Entertainment Center: TVs, Stereos, VCRs and DVDs - Old Mitsubishi VCR

I came across your site on Google. I have a really old Mitsubishi VHS-hifi VCR, model HS-430UR (c. 1985). I still loads and plays, but the hifi sound is all distorted, yet the picture is clear. If I turn off hifi, then the mono linear audio plays and is clear. One suggestion made to me was that the hifi audio heads were messed up. Yet if the video drum also records & plays the hifi, wouldn't the video be messed up, too? By the look of the features on this thing, it looks like it was a top-of-line deck in it's day. Any ideas on what could be wrong w/ it?

Good Morning, Madness:

It may be the second audio head is bad or it may be just out of alignment. Either would cause the situation you describe.

For troubleshooting the VCR, here is a good site to have in your favorites files:
http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_vcrfaq.html

If you need a service manual on the unit, here's a couple of places to check:

http://www.aa4df.com/manuals.htm

http://www.tech-wiz.com/manualsm.htm

Smokey ;)

Hey Smokey, thanks for the reply. I'm gonna check out the links you provided. I bought this VCR at a garage sale. Last night, I tried one more thing: I made a test recording on this deck and played it back on one of my other decks. The hifi is clear on recorded tapes! Mighty strange!

Good Afternoon, Madness:

Nothing strange about it, actually. The RECORD and PLAYBACK heads may be two separate entities. It may record all right but the playback heads could be out of alignment.

Thanks for using DoItYourself.com. We enjoy talking to new folks.
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Smokey ;)