Fast forward and rewind VHS before capturing?

[Padawan]

Pretty simple question right

However every 4th or 5th VHS tape I do this to prior to capturing breaks off the spool right at the end. Is this normal for 30 year old tapes?

I then have to take it to the younger guy a few doors down who charges me $20 Australian ($15 US) to fix it. Good pocket money for him.

So is there any advantage video quality wise from doing this or if it is already at the beginning of the tape can I just start capturing?

It doesn't bother me. I'd just rather not pay him if I can help it My hands shake too much these days to do it myself.

Regards,

Paul

[dpalomaki]

Maybe tend the machine as it does the FFD/REW and stop it before it reaches the end of the tape. Then use play for the last bit of tape. No need to FFD/REW beyond the end of recorded material. The FFD/REW first action can give a smoother playback for tapes that have sat without playing for an extended period of time.

Glues used in tape can dry out over time, so occasional snapping at the end of an old tape is not unexpected even if generally rare. Some brands may be more prone to this than others, and storage conditions can make as difference as well. Also, some VCR's may provide rougher tape handling, have weaker end of tape breaking than others adding to the issue, especially as the VCR's age/wear. Skilled servicing of the VCR can reduce this.

[koberulz]

Reattaching the tape end is pretty simple. I had that happen to me once and all it took was a couple of YouTube videos and a small screwdriver and I had it back together in perfect working order.

[lordsmurf]

You might mess up a tape that had only 1 good playback shot. I recently had a personal tape that captured worse with every pass. It was from the early 80s, back when Maxell was not great (BASF was best in those early days).

Never REW/FF unless you have problems.

I actually wrote a tape repair guide recently, but it's not done yet.

Most of those Youtube guides really suck, terrible advice that leads to damaged VCR heads (example: using adhesive/Scotch tape on the magnetic videotape). No surprise here, seeing how Youtube is often a cesspool of bad video advice (like cleaning VCRs with cotton Q-tips).

[Tony_Shaul]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

You might mess up a tape that had only 1 good playback shot. I recently had a personal tape that captured worse with everything pass. It was from the early 80s, back when Maxell was not great (BASF was best in those early days).

Never REW/FF unless you have problems.

I actually wrote a tape repair guide recently, but it's not done yet.

Most of those Youtube guides really suck, terrible advice that leads to damaged VCR heads (example: using adhesive/Scotch tape on the magnetic videotape). No surprise here, seeing how Youtube is often a cesspool of bad video advice (like cleaning VCRs with cotton Q-tips).

Hi Lord Smurf,

I'm surprised you don't FF and REW tapes unless absolutely necessary.

Most guides - yes Youtube and on the dreaded Google search - say to do so to retension the spools?

If the tape is half way through do you start to play it and then push the rewind button so it gets back to the start more slowly?

Cheers,

Tony

[lordsmurf]

Youtube has lots of stupid "guides" from people that have zero professional background in video, and don't know any better. Newbies see the advice, repeat it, all the while not realizing the advice came from somebody that knew little more (or even less) than they did.

For example, cleaning VCRs with Q-tips. All over Youtube, really stupid advice.
This is no different.

Again, tapes may have one shot at quality capture. Each subsequent play can harm the oxide. It's not normal for tapes to be this bad, but tapes have a lifespan of 35-65 years in ideal indoor condition. But VHS has been around for 40 years, and lots of people made the mistake of keeping tapes in attics or garages.

If a tape is halfway through, I'll usually play it for 2-3 minutes. Then rewind. Play the same segment. Oxide damage will be obvious, many dropouts will appear. Damaged tapes are also removed from the most expensive decks, and put instead into decks reserved for "dirty" work.

[sanlyn]

People who never rewind a tape to even out the ridges and promote smoother tape flow will probably never know the difference, so let 'em bah-humbug all they want. It's their loss. FF+REW in an older machine or not-primary player (DO NOT use tape winders) that is routinely cleaned to clear tape dust and grit. Then allow the tape to rest about 48 hours after rewinding so that tape's natural elasticity does its smoothing and flattening act.

You will never be able to 100% prevent dropouts from appearing on old tape, and even tape that has never been played in its lifetime and kept wrapped or unused will develop dropouts. The only way to avoid dropouts is to never play the tape

[c0unterph0bia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanlyn

People who never rewind a tape to even out the ridges and promote smoother tape flow will probably never know the difference, so let 'em bah-humbug all they want. It's their loss. FF+REW in an older machine or not-primary player (DO NOT use tape winders) that is routinely cleaned to clear tape dust and grit. Then allow the tape to rest about 48 hours after rewinding so that tape's natural elasticity does its smoothing and flattening act.

You will never be able to 100% prevent dropouts from appearing on old tape, and even tape that has never been played in its lifetime and kept wrapped or unused will develop dropouts. The only way to avoid dropouts is to never play the tape

Thank you so much for posting this. I tried FF+REW multiple times and wasn't noticing much of a difference. Then I saw your posting suggesting people wait 48 hours. I went back and watched one of the first tapes I converted to digital and noticed about 75% fewer screen artifacts than FF+REW with no 48 hour waiting period.

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I hope everyone who is about to convert tapes sees this first! I wish I had!

[Eric-Jan]

spot the error!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanlyn

and even tape that has never been played in its lifetime and kept wrapped or unused will develop dropouts. The only way to avoid dropouts is to never play the tape

[sanlyn]

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not funny
[removed]
try to learn something from actual experiences others have had. That's what forums are for.

[Eric-Jan]

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you really should read again what you post.
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the moderator(s) should really delete some stuff, if they are really as serious

[lordsmurf]

I think I see the "error" and humor here.

Look at it again, break it down more:

Quote:

tape that has never been played ... will develop dropouts

Quote:

only way to avoid dropouts is to never play the tape

It's just word play, it reads humorous on first pass, seems like conflicting statement. But it's actually not, has correct grammar. And we all (probably, hopefully?) know what you mean here.

To reiterate the facts:
- All tapes suffer errors, used or not. (The same is true of optical media.)
- The only way to not see errors is to not see the tape. (Facetious statement, not to be taken literal. For purpose of making the point, and in an amusing way.)

Not sure what the argument was for...

[Eric-Jan]

maybe optical media has a different kind of error correction ? i know the Compact Disc has, (Reed Solomon) i once owned a vcr that had a good drop-out compensation, other(nearby) tv lines where copied into the drop-out "space"
There were some clever "tricks" in this analog technique called VHS ! I love the Databits youtube channel !