts, etc.

As mentioned, heads may be contaminated.

The tape eject may be due to dirty or faulty tape-end sensors.

A worn/faulty mode switch may also cause this to occur.

[TVguy]

The "No Picture" symptom is without doubt dirty video heads. Audio is provided by a stationary head and in a Hi-Fi machine by two extra heads mounted on the head drum (depth multiplexing).
The tape ejecting problem can generally be attributed to a defective centre gear which is part of the reel drive mechanism.
All Samsung decks of this vintage perform a quick tape length / position calculation when any winding or play mode is selected.
The centre gear splits and consequently the tape drive does not wind at any defined parameter. The tape is ejected to prevent damage.
The fundamental design philosophy in any VCR transport deck system control is to protect the tape from damage if a fault is detected.
This will be a labour of love if you choose to proceed with a resurrection of the product. If you have do not have experience in disassembling one of these units, please seek out a service manual before leaping into uncharted waters.
Good luck on your journey into the joys of the Video Home System. Electromechanical devices are fun.