My daughter gave me a VHS tape with some camcorder home footage on it for me to copy to DVD via my pioneer 520. The tape played OK for a few minutes then went to sound only with just snowy lines. Any other tape I tried to play in the VHS machine would only play sound so I suspected the VHS machine. However I tried the same tape in two other VHS machines and have got the same results. Now between us we have 3 VHS machines that wont show pictures from ANY tape. Is it known for a single tape to mess up machines in this way?

I've seen this when the tape was either so old the oxide was coming off, or contaminated with something sticky. Try cleaning the heads on one of the machines and see if that revives it.

Tried cleaning a couple of times (dry type head cleaning tape). No difference. I may remove cover from one and have a closer look.

Paschal

Cheap tapes can cause this problem especially. You may have to clean the heads manually but do so very carefully otherwise you can damage them beyond repair.

I have some head cleaning sticks which are small pieces of chamois stuck onto plastic. I bought them years ago and have tried to replace them without success. You moisten it slightly with head cleaning fluid and then, as I say, clean the heads very gently.

Don't try to play a tape for an hour or so after cleaning to allow the fluid to completely evaporate otherwise you will dissolve the oxide on the tape and make matters worse.