Home› TV and Home Entertainment Technology
Click here to check out Digital Spy's Tech section for the latest news, updates, reviews and cheap deals.
Options

snapped video tapes help required

iceolaiceola Posts: 1,315
Forum Member
✭✭✭
in TV and Home Entertainment Technology #1
Got a few video tapes that have snapped,and there could be more.
I had one of my tapes "repaired" and it cost 25 pounds
Is their a tape repair machine that I could buy to save forking out 25 quid each time I snap a tape?

Comments

  • Options
    anthony davidanthony david Posts: 14,507
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #2
    iceola wrote: »
    Got a few video tapes that have snapped,and there could be more.
    I had one of my tapes "repaired" and it cost 25 pounds
    Is their a tape repair machine that I could buy to save forking out 25 quid each time I snap a tape?

    If your tapes are snapping your machine is faulty, probably beyond economical repair. Editing blocks are possibly still available but unless you are very careful the join may damage the video heads permanently. Try Cash Converters for a replacement machine if you must use this obsolete format.
  • Options
    iceolaiceola Posts: 1,315
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #3
    Thank you for your reply,I have three video reorders so its not so much defects with the video recorders,more a case the video tapes are getting brittle
  • Options
    Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,520
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #4
    iceola wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply,I have three video reorders so its not so much defects with the video recorders,more a case the video tapes are getting brittle

    But why are you using tapes?, which have been obsolete for many years.
  • Options
    iceolaiceola Posts: 1,315
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #5
    They are mostly football tapes from the 1980's and 1990's
  • Options
    victorslotvictorslot Posts: 619
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #6
    If they are so precious that you need to keep the content then you really should convert them to a digital format. There are various options for doing that with capture cards for your computer.
  • Options
    David (2)David (2) Posts: 20,632
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #7
    You can also buy combination video & DVD burners which connect to your TV. Expensive though.
  • Options
    iceolaiceola Posts: 1,315
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #8
    Thanks guys for all your replys
    I was going to start transferring them onto the hard drive of my

    problem is I don't want to start transfer them and then some tapes start to break
  • Options
    davidsevendavidseven Posts: 3,336
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #9
    iceola wrote: »
    Thank you for your reply,I have three video reorders so its not so much defects with the video recorders,more a case the video tapes are getting brittle
    Unlikely, I would have thought. I have audio tapes dating from the 50's that are still fine to play. Likewise VHS tapes from the late 70's. Check the back tension on the decks, check and clean any rubber items, belts, rubber tyres etc as they will oxidise over time.Old pinch rollers becoming barrel shaped and hardened seems common.
  • Options
    radioman2radioman2 Posts: 1,562
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #10
    Brittle tapes are very unlikely. I too have cassettes that are over 35 years old that play fine. Transfer to DVD but keep any cherished recordings somewhere cool and dry, not in the garage or attic. Nobody know how long the DVDs will last and of course hard drives don't last either.Not that long ago everyone was saying that vinyl was obsolete and people were either giving their vinyl collection away or selling it for peanuts,now vinyl is making a comeback so those who hung on to vinyl are laughing.


    davidseven wrote: »
    Unlikely, I would have thought. I have audio tapes dating from the 50's that are still fine to play. Likewise VHS tapes from the late 70's. Check the back tension on the decks, check and clean any rubber items, belts, rubber tyres etc as they will oxidise over time.Old pinch rollers becoming barrel shaped and hardened seems common.
  • Options
    iceolaiceola Posts: 1,315
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #11
    Regarding the VHS tapes some of them were five hour tapes,so maybe that didn't help.
    The thing is with video tapes is that there is very slack and they can be very "tight"

    As opposed to audio tapes,I know snapped them in the past and loosened the tapes
    and joined them together with sellotape

    Having said that, still looking for that magical video tape repair machine.
Sign In or Register to comment.