Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U Top of Screen Has Colored Diagonal Lines
 

Just picked up a Mitsubishi HS-HD2000U VCR in mint condition. The image is incredibly stable and detailed. I can’t get over how good this VCR looks. But I’m having an issue that I cannot seem to resolve.

The top half (50%) of the screen has these colored diagonal lines/bands. They’re not perfectly stationary, but kind of waver back and forth. If I engage TBC, they are drastically reduced. But I can still see them on the top 25% of the screen. If I pause the image, they completely go away.

It’s like this on virtually every single tape I own, from commercial to stuff I recorded. This VCR has auto tracking, but I also played with manual electronic adjustment. It does not have effect on these lines. Nor does physically adjusting (with the screws) the height of the guide rollers.

I also tried several different cables (I’m only able to use composite), as well as tried to plug the VCR in alternate outlets.

At this point I’m at a loss on what this could be. I’ve attached a picture, but it’s really hard to capture these lines. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

That's Chroma noise I think, or herringbone patterns.

Someone else will explain it better and recognize it instantly.

It's interference.

Since you say its on every tape, it must be crosstalk either from cables or between circuits inside the recorder.

I would start by swapping out the cables your using. In particular be sure your using S-Video cables and they are not laying across any other cables.. at least move them around. Do not connect the audio cables while testing.. you looking for the source of the signal.

It might even be coming from your wall outlet or mains.. if you can move the VCR to a different circuit entirely..

Hopefully you'll find the source of the interference is external and can adapt to it.

But if its internal it could be anything from Dust settling on the main board and offering a path to introduce cross talk or a failing capacitor somewhere on the board creating crosstalk.

Its a fantastic VCR.. just don't let anyone talk you into the dredded.. "cleaning the heads"..

(It is Never, The HEADS).. people reach for that and damage them into oblivion .. never ever clean the heads.. you can't recover from that.. you can't buy parts or go backwards and undo that damage.. it is PERMENANT.. do not clean the HEADS.

Tried several cables, no change. Also tried the VCR in an entirely separate system, in another room. And also no change. I have a feeling you’re right, it may end up being electrolytic capacitor(s). Took the unit apart, there are a total of 176 of them in there! None of them are bulging or outright dead, but one 1000uF measured less than 600uF and several 330uF measured under 30uF. So not good. This will be a pain.

I don't know anyone working on these VCRs for sure. You might check with Tgrant Photo. He specializes in bringing back VCRs from the brink.. but he generally has more business than he can handle. Getting on a waiting list.. if he will see your VCR.. is often a very good thing. But its not cheap.

That would be the first best route to try.. doing it yourself should be a last ditch effort.

That noise doesn't look so bad if you can get it repaired.

Just don't put getting it repaired off.. the places that will work on them are closing up shop and going away.

Thanks for your replies and help. A bit of an update... I replaced several of the worst measuring caps in the PSU, but there was no change. I then disconnected the power harness to the enclosed in metal circuit board with the FireWire connections and everything immediately became perfect. That board has a dozen or so surface mount electrolytic capacitors, a couple of them measure out of spec. I don’t have any on hand, so I’ll have to order them. I guess the problem lies somewhere on that board or its power supply. Maybe in its shielding?

There is no advantage on that model to repairing the firewire board or circuit.. and you risk damaging the rest of the VCR by replacing its components.

If simply disconnecting the firewire daughter card clears up the signal. Then leave it disconnected and declare victory and run far far away from any further troubleshooting.