Help!!! VCR plays at wrong speed.

[numlock]

I've got a bunch of VHS tapes recored in EP (SLP) mode but all my VCRs will play them as if they were in SP So the playback looks like as if it was fastforwarding.

I tested it on about 5 different VCRs with the same result.
On one of them I was able to force EP speed in which case it played OK but I could only hear the sound and there was no picture

TIA

[Qjimbo]

Yeah, even Long Play can vary between different VCRs, god knows why JVC allowed such inconsistancies... But yeah you might have to see if you can find the original VCR they were recorded on, as thats possibly the only thing that can play them back.

[Mug Funky]

yep, what Qjimbo said.

EP is not an official part of VHS, and so VCRs makers aren't required to support it. also, it's not really standardised (LP mode might be.. i'm not sure) so every manufacturer most probably does it differently. though it's a good bet that it'll be half the tape speed of LP which is half the tape speed of SP, and so you can still get lucky.

[gameplaya15143]

if:
SP=2hr

then:
LP=4hr
EP/SLP=6hr

EP is NOT half the speed of LP
very few VCRs these days can even record in LP :mad:

[Inventive Software]

'Scuse me? Find a VCR and it's 95% certain it'll record in LP. Mine does, it's used heavily! If you can get an older model, say 15+ years ago, you may find it plays EP. I remember our old Sony VCR used to play EPs, then it went bust. :(

[fccHandler]

Find a VCR and it's 95% certain it'll record in LP.
I have two, and neither will record in LP. If it matters, they are the Sony SLV-585HF (about 15 years old) and the Sony SLV-N51 (about 5 years old).

[Inventive Software]

If they're really new ones, then they might not. That's unfortunate, as I now have a Samsung VCR that's about 5 years old and definitely records LP, though doesn't have EP capability I think.

[setarip_old]

If you can get an older model, say 15+ years ago, you may find it plays EP.I'd suggest that it's more manufacturer related than age related. Among others, I have two 5 or 6 year old relativiely inexpensive GoldStar VCRs that happily record and play SP, LP, and EP...

[LocalH]

Also, by the same token, I've got a Mitsubishi BV-1000 (industrial variant of the lower-end U82) SVHS deck that can not record LP at all. Most VCRs can play LP, even if they can't record it (the recorder I mentioned before is this way).

[Drifterz]

A VC What? Just kidding, but actually what does VCR even stand for Video Somthing Recorder? My question is why do you even still own one? I think I've only ever seen broken ones in the past 4 years. My personal preference would be to digitalize all VHS (another one I don't have a clue what it means) also good for backup and durability. I can only think of two advantages pertaining to video for VHS. Region free and still in most cases the easiest way to record directly from television if quality is not of importance (the VCR performance and operation being a whole other question until rrecently being tolerable.) Also I guess you could use them to throw at buddies and hold doors open ect. :D

[fccHandler]

VCR = Video Cassette Recorder
VHS = Vertical Helical Scan

It's a video recording system that your ancestors used. ;)

In my case, I have about 400 of these VHS tapes that I've accumulated since the 1980's. I AM trying to digitize the most important ones; it just takes a lot of time.

[Inventive Software]

@setarip_old: It is mostly manufacturer oriented, as some of the lesser known and more specialist manufacturers may choose to implement EP. I've seen Matsui VCRs play EP tapes, and I can't find a new model from them nowadays. Boasting slightly, I like my Samsung VCR because it'll play NTSC tapes as well as PAL ones!

Slightly Off Topic: Besides the increased recording time, is there any benefit to using LP over SP? IMO SP should give better recording quality, but I often find that's not always the case, unless you're recording onto a blank tape.