Fostex r8 help!

[antispatula]

Ok, so I don't know anything about reel to reel, really. I got an r8, and I'm trying to figure it out. This is my problem:

I've threaded the the tape through (right, I think......) so that the knobs on each side lift up, allowing me to play the tape. I start playing the tape. Everything is going ok, but then myabe 3 seconds into playing, one of the knobs go down because there isn't enough tape tension. Now this is proabibly a simple problem with a simple answer, but maybe not? I have not idea . Help would be very lovely, thank you so much. And the tape seems to be going a little fast..... And I have NO IDEA how to work the controll panel.....

Oh, and is there a place I can download the manual?

EDIT: Oh, I think I just threaded it wrong......