Posted by John Howells on 10/31/42 11:56

"talktome" <Hk15900@yahoo.com> wrote

> Can anyone tell me how to change the videotape housing from a broken
> one to a new vhs housing? Also the tape has come a loose from one
> spool, how can I respool the vhs tape. I tried looking on the internet
> but could find anything on the subject.

It's best to experiment with a couple of gash cassettes before you try with
the one that really matters. It's a bit fiddly, but not too awkward.

With the cassette face down remove the five screws from the bottom of the
cassette, and carefully remove the bottom. Note the path taken by the tape.

If you have to fix the tape back to the hub, then on the spool from which
the tape has come loose you should be able to see a small "plug" in the hub
that is different from the rest of the hub. Using a thin flat bladed
screwdriver ease this bit "up" so that it comes out and releases the tape.

To reattach the tape stretch the end of the clear section across the gap
from which the "plug" came and then press the plug into place. Note you do
not slide it back in the way it came out, you push it in from "above". If
there is no clear section you can put the normal recording tape at this
point, but you then have to be *VERY* careful, as with no clear section you
get no auto-stop (see later).

Put the tape from the damaged housing into a good housing, being careful to
follow the correct path noted earlier.

Put back the bottom and fasten it using the five screws.

If you did not have a clear section do *NOT* wind or rewind the tape in a
recorder, as the auto-stop will not work, so it will probably tear the tape
from the hub. The best thing is to copy it and throw away the original. If
you do have to wind or rewind the tape do so manually. In the bottom of the
cassette push a thin pen or screwdriver in the hole *OPPOSITE* (*NOT* next
to!) the middle screw. This will release the latch that locks the tape and
you can then wind the tape by hand, tedious though it might be!

Good luck.

John Howells

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