HiFi VCR stereo audio sounds terrible?

[pishta]

I have 2 older Hifi VCR's (JVC HR-S8000U and a Mitsu HS430UR) and both can play Hifi tapes (audio only recorded off FM in 1992) but both have a slight static background on the Hifi track, but when switching to mono it sounds crystal clear. I understand the hifi track is FM inside the VCR and 12voltvids repair on youtube says the caps fail on the FM boards and thats what kills the hifi track on these decks. I dont even know where to start looking on either of these decks as the 8000U is wall to wall PCB with through hole components while the HS430 is about half the boards but still packed with components. Ive tried cleaning the heads and nothing is showing on a white buisness card rubbed horizontally on the rotating drum heads.

[latreche34]

It's called head switch noise, Just get a newer HiFi VCR (late 90's and 2000's, it doesn't have to be high end), Must have the drum stator on top, and follow these adjustment I demonstrated.

[timtape]

Sometimes manually adjusting the Tracking, usually by pressing the channel - or + buttons can improve things. I never attempt head cleaning while the drum and heads are spinning. The high speed impact can destroy the tiny, fragile heads in a flash. Mild clicks on the HiFi stereo tracks can usually be reduced or removed using Declicker audio restoration software.

[aramkolt]

The 8000U is extremely complex inside, I've seen a few repair videos on them. I'd say if you don't work on VCRs often, you're more likely to make it worse than better in this particular case just due to how many boards are inside (12voltvids says there's 25 different circuit boards inside, but my guess is that's more of an estimate than an exact count and lots of jumper connectors that go between them all) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8An2f1xk_zs

While they look cool, the number of failure points makes it not something I'd personally work on or use as an archival VCR

You may do what you wish of course, but yeah, probably needs some recapping on one of the audio boards at a minimum, possibly power supply as well.

[pishta]

Great, I have a newer VCR/DVD recorder that plays all my hifi tapes perfectly, it just lacks the manual controls of either older TOTL decks as all the display seems to be on screen (with no monitor in my rack). I dont plan on doing any more recording so perhaps its time to move them on. Im actually getting a 2nd 8000U for a working remote and possibly a brighter VFD with a faulty transport. We'll see what I can do with 2 in front of me.

[pishta]

2nd 8000U arrived. This was considered a parts deck as I bought primarily for a fully functional remote and a less hours (and hopefully brighter) VFD with this purchase and all the literature too. Added bonus is that it actually works (contrary to the sellers description as not working) BUT it does not decode (?) hi-fi audio...? I put a Hifi tape in and it goes from Hi-fi to normal in about 2 seconds of playing and wont come back, regardless of the audio monitor switch. There was impact damage evident as described (fake wood side panel cracked and bottom front panel clips broken) and Im thinking perhaps there could be a tracking issue? Would that knock out the hifi stereo indicator if it is out of alignment? I ashamed to admit that I dont even have a video source out in the garage where my rack is to check tracking on one of my Disney tapes (hey, I had 3 kids!) perhaps Ill drag a coax in from the garage to my 60" tocheck picture quality. The heads were clean as I got nothing on a white business card and 99% IPA. Safe to say I know jack about VCR alignment but if its like azimuth and tape path alignment on a 3 head cassette deck, I could give it a shot with a video signal.

[pishta]

adjusted the tracking and now Hifi can lock back in! Then I attempted to switch the modular power supplies to see if VFD voltage would be different. bricked both power supplies, no display at all..... Found CP3 (circuit protector) on switched mode power supply board 02 had opened so I replaced with a 1A/250V CP I found in my parts bin, Its a 12v unswitched rail that provides standby power to VFD (clock, etc) and soft power. Deck is back up and running. even with a measured -30V to the VFD, some portions are just dim, mainly the clock. I had an old DIY tube operated variable power supply that could pump >300V out but the variable portion went out while it was hibernating....;-( Ill have to look up some old schematics from popular science 1970 ish to find this build.