What causes a cassette deck to eat tapes?

The oxide on the tape naturally and gradually sheds, and added moisture from the air will cause your tape to get this sticky residue. Using quality tapes reduces any kind of shedding and residue, but the occasional cleaning of the pinch roller with isopropyl alcohol will keep it clean.

Can 8 track tapes be repaired?

8 Track Tape Tune Up Or in many cases the sensing foil is on the inside of the reel and it has corroded to the playtape resting on top of it. Essentially locking the reel in place. Fortunately most issues with these tapes can be fixed.

What was a problem with 8 track tapes?

There were problems with the 8-track tape. Perhaps the biggest problems were that the tapes were unreliable, sound quality diminished over time and they were more expensive. While the outer casing was virtually indestructible, the internal parts were cheaply made and broke easily.

Why did they stop making 8-tracks?

Between car and home systems, 8-track had the largest market in consumer electronics. By 1982, music studios stopped shipping 8-tracks to retailers and cars removed the 8-track recorder from car models. The compact cassette is the main reason why 8-tracks were faded out from the electronics industry.

Do 8-track tapes go bad?

Cassette tapes, reel-to-reel tapes, 8-track tapes, and VHS can all “go bad” because they are magnetic tape mediums. In perfect circumstances, cassette tapes will only last about 30 years if properly stored away from heat, humidity, and UV rays. Whereas a CD stored in the same conditions can last over 100 years.

Why do I need to fix my 8 track tape?

*** Please note: Even after doing a proper tune up of your 8 track, you may need to periodically fix tape tension issues that may arise after repeated plays. *** Tape tension issues can be fairly common and will need to be corrected to get the best sound from your tape. And to help prevent it from getting eaten!

How to troubleshoot when the cassette player is eating tapes?

How to troubleshoot when the cassette player is eating tapes. 1 Make sure the proper type of cassette tape is being used. 2 Clean the tape heads using a dry head-cleaning cassette tape. 3 Attempt to playback a tape that is shorter in length. 4 Depending on the location of your unit, the tape heads may have condensation on them.

Is there a current value guide for 8-track cassettes?

While there really isn’t a current value guide for 8-Track Cassettes, I have sold them in the past and I can offer some advice. 8-Track Cassettes are approaching 50 years old. There are parts inside the cartridge that may need to be replaced. If you don’t have an 8-Track player to test them on, you could be selling someone a tape that doesn’t work.

How do I Clean my Cassette tapes?

Clean the tape heads using a dry head-cleaning cassette tape. Attempt to playback a tape that is shorter in length. NOTE: C120 and C180 cassette tapes may not play properly. C60 and C90 are recommended.