What causes a dark picture on a Panasonic AG-1980 VCR?

[volksjager]

the worst part about the whole process is removing all the tape from the full donor reel.
this is where kids can come in handy

also you can use rubber gloves to handle the tape

[TylerDurden389]

I hung a plastic shopping bag on a door handle, put the "wheel" part of the spool on the thick end of a drumstick, held it at like a 30 degree angle and just started pulling the tape and watched it all roooooll into the bag. Took about 5 minutes.

**edit** Ok. I popped out the other anchor clip, put the other end of the film onto the other vhs spool (was much quicker this time now that I know what I'm doing), put it back together again, and played it. Success!!! I rewound and fast forwarded and everything went smoothly!!

Stupid question: KPMedia, when say "computer tweezers" do you mean "anti-static" tweezers (ie: plastic)? I'm not really getting any results with google and ebay when I type in "computer tweezers" lol.

[kpmedia]

I put "computer tweezers" into Google images, and this was in the first 3:



Just like the middle one. It's something in almost all (decent) computer tool kits.

Use them only for the the clip -- not the tape (excluding tape right around the clip).

[TylerDurden389]

KP, when you say, "no metal", you mean in regard to handling the tape, not the clips, right? Cuz unless I'm wrong, those tweezers are metal on the ends.

[kpmedia]

Yes, clips.
No, tape.