Hi, if anyone can help...
Someone gave me an old JVC BR8600 VHS editing recorder, which his friend retired from use at his video production studio.
The unit was dead except for the rear fan but I managed to identify faulty power regulator and replaced it, and the machine was up and running, how sweet.
The problem was that the VCR would load the tape around the head assembly fine, then after a brief pause unloaded to the cassette housing.
I took it apart as far as the loading mechanism and cleaned the photo sensors. Then it seemed to get better, and play back a tape, as long as its length, then for the second tape it refused to spin the take-up reel. If the unit is powered off for a while and powered back on, then it would play one tape, then the same thing with the second tape.
I tried to see what was wrong, and attempted cleaning where I could, and checked all contacts on the loading assembly, it all seemed fine, put it back together, then it happened - the loading mechanism wouldn't respond to cassette being inserted.
There are two photo sensors on the either sides of the loading mechanism. Could it be that they are faulty, or something on the mainboard like caps had failed?
Does anybody have clue as to what can be the problem? Any advise I'd appreciate!
FWIW, I'm attaching a service manual that I found on the internet.
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Oops, the file didn't get uploaded... Admin edit: Fixed! 
Here's a link:
http://freeservicemanuals.info/servi...C/br-8600e.pdf
Best regards from Tokyo!