Tape stuck in uvw1800 beta cam sp (by 2 users)

One of your reel motors died. Most likely the takeup side. If You can't get the tape out by the menu solution, remove the top panel, unthread the tape by rotating the loading motor which is in the rear right corner towards yourself. If the tape doesn't spool back into the
cassette by now you need to do this by using the menu. If you find the "cassette motor" check you might be able to use that to use the one functioning cassette motor to get the tape reeled in to the cassette. Pay attention to the arm that swings out in the middle in front of the drum. It's the "tension arm" and it tends to hang up after about 10 years when the grease in it hardens. If you see that happen the cure could be manually pulling it back while the tape unthreads. Oiling that joint afterwards could keep
it from happening again.

Rich Dudley,
Betacam Expert (jrdtrucker@verizon.net)