Maxell HGX-Gold (4 pack) VHS-C Tape Logo
Josh Dawson Posted on Feb 07, 2009

VHS-C tape jumpy when playing back

I am trying to play back the movies I have on several VHS-C tapes but they keep skipping. When they skip, the audio cuts out and the video goes to blue screen. I have tried a couple VCR's and adjusting the tracking and am still experiencing the problem. The camcorder went bad a couple of years ago. Is there something I can do to get the tapes to play correctly?

I had to identify a product to post this, but we are having the problem on Maxell, Sony and TDK tapes and two different brands of VCR's.

  • 4 more comments 
  • Anonymous Mar 04, 2009

    They are home movies on VHS-C tapes I recorded on a Panasonic camcorder between 2001 and 2004. Sorry, I was not aware store bought videos had been available on VHS-C.

  • Josh Dawson Mar 04, 2009

    They are home movies on VHS-C tapes I recorded on a Panasonic camcorder
    between 2001 and 2004. Sorry, I was not aware store bought videos had
    been available on VHS-C.

  • Josh Dawson Mar 04, 2009

    Thanks jtalsman. So am I experiencing a weak signal or did the tapes somehow become "Macrovision" protected? If they became "Macrovision" protected how could it have happened so I can avoid doing it to any other tapes? And most important, which amplifier(s) would you recommend?

  • Josh Dawson Mar 04, 2009

    Thanks jtalsman! So is this a problem with the signal being too weak or did the tapes somehow become copy protected with Macrovision? If they did become copy protected, how do I avoid having the tapes which don't skip become copy protected?

    Which signal amplifiers would you recommend? I want to be able to import the video into my MacBook Pro so I can burn them to DVD.

  • Josh Dawson Mar 04, 2009

    Oops, I didn't see that the comment I posted earlier showed up, long day.

  • Anonymous May 11, 2010

    Are these Home movies, or store bought videos?

×

3 Answers

Anonymous

Level 1:

An expert who has achieved level 1.

New Friend:

An expert that has 1 follower.

  • Contributor 1 Answer
  • Posted on Aug 02, 2013
Anonymous
Contributor
Level 1:

An expert who has achieved level 1.

New Friend:

An expert that has 1 follower.

Joined: Aug 02, 2013
Answers
1
Questions
0
Helped
2971
Points
1

When I had the same problem, one of my friends told me to try pressing and holding the tracking button on the remote and it worked! :)

Anonymous

Level 1:

An expert who has achieved level 1.

New Friend:

An expert that has 1 follower.

  • Contributor 3 Answers
  • Posted on Jul 22, 2013
Anonymous
Contributor
Level 1:

An expert who has achieved level 1.

New Friend:

An expert that has 1 follower.

Joined: Jul 22, 2013
Answers
3
Questions
0
Helped
3287
Points
3

When tapes get older or are played frequently, they begin to stretch. Sometimes this throws the audio and video slightly out of sync and other times the video just cuts to a gray, or blue screen. All you can do is try to adjust the tracking and transfer to DVD ASAP.
There is no macrovision on home movies, and nothing like that was ever available on any type of VHS-C, so disregard the post above.
For copy protected tapes the macrovision only shows up as color bars or static when the VCR is plugged into another VCR or DVD conversion device directly. You must go through the TV first to see signal.

Ad

Anonymous

Level 1:

An expert who has achieved level 1.

Corporal:

An expert that has over 10 points.

Mayor:

An expert whose answer got voted for 2 times.

Problem Solver:

An expert who has answered 5 questions.

  • Contributor 17 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 04, 2009
Anonymous
Contributor
Level 1:

An expert who has achieved level 1.

Corporal:

An expert that has over 10 points.

Mayor:

An expert whose answer got voted for 2 times.

Problem Solver:

An expert who has answered 5 questions.

Joined: Mar 04, 2009
Answers
17
Questions
0
Helped
12255
Points
37

My apologies, I overlooked the "-C" in your post.

This problem is due to a type ofcopy protection built into vcr's.

"Macrovision" copy-protection is merely a weakening of a particular part of the signal that makes up the picture and was primarily intended to prevent people from copying videotapes. I imagine almost everyone's seen it but probably didn't know what they were seeing: the resulting picture is a little jittery and is in black-and-white or alternates between black-and-white and color. The reason you're seeing a blue screen is because modern televisions, in the absence of a signal or a weak signal, will just show a blue screen instead of snow or a very poor picture. As mentioned above, you can get around Macrovision by inserting into your connections a signal amplifier that specifically amplifies the portion of the signal that Macrovision diminishes.

Add Your Answer

×

Uploading: 0%

my-video-file.mp4

Complete. Click "Add" to insert your video. Add

×

Loading...
Loading...

