VHS questions from a newbie
 

Hi, all,

I have a bunch of VHS tapes sitting around gathering dust, and I'm getting the urge to watch some of them again. I also have a couple of VCRs.

1. Is there any way to to test whether a VCR is in working order short of inserting a tape and seeing what happens? If one of my VCRs is working, I don't want to risk jamming it.

2. Do you need an RF modulator to connect a VCR to a 90s-or-early 2000s vintage TV, or are those just for DVD players?

Thanks in advance.

The only way you'll know if it's working is to put in a tape. Might want to use a tape you don't care about so if it does jam you won't lose anything.

Before I stick a good tape in an unknown VCR, I put in a modified tape housing (cassette housing with the tape, reels, springs, clear windows removed) I use for testing purposes, put VCR in play, watch the loading mechanism for anything unusual, make sure the capstan and take-up reel turn, go to stop, then rewind, make sure the supply reel turns backwards, then eject making sure the supply reel turns again so it will retract the tape back into the housing, inspect and clean the heads, upper and lower cylinder surfaces, rollers and capstan as needed, THEN I put in an old tape and hit Play. If that goes OK then put in my good tape.

Most VCRs have a built in RF modulator.