Video tape damage

[gwaithcoed]

Just been sorting through some E180 video tapes. I found one, a very special one of my grandchildren as they grew up had somehow got chewed up in the recorder.There is about 2 inches that I would like to cut out and then join back together. Is this possible? has anyone done this? and if so how?. The recorder is working fine, having tried it with other tapes.
Another tack I was thinking, if it's not possible to join it, is to sacrifice another tape, cut out the damage and then using the sacrificed cassette to make two tapes.
Here's hoping help is at hand

Alan

 

[doorframe]

Hi Alan. I was a TV/Video engineer back when there was actually some business in that sector. (Apprenticeship with Radio Rentals.... remember them?, then approx 10yrs self employed)

Splicing the tape is possible. You used to be able to buy purpose made jigs/kits. The correct type of 'sticky' tape used to join the video tape has to be as thin as is possible. Thinner than conventional selotape. Also, the resultant joined tape must be in a perfect straight line. The 2 tape surfaces must be a perfect butted-up join, with no overlapping, else you will probably damage the heads. Even witth a perfectly made splice, you'll get some very heavy lines running up/down the picture for about 2 seconds while the repaired section is in contact with the head. It still may clog the head, and the head may then require a manual clean.

NB. The splicing tape must be on the reverse side of the video tape, NOT the side that comes into contact with the heads!!!

If you're planning to put it onto digital media (DVD), you'll be better to just record it with the damaged section, then edit the final result to remove the damaged image.

Good luck.

 

[gwaithcoed]

Thanks for that doorframe. Yes I am going to put it on to a DVD but didn't know whether the damaged section would travel around the pick up heads without further damage.

Thanks again Alan.

 

[doorframe]

The damaged section will do no more harm than a repaired section.

Most it should do is clog the heads, most modern-ish machines have an auto head cleaner, that works when you first load a tape, so if it does go all 'snowy', just eject and start again, then edit when it's on digital.

Good luck.

 

[RogerS]

The damaged section will do no more harm than a repaired section.

.....

Agreed but in my experience if the tape is really badly chewed then there is a high chance that it will get caught up in the mechanism and end up chewing more and more.

Grayorm...if it plays OK over the chewed up bit then I'd go for the suggestion made by doorframe and copy it over then edit where needed.

 

[doorframe]

A poorly repaired tape is more likely to get snagged, especially on the upper drum. I've seen yards of tape get wrapped round the heads in a matter of seconds as a result of a poor 'repaired' section.

Being a self-employed TV/Video/Audio engineers was never going to make me rich, but it was by far most enjoyable occupation I ever had.

Or should I say the 'least hated' occupation.

The problem was that too many full time employed chaps were moonlighting for pocket money, using spares, tools, vehicle etc supplied/stolen from their employers, which made it hard for people like me. Got even worse when the likes of Radio Rentals, DER, Multi-B, Granada, Visionhire, Rumbelows, Redifusion, and all the rest went to the wall and suddenly hundreds (or even thousands) of TV engineers suddenly found themselves without a job. 1st thing they did (after going down to sign on at the job centre) was stick an advert in the local papers. Fortunately for me I'd already done my C & G Electrical 236 so moved on to a new career. Then in walked all the Easterns and that was that.

Oh well, rant over. Good luck with your video.

 

[Benchwayze]

I always had success with Sellotape's 'Magic Tape'. It's ultra sticky, but peels easily too. It never fouled up either. (I cut the ends at about 45 degrees by the way, and stuck the tape on the rear side of the video-tape. I made sure that I trimmed the tape to the width of the video-tape itself after applying. (I'm not sure I didn't apply tape to both sides, come to think. )
HTH

 

[Shrubby]

Sellotape magic is what we used for editing and track laying film sound back before digital post production
I wouldn't play the tape until you,re ready to transfer it -old video is fragile stuff
Matt

 

[gwaithcoed]

Got it sorted. Thanks everyone for your comments.
I decided to open up the VCR and insert a good tape just to see how things worked. Ran it back and forth, played it, ejected it and then was ready to try the damaged one.
I manually rewound the tape a little so that when it started to play there was a good section going around the pick up head before the damaged section.
Finger ready on the stop button I pressed play.
No problems as it started and then I saw the damaged section coming through, but other than losing the picture to a muddle of flashing lines for about 2 or 3 seconds it ran OK.
I rewound it and played it back a few times without any problems and now I will download it to a disc.

I must say a big thank you to one of our members (I won't name him but he knows who he is) for the offer to borrow a splicing machine that he had, how very kind thanks again.

Alan