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JVC SR-W5U W-VHS - Tracking error with regular VHS - Solved
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:05 pm    Post subject: JVC SR-W5U W-VHS - Tracking error with regular VHS - Solved Reply with quote


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So I decided to pick one of these awesome units up after reading up on them. I bought this one as-is untested, and well, you get what you pay for!

It works perfectly... if you don't mind watching the worst tracked image ever!

At the moment I only have standard VHS tapes to test the unit with, no S-VHS, no D-VHS, no W-VHS. The unit is fully capable of playing and recording VHS tape, so it shouldn't be a problem...

Well there is, the tracking for vhs is horrible, you get a snowy staticy picture, and if you turn the auto tracking off, you can manually adjust the horrible tracking to be slightly, ever so slightly less horrible. Needless to say, the picture is unwatchable.

So, I am taking a long shot in hell here that someone may know what the problem is? If theres any adjustments I can do? If YOU have the service manual?

I have tried locating the service manual online but I haven't been successful. And the instruction manual doesn't have a troubleshooting section, apparently JVC thought they were impervious to failure?

Anyway, any help would be appreciated before I start turning potentiometers on boards I have no idea what they do Razz

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Last edited by Jeremy112 on Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And I would also like to add, the picture is fully viewable in fast forward/rewind mode, at least as viewable as it gets while running the tape that fast. Basically it looks like the unit is tracking normally during rewind or fast forward
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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sat Jul 20, 2013 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You may have a dirty head, a bad head, an adjustment spindle may have move if the set screw came loose or someone was mucking with the adjustments.

I would first try just cleaning the head pickups. I use to use lacquer thinner and a que tip. Alcohol just never seemed to cut the buildup off. just wet the que tip and work up and down the pickups. try not to go back and forth since it usually catches the que tip fibers. Let it dry well, maybe 15 minutes or so before you test with a tape. If you don't and it's a little wet it will grab the tape and spit it all inside the mechanism. Then when trying a tape if it's still a little funny, just let it run for about a half hour. This will clean off any left over film. Try that and see what happens.
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

nope mac, unfortunately that didn't help. It's the oddest issue I've ever seen on any VCR deck, because when fast forwarding or rewinding in play mode (so you can see the video while FF or RW) the video looks perfect, its only when I resume normal playback does the quality get bad.

Like I said... Odd Razz

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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not odd at all. Normal condition when the head is bad. Again, slim possibility it's adjustment but more then likely a bad head. seen this same symptom piles of times.

How many pickups on head?
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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've changed many of heads back in the day. Was not uncommon.
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mac,

just an update... The heads must have been THAT dirty, it works PERFECT now Very HappyVery HappyVery Happy And WOW the PQ on this deck is honestly quite amazing for a standard VHS!, I'll have to up a screenshot Very Happy

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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did you use lacquer thinned or alcohol?
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used alcohol since I just didn't want to risk it on the heads on this unit. It's too expensive to experiment on Razz

I also used some electronic cleaner on the heads as well, between both of them that got it. I'm just glad its not a major issue, since when I opened the unit up, I found a broken off test lead still on a test point! So someone else thought there was something more seriously wrong.

and here's some pics of the working product!



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When I'm asking for a Model number, that doesn't mean I'm asking for a nude photo with your number on it Wink
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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So I told you alcohol would not work and what do you use, alcohol...... I think I'm offended..... NOT, LOL. Then you deserved having to put in the extra effort. Are you that afraid of thinner? Laughing
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well... The deck is worth about $1500....sooooo.... yes Laughing

I know I'm naughty... deal with it Razz But really thanks again mac, I wouldn't have reattempted the head cleaning had you not mentioned the symptoms of a bad head (Never came across a VCR that had a bad head assembly).

You da man!

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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeremy112 wrote:
Well... The deck is worth about $1500....sooooo.... yes Laughing




1500. I wonder how many of these I tossed in the trash over the years.

And don't give me that crap about not using the thinner because of it's value. Not working it's value is "ZERO".... Laughing

And the chance of finding a head now a days is very slim.

What if after your second cleaning with alcohol it still did not work? What would you have done then? Very Happy

EDIT: I'm seeing only @ 300 bucks selling on Ebay.
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

macgyver655 wrote:
1500. I wonder how many of these I tossed in the trash over the years.


If you tossed a SR-W5U or a SR-W7U or SR-W320U (or the Panasonic equivalent) you threw away too many Razz

Quote:
And don't give me that crap about not using the thinner because of it's value. Not working it's value is "ZERO".... Laughing


Actually it is worth about $300 bucks as is, untested. That's what I paid for it Wink

Quote:
And the chance of finding a head now a days is very slim.

Yes, it is. There are zero parts available for this unit, so unless you have a parts unit lying around, you're screwed!
Quote:


EDIT: I'm seeing only @ 300 bucks selling on Ebay.


That's a non working one as the description states, a few weeks back in the completed listings, one sold for $1,799 without a box or remote.

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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

And the SR-W7U is basically the same, just has BNC connectors in place of the component connections, and there was one other thing that was so unimportant, I don't remember!

A half working SR-W7U sold on ebay in the completed listings for $700

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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeremy112 wrote:
[, a few weeks back in the completed listings, one sold for $1,799 without a box or remote.


I'm not seeing that one but I'm curious to see what yours sells for. Maybe I'll start requesting a commission, LOL. Laughing
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macgyver655




Joined: 22 Aug 2007
Posts: 8508



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeremy112 wrote:
And the SR-W7U is basically the same, just has BNC connectors in place of the component connections, and there was one other thing that was so unimportant, I don't remember!



And a Cadillac is basically a Chevette with some options.......... Laughing Laughing Laughing

I couldn't resist. Very Happy
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

well... if its an Eldorado, then its basically an olds toranado Razz
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

macgyver655 wrote:
Jeremy112 wrote:
[, a few weeks back in the completed listings, one sold for $1,799 without a box or remote.


I'm not seeing that one but I'm curious to see what yours sells for. Maybe I'll start requesting a commission, LOL. Laughing


I won't be selling this baby, I bought it for myself mainly to record HD programming with it, and to have one good VHS deck in the theater. If a prettier one comes along, then I might sell it Wink

as for the $1,799 one, it isn't visible as of a few weeks ago presumably because it was listed 3 months prior to that and ebay doesn't keep anything on their servers for longer than 90 days.

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Tom.W




Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 6637



PostLink    Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Need some SVHS tape ? I have a hundred or so like new that have only been written on once and played maybe twice. Make me on offer... Wink

Damn these are expensive new !

http://www.amazon.com/Maxell-S-VHS-T-120-Tape-1-Pack/dp/B00000JMVL/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1374439444&sr=8-3&keywords=svhs+tape
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Jeremy112




Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 2645
Location: Fond du Lac, WI


PostLink    Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the offer Tom, sorry I didn't reply quicker. Yes S-VHS tapes are expensive. I don't really know why either, I know they are better than VHS but S VHS tapes can't do digital recording on these units so it makes one wonder why they are expensive.

I would need a D-VHS or W-VHS cassette for HD recording and playback. I know that I can use some JVC DS-124 tapes for HD recording, but I honestly am having a hell of a time finding blank D-VHS or W-VHS tapes.

Now if you have those... well, that might be something I would buy. Laughing

Thanks again for the offer tom!! I would try ebay on those, odds are someone will take them, especially if you have that many.

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