# Help with VCR power (electrical question) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746 "2003-10-21T18:39:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lawboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c67d28/32.png) [@lawboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawboy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/1 "2003-10-21T18:39:05Z")
Sorry if this has been asked before, but for some reason, I’m not getting any power to my VCR. It’s a magnavox, about 7 years old. I was turning it on via my remote control, and I think I hit it twice by accident as it turned off as it was turning on. Anyway, now I can’t turn it on at all. There’s a tape in there and it won’t eject. I can’t turn it on manually, either. What happened? Is there an easy fix? If no, how do I get my tape out? I need to return a movie. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/2 "2003-10-21T18:41:53Z")
Try unpluging it for a couple minutes and then plug it back in. ---
**Author:** ![vd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b19c9b/32.png) [@vd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vd)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/3 "2003-10-21T19:08:38Z")
Also see if there’s a fuse in the back. ---
**Author:** ![lawboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c67d28/32.png) [@lawboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawboy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/4 "2003-10-21T20:34:40Z")
I don’t recall a fuse in the back. Is it the same as in a fuse box? Also, I don’t think that unplugging it will help. I did it last night, albeit only for a couple of minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/5 "2003-10-21T21:00:22Z")
Try unplugging it for several minutes. Are there any lights on the front when you plug it back in? Does the clock come on or anything? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/6 "2003-10-21T21:20:13Z")
If all else fails, you may be able to remove the screws holding the top of the case on and manually retract and eject the tape. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/7 "2003-10-21T21:23:49Z")
There may be a black knob on the back that, when turned counterclockwise about a quarter turn, will pull out to reveal a fuse. Make sure the unit is unplugged when you do this. Have the fuse checked and replace it, if necessary. Alternatively, there may be an internal inline fuse (inside the cabinet). This would mean you would have to remove the top of the case and look near where the cord attaches to the VCR for the fuse. Again, make sure the unit isn’t plugged in when you do this. Barring a fuse problem, the thing may have fried some circuitry somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/8 "2003-10-22T02:15:24Z")
Sounds like something in the power supply might have fried. I agree with the others – first check for a blown fuse. And if you find one, you’re (probably) not home free. A fuse blows for a reason… ---
**Author:** ![KenGr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecc23a/32.png) [@KenGr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KenGr)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/9 "2003-10-22T03:37:29Z")
Most of the VCR’s I have seen have a fuse mounted inside on the circuit board, with clips (like an automotive fuse). A few months back one of my VCR’s acted exactly like this. It turned out to have blown the internal fuse. The bad news? I replaced the fuse and it immediately blew again. I carefully broke and cut internal parts to extract the tape (couldn’t be cycled manually) and then threw the VCR away. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/10 "2003-10-22T03:47:14Z")
The a.e.r [VCR repair FAQ](http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/vcrfaq.htm) can help you out, especially the section on [emergency removal of a tape](http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/vcrrx.htm). Leaving it unplugged _overnight_ is a good thing to try. ---
**Author:** ![lawboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c67d28/32.png) [@lawboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawboy)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/11 "2003-10-22T20:41:30Z")
Well, it looks like I’m going to have to buy another VCR. Anyone know of any region free VCRs? I still haven’t found the fuse and I need a screwdriver. Anyway, I left it unplugged for like 3 hours and it still didn’t turn on. Thanks for the answers everyone, especially the repair FAQ. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/12 "2003-10-22T21:37:20Z")
VCRs don’t use regional coding. As long as the tapes you’re watching are in NTSC format, they’ll play. It’s DVDs that come encoded for one of 6 (7?) regions. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-vcr-power-electrical-question/208746/13 "2003-10-22T21:42:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Q.E.D. \* > **As long as the tapes you’re watching are in NTSC format, they’ll play.** I should say as long as the tapes are in your local video format, be it NTSC, PAL or SECAM. I’m assuming you’re in the US, but maybe you’re not.