dwc@hou2b.UUCP (D.CHEN) (12/27/84)
i seem to remember somewhere that another important factor in a tape is its transport mechanism. this has less impact on the quality of the picture than the stress that it puts on the motor driving your vcr. i've had to replace one motor in my jvc already and its really expensive. i'm not sure if the statement was part of an ad or a consumer type article though. as far as head cleaning, as far as i know there are two types: wet (with isopropyl alcohol) and abrasive. the abrasive ones are the ones that tell you on the screen when they are done scratching up your heads. it is really a simple matter to open up your vcr and clean the heads with alcohol. i use those q-tip like things that come with tape drive maintanence packages.