this is happening to me with my new toshiba DVR620KU DVD Video recorder/Vid?

Basically, your tape's been chomped. Just like audio tape recorders, VCRs chomp tapes too. You CAN fix it yourself. Here's how.

1.) Turn the machine off, unplug it and leave it unplugged for a good half a day. This is because the internal coils retain a whopper of a charge and it takes AT LEAST that long for the charge to trickle away. Respect the charge, it's a doozy!

2.) Undo the screws and remove the top. Yup - you've just voided your warranty, so only do this if it's run out anyway. And remember - it's currently knackered and you can't make things any worse.

3.) In the VCR side (if it plays DVD's too - they're two totally different mechanisms and boxes joined at the hip) you'll probably see a huge wodge of tape tying everything up in a pretty Christmas parcel. Scissors time.

4.) CAREFULLY start cutting the tape away. DO NOT LET THE POINT OF THE SCISSORS JAB INTO ANY OF THE MECHANISM, IT WILL DIE IF YOU DO THAT! When you've removed most of it, you'll prob. find the last bit is jamming the release mechanism. That's where you have to enter E.R. Star Surgeon mode and EXTREMELY PATIENTLY snip and remove the bits tangling the mech. up. Tweezers could help here if bits of tape are jammed into bits of mechanism or other internal gear.

5.) When you're sure there's no tape left wrapped around anything, and it's incredible how good the last bits are at hiding themselves in dark corners and cavities, put the top back on and screw it down. Don't try to test it with the top off, you will spill liquid inside it, or the cat will jump in and land on the bare coils, or your toddler will go 'What's that, Dad...' Once it's screwed back together, plug it into the wall, not the telly yet, and turn it on.

6.) Once you're sure you haven't just created a bomb, press the EJECT button. The drawer should slide open with the wrecked tape in it. If it tries to open and can't, chances are there's a tiny bit of tape left inside clogging the mech. UNPLUG AND WAIT AGAIN FOR THE POWER TO LEAVE THE COILS (another good few hours even if you didn't have it plugged in long - coils recharge at lightspeed, literally. That's how fast electricity moves.) Then reopen and check around the drawer where the tape is for any bits you've missed. The bits will prob. be around the cogs that control the opening of the drawer.

Repeat the above last step until the drawer opens. Sorry for the stated waiting time, but that's exaggerated safety - those coils hold the whole power of the mains, the machine's running off the coils, not off the mains itself. The mains just recharge the coils.

When you've got it reopening, try another tape you don't care about. If that gets chewed too, the mechanism's been bent a micro bit out of whack and the machine's dead. You'll never restraighten things accurately enough. With a bit of luck, though, it'll work again.

I've been keeping my one going for many years and many chewed tapes like that. How to stop the tape from being chewed in the first place is the same for VCRs as for audio tapes - make sure the tape's wound nice and tight in the cassette. You'll always find one of the spools will turn enough for you to tighten things up.

Hope this helps! Watch out for residual coil charge, you'll feel like you've had Mike Tyson tapdancing on your ribcage. I know this.......

Yours respectfully

Christopher Burke

Christopher Burke
July 2010

there are several reasons that might cause this and rather than go thru the reasons, I'll just give you some ways to retrieve the tape and start over.

Try completely unplugging the unit from the wall and waiting atleast a full minute before replugging. This allows the unit to reset and possibly spit out the vcr tape... If it doesnt behave as before...try pressing the eject VCR button..
1. if that works... you should be good to go..
2. If not, try pressing and holding the on/off button for atleast 30 seconds to reset the unit.
3. If that doesnt do the trick... chances are you have a faulty VCR unit... the exact mechanism is the Idler Arm.. which picks up the tape when you put it in the machine and holds the tape against the tape heads.
When it doesnt release properly, you have this problem. Unfortunately, repairs cost more than replacing the machine.

However, If your unit is brand new (less than 30 days) exchange it at the store you bought it...more than 30 days but less than 90 days most manufacturers will cover the repair or replacement. Contact them. Unless you have a longer warranty... you will find that repairs often are almost as much as a new machine.
Good Luck

Frank
July 2010