VCR audio tape problem

[paullangevin]

About 15 years ago I recorded operas onto about 65 VCR tapes. I want to transfer them to CD's. Now when I try to play them, they play well for a few minutes, but then the sound is distorted for a few seconds before playing well again. This is repeated throughout the entire tape. I have tried several VCR players with the same result.
Any suggestions?

 

[Cosmic]

Paul,

If the tapes were stored badly (humidity, stacked poorly) they definitely could develop problems.

'Excercise', just winding them through from time to time, can make a lot of difference in how they stay playable.

Try fast-forwarding/rewinding one all the way through before attempting to play it, and see if this will help.
That will at least loosen up the layers of tape, and may give you a shot at playing it on one of the machines.

Using manual tracking (if any of the machines have that function) may help too.

Good luck with it.
C.

 

[rayc]

What Cosmic said!
Tape is tape is tape.
I think it's called print through - anyway storage (ought to be store like books in a library), not being wound/rewound (prevents the chemicals bonding the layers & the magnetic signal bleeding/impressing/infecting the next wind), etc.
Bummer!