Toshiba VCR/DVD problem

[dkpbxman]

I have a Toshiba D-KVR20KU.

It is a VCR/DVD combination and is about 2 years old. I used it to copy most of my VCR tapes to disc.

Recently, whenever I use it to watch a tape (The DVD side of the machine works fine), it plays for about 15 seconds, stops by itself and then powers down.

FF and Rev. work fine for about 15 seconds also, then they too shut off.

When I then turn the machine back on, it immediately (and cleanly) ejects the tape.

I've taken off the back, manually cleaned the heads with alcohol and sprayed everything out with compressed air but still have the same problem.

Since the VCR side of the machine won't work, I obviously can't dub anymore tapes.

Anybody know what's going on?

Thanks,

[HayZee518]

vcr/dvd

there is obviously a copyright protection track on the tape and/or blank dvd disk. the codes are written right on the center hub right before the shiny aluminum part of the disk. you may need to format the disk before writing to it.

[dkpbxman]

there is obviously a copyright protection track on the tape and/or blank dvd disk.

I am not trying to copy anything.

I only want to VIEW it.

One advantage of the machine may be that it allows for dubbing but you can, or could before, also only watch the tape.

That is where the problem is.

Tapes that , in the past, I have watched numerous times-I no longer can.

[HayZee518]

vcr/dvd

only thing I can figure on is when you place the tape inside and it loads, the tape is wound around the head by two angled posts. in the center of the cassette is a hole where the infrared detector goes. could be this isn't detecting the tape. so, after a time delay it spits out the cassette
there is a motor that opens the cassette door.

[dkpbxman]

one down, one to go...

I cleaned it again, only this time I was more much more "aggressive" and used almost a whole can of compressed air.

The original problem is now fixed but there is a line of distortion along the bottom of the TV screen that wasn't there before.

If you use too long of a blast from the compressed air can, it gets very cold and sometimes frost will form.

When that melts, things will get wet. I'm hoping that moisture on the heads caused the distortion and will go away when everything dries.

At least I can watch tapes again.