Pinch Roller for Panasonic VCR

[HMHB]

I have an old (but expensive at the time!!) Panny VCR which has a problem whereby the picture keeps going snowy and the sound goes - then it comes back and goes again etc.
Someone has suggested to me that it's probably the pinch roller.
2 questions:-
Are these readily available and how much are they ?
Would it be easy for a numpty like me to change ?

 

[Northerner]

Someone has suggested to me that it's probably the pinch roller.

Yes, it could be but, equally, it could also be a multitude of other things. Have you tried a simple head clean? Could it be that the playback head is goosed?

I think a proper diagnostic is called for here and, if it is just the pinch roller, have an expert do it - these are precision bits of kit and don't respond well to numpties like you (and me) poking about inside

 

[HMHB]

I have used a head cleaner and also I got someone I used to work with to clean the pinch roller as he used to service VCRs. Neither of these made any difference. I have 2 other machines so I think I will just bin it rather than spend a lot of money getting it fixed.

 

[Archie Fax]

I fitted a replacement pinch roller (I'm no engineer) on a NVHD620 about a year ago. It cured a similar picture problem.

Cost about £20 from SEME.

 

[HMHB]

Mine's a NVHD650 so I assume it would be fairly similar to yours then. It would be worth spending £20 to see if I can get it working again.