The picture on my vcr rolls sometimes in playback. Now it is recording the same way, and it won't play back without rolling on other vcrs. I've tried a tape head cleaner, but it didn't help. Also I have tried the tracking, but that doesn't work. Can you tell me anything that I can do to fix it?

Karen J Bueker, October 2005

I had a similar problem with a JVC VHR. The shop guy said that if I recorded in EP (six hours), the tape gets stretched out and causes the rolling effect. There wasn't anything he could do to fix it--something in the machine heats the tape and the stretch becomes permanent. As long as I tape in two-hour increments, i.e., SP, I have no problem. If I really want to tape something longer than two hours, I use a new tape and don't reuse it for anything I really want to see. Maybe your Emerson is doing the same thing.

maggie, October 2005