Related Questions:

0helpful
1answer

How can i fast foreward commercials with the vcr

If you are watching a tape, simply use the FF button to skip forward until you see that the commercial is over, and then press PLAY to resume playing.
If you are watching a live TV program, the short answer is - you cannot. You need a PVR or TIVO or such device to be able to do that - and even then you have to be time shifted back at least the duration of the commercial you want to skip first!
0helpful
1answer

The DVD part of the machine keeps skipping and now just won't play any DVD's.

I push the VHS Cartridge in, it drops down to the play position, the front door opens, the tape comes out, it goes around the chrome wheel that is spinning, but it will not play, will not rewind, will not fast forward. It then shows "Error" and the machine shuts off, with the tape still around the chrome wheel, When I turn the machine back on, the VHS Cartridge ejects from the machine. This machine has been used very little, I loaned it to my Son In Law and it came back with the VHS Tape Deck not playing. I have the machine open, so I can see what it is doing.
0helpful
1answer

RECORDS JUMPY PICTURE, PLAYED TAPE ON ANOTHER VHS PLAYER SAME EFFECT.

You could have some dirt on the tape heads,or the tape drum so the tape is not running straight
0helpful
1answer

I have a Sharp VC-A410 and while watching a movie play will start flashing on the screen and it looks like the movie is skipping.

try a head cleaner tape, or professional head cleaning... aslo try another tape. Videotape is easily damaged as are the heads...
0helpful
1answer

VHS won't play correctly - no picture, muffled low voices

Several things.
Check the tape, by opening the cover, to see if the tape is damaged. Look for signs of crinkling at the edges. This is often caused by the roller being worn on one of the VCR.
If it's damaged there's not a lot you can do.
If there's no damage try taking it out of the cassette box and fitting it in a new 'good make' blank tape tape box, discard the new tape in it. Still no good?
Next step, is the tape a movie/tv made by a commercial company. Or a recording on a blank tape?
Did it ever play? (if a movie) if not suspect a pirate tape report seller to FACT.
If a blank tape, try recording on a blank section. If that doesn't work and your video will record on other blank tapes. The tape has something wrong with it.
Some video recorders will play tapes with bad problems IE bad tracking, that others refuse to play, but you will either have to find one owned by a friend or buy one with that claim.
0helpful
1answer

My VCR tapes skip or only play in fast forward

If you are recording the tapes in a slow speed, then I would suspect that the tracking pulse is not being recorded properly. Since this is a new VCR, return it for an exchange. One of the recording heads is bad.
Dan
4helpful
2answers

VHS Won't play

i had the same problem and it turned out my motor was getting realy weak from exessive use and it would cost me more to fix it then it would be for me to buy a new one
0helpful
1answer

Video 8 tapes

can u play the tapes live from cam use a video caputer card on pc record them live as u play as avi clips then u can save them all on dvd movies using nero 7 vison
0helpful
1answer

Adapter question

There are no such adapters that would allow 8mm, Hi8 and Mini DV tapes to be played in a VHS VCR. Only the old VHS-C tapes can fit and play in an adapter. There are several reasons why 8mm (or Hi8 and miniDV tapes) cannot be physically played in a VHS VCR: 1. 8mm (Hi8, miniDV) is a different format with different technical characteristics than VHS. These formats were never developed with the intention to be mechanically compatible with current VHS technology. 2. 8mm/Hi8 tapes are 8mm wide (miniDV is 6mm wide), while VHS tape is 1/2" wide, making it impossible for a VHS video head to read the taped information correctly. 3. 8mm/Hi8/miniDV tapes are recorded and played at different speeds than VHS, so even if the tapes could physically fit into a standard VHS VCR, the VCR still couldn't play back the tapes at their correct speeds. 4. 8mm/Hi8/minDV audio is recorded differently than VHS. 8mm/Hi8 audio is recorded in AFM HiFi mode, while miniDV audio is recording in 12-Bit or 16-Bit PCM digital audio format. So, even if the video could be played back in a VHS VCR, the audio could not be read properly. 5. 8mm/Hi8 video is of higher resolution than VHS and is recorded in a different bandwidth length (miniDV video is recorded digitally), so once again, a standard VCR still could not read the information correctly, even if the tape could fit into a VCR.
Not finding what you are looking for?

2,981 views

Ask a Question

Usually answered in minutes!

Top Maxell Electronics - Others Experts

Brad Brown

Level 3 Expert

19187 Answers

ADMIN Andrew
ADMIN Andrew

Level 3 Expert

66849 Answers

David Kassin
David Kassin

Level 3 Expert

981 Answers

Are you a Maxell Electronics - Other Expert? Answer questions, earn points and help others

Answer questions

Manuals & User Guides

Loading...