What to do with mono VCRs, non-working VCRs?
 

I have some extra VCRs in storage and was wondering what to do with them. I can get model numbers if needed.

Emerson mono VCR/DVD combo - DVD side works, VHS shuts off when tape is inserted. Works as an RF (de)modulator on the VHS side at least. no remote

a Memorex mono VCR, and a Pansonic mono VCR blue line Omnivision - works perfectly on all playback speeds but I have little use for a mono machine as I build home theaters. no remote

an RCA mono VCR - plays SP perfectly but the V-hold and audio are bad on all LP/EP tapes. I recall it playing LP fine at one point so maybe it just needs a cleaning. the fact my family members last had it set to record EP before losing the remote also says something. no remote

a Panasonic PV-S7670 stereo S-VHS VCR - I have three of these and the one in question here is the only problem one. It used to play every VHS tape making it look as if they were illegal copies of Macrovision'd movies. It was easier to decipher the image on faster recording speed tapes, and the screen would sometimes roll and this would be worse on slower speeds. Picture would get increasingly stable as playback continued but stays Macrovision-looking the entire time. Auto-head cleaner looks clean enough. After cleaning with wet computer paper, the image went completely black during playback with nothing decipherable. However, before and after that cleaning, the Hi-Fi audio was always playing fine. This VCR works fine as an RF (de)modulator, though Macrovision on DVD players will show up even when not recording. I have two remotes for this model and plan to keep them both for the working ones I have.
There is a sticker on this machine with handwritten drawings of the outputs on the back, leading me to think this was a heavily-used unit in a school with constant hooking and unhooking.

Properly functioning low-end VCRs, even if mono, can be useful at times.

Non-working low-end VCRs are usually best recycled. These are almost never worth repairing. Sometimes GenZ/Alpha kids like to tinker with VCRs, to learn about "old stuff". So you can always give those away for free. It always best to learn on something that doesn't matter if damaged more.

There are still mountains worth of low-end consumer VHS VCRs that do work. Not that those have much value, and should not be used for many tasks.

In the past ~5 years, on social media (mostly on Reddit, mostly on /VHS), users have head-canon'd this false idea/myth that low-end consumer VHS Panasonic VCRs were excellent if those had a "blue line". It's all nonsense. The fact is that Panasonic VHS VCRs were some of the most miserable decks you could get in the 90s. Better quality VHS VCRs were made by Sharp (and rebadges), Toshiba, and Sony. By contrast, JVC and Panasonic made some of the best S-VHS VCRs ever made, and some of the worst VHS VCRs ever made. With few exceptions, but "blue lines" is just ridiculous. Nobody who was involved with VHS in the 90s-00s ever stated such complete nonsense.

Some VHS VCRs have "big brother" S-VHS decks, and those may share parts. Those are worth keeping as "for parts" decks.

This is general advice, sometimes exact model number will flag as an exception. General rules exist for a reason, and exceptions never overrule rules.

Most likely dirty contacts on the mode switch. On some Funai-made combo models a quick fix you could do is take off the front panel, and then hose it down with Deoxit-type contact cleaner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLjQVGDDpnw#t=17m50s

Sometimes, maybe. :unsure:

But "clean the mode switch" has become the latest (and misplaced) fix-all advice, not too different from "clean the heads". For too many years there, heads were getting destroyed by bad cleaning techniques, when the heads weren't even the problem. Equally, many decks are now being destroyed by people messing with boards without proper diagnosis, especially when the fix calls for squirting stuff into the unit.

I've even seen VCRs ruined by a person squirting WD-40 inside. :mad4:

I hope I don’t sound rude, but in what ways could they be useful at times? I know Phil from Gotmemories likes to stick dirty tapes in multiple different models before saying “this tape is dirty,” and he says that’s a reason to own many VCRs. I don’t digitize tapes often and I have a dedicated mold cleaner (VHS Is Life) for anything looking suspicious.

All I can think of is using them as a tape rewinder/previewer, in order to save wear on a high end deck.

That and maybe the mono audio quality would be better than some other models?

- tape rewinders
- dirty tape playback, to see if content on the tape
- misalignment decks
- props
- repair practice decks

It's not junk, just junk adjacent.

Be very careful with that VHS Is Life item. It spews mold into the air. Use that outside, with an N95 mask on, if you value your health and your family's health.

I use VHS Is Life with the vacuum tube connected and turned on so it sucks up mold before I can see it. Is this safe?

Somehow I doubt you'll cry over a destroyed last-gasp mono Funai.
Save that for cleaning your vinyl records. :p
How to remove crackles from a badly used vinyl with WD-40?

Vwestlife, someone last night quoted the "survivorship bias" phrase regarding your Funai VCP/DVD combo video. I'm not sure what they were trying to say.

Disregard.

That comment was not serious. That person was trolling, using 3 accounts, and is now banned.
Locked thread: https://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/vid...ture-card.html

Oh. Sorry for bringing it up. Anyway, is it safe to use VHS Is Life with the vacuum tube sucking the mold? I've never seen mold fly anywhere when using it.

Mono VCR could be used for cleaner ( just remove head mechanism and u can use as tape cleaner)

Probably. But mold is nasty stuff, so I'd still suggest doing it outside.

Some years ago, I was rushed to the clinic/hospital, unable to breathe well. I'd bought an item online, removed it from the shipping box, and plugged it in for testing. It had a fan, and it spewed mold when I turned it on. My throat immediately closed up, my nose filled, and I could not breathe much. I had to have a very large needle jabbed into my "side butt" (rear upper thigh), and that sucked.

I learned 2 things that day:
(1) I am apparently highly allergic to a certain mold in certain region of another state.
(2) I always open and inspect items now, when those have fans, and were bought used. (That saved me at least once more some years later.)

Great idea! But still, do that outside, not in your home/office. You don't want to spew tape contaminants into your lungs.