Panasonic PV-1545 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR Video Output Issues
 

Greetings everyone, just recently I had acquired the second HI-FI VCR Model Panasonic Made in 1985 the PV-1545 (I had previously acquired their very first Hi-Fi Unit from 1984 the PV-1730, but that one had some really odd issues with the loading mechanism that I was unable to resolve) This one I had some loading mechanism issues as well but it turned out that it was due to a dry-rotted idler tire and the unit loads and and plays, f-fwds and rewinds as it should now, but for some reason even though the audio works as it should video wise it doesn't work right, all I get when I try to play a tape is snow on the screen, and no its not a tracking issue because when I adjust the tracking control the snow doesn't clear up. Its kind of similar to the same issue I had with my 1980 Panasonic PV-1750 Top-loader VCR which with that one the problem with the video was bad capacitors on the video output boards where the capacitors had peed on the board (they physically leaked electrolyte on the board and the leads on the capacitors corroded and turned green from the leaked out electrolyte) and once I replaced those old leaky capacitors it started working fine, but I didn't think that Panasonic had issues with their capacitors still in 1985...:scratch2:

Any help with this issue would be appreciated, especially if you can let me know if I am on the right track or if I'm barking up the wrong tree.

Are the (video) heads clean? Caps don't have to leak to be bad. They are almost 40 years old as well as the rest of the components. It really could be anything.

As redk9258 pointed out the caps don't have to leak to be bad especially at almost 40 years old. One test you can do is while the deck is in PLAY is touch one of the RF input lines to the head preamp to check it for life, you will see a change on the monitor as you introduce more noise. If no change scope the output and look for any RF coming from the amp.
If there is life take a good hard look at the head gaps for mold, I've actually seen this myself and it will lift the tape up just enough to kill the signal.

OK, thanks, I'll check those things out.

Is the guide posts going into the v stops and snug?
Seem to remember the gears that drove the guide posts had a tension
spring which broke free.
Doug