Help -- I damaged my tape

I know how the folks in this group tape a lot of shows, so I thought you wouldn't mind helping me with my problem --

A terrible thing has happened to me!  I was making a copy of a tape
for someone in a newsgroup. (I have done that for people in this
newsgroup.)   I use a 12-year old JVC for the playback VCR and a
5-year old JVC for the recording VCR.   I was copying an entire 6-hour
tape.   I had my own precious tape in the playback VCR (naturally) and
the blank tape in the VCR that was doing the recording.

About 3 hours into this project, the playback VCR malfunctioned -- the tape came out of the cartridge and got stuck inside the VCR. I had to take the VCR apart in order to remove the tape without breaking or cutting it. I was able to rewind the tape inside the cartridge, so it looks fine. BUT, about a foot of the tape was a little bit wrinkled when I wound it back inside the cartridge.

My questions is this ----- will I be able to play my precious tape again? I have been reluctant to try it -- thought I would ask first, before taking a chance on ruining the tape forever. If you have had a similar experience, please let me know if you were able to play the damaged tape again. Thanks!!

[It goes without saying that I am going VCR shopping this weekend. I have gotten used to having two of them hooked up together like this. I think I'll retire the 5-year old VCR to the status of playback machine.]

Yep, you can play your "precious" again just make sure it's not all wrinkled.

George: "If you believe it, it's not a lie."

Yep, you can play your "precious" again just make sure it's not all wrinkled.

George: "If you believe it, it's not a lie."

Yep, you can play your "precious" again just make sure it's not all wrinkled.

George: "If you believe it, it's not a lie."

debbie wrote in article ...

Personally, I wouldn't put that tape back in my machine. I believe that the wrinkled tape can damage the heads on the VCR. I would suggest taking the tape to a professional for duplicating. They can at least bypass the damaged section if they can't use it. As in all magnetic media one should make a duplicate of the master and use it to copy from. This way the master is always protected.

"Peter K." wrote:

Thanks for the advice. I don't think I will put that tape back in the VCR, as you suggested.

But I don't understand your last comment, since I WAS making a duplicate at the time.

debbie

If there is a crinkle in the tape, chances are that the crinkled portion will suffer some degradation in visual and sound...but the only way to confirm that is to play that tape in another machine that doesnt eat tapes....preferably a newer one...like your 5 year old JVC...

I have two Sharp VCRs myself, a 6 head and an 8 head about 1-2 years old and i record lots of programs. I havent had that problem with my machines but i have experienced that with other older machines...

Rick Cancer Man :}

I WANT to believe