The VCR heads are dirty.
There are several guides online for this.
- Here's a basic one: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...rcleaning.html
- Or a far more complex one: http://books.google.com/books?id=NXE...age&q=&f=false
The most important rules are
- Cleaning tapes are useless. They just smear, rarely can they actually clean and remove dirt/dust/debris.
- Do this in a clean environment, not a room full of dust, not after you've vacuumed, not with kids running around, no cats/dogs trying to watch you, etc.
- No Q-TIPS!!! Nothing cotton. Use non-cotton swabs.
- VCRs are fragile. You can clean and service them, so don't be scared. But also realize this isn't a lawnmower, you can be too rough with it.
The streaks on the blue screen are odd. That almost leads me to believe the unit is defective, maybe hit by lightning strike or surge, or has some kind of error with overheating. Maybe the thing is full of dust or lint? I'm hoping it's just in need of cleaning, however. That's what the other images show, the ones where a tape is playing.