VCR Tracking Reminder IDs
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Note: The Video Treasures tracking ID is described here.
Strand/VCI Entertainment
(1988-1993)
Logo: On a black background, the screen reads "For best picture quality, please adjust the tracking control on your VCR." in a white Arial font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on Strand/VCI Entertainment releases.
Scare Factor: None.
BBC Video
Logo: On a black background, white text scrolls up and stops at the center. It reads "IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF ANY PICTURE INTERFERENCE, PLEASE ADJUST YOUR VIDEO RECORDER'S TRACKING CONTROL. THIS WILL, IN MOST CASES, RECTIFY BOTH SOUND AND PICTURE QUALITY."
FX/SFX: The scrolling.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on 1990s VHS releases of BBC shows.
Scare Factor: TBA
GoodTimes Home Video
(1984-1990s)
Logo: On a black background, there is white text in a blocky font reading: "FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY ADJUST TRACKING CONTROL".
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Uncommon. Seen on some GoodTimes releases of the time. Also seen on some MCA Home Video tapes Co-Distributed with Universal and GoodTimes.
Scare Factor: TBA
Turner Home Entertainment
(1987-1992)
Logo: On a black/gray gradient background, we see white text reading "This video is recorded in E.P. mode. For best picture quality please adjust your tracking."
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Used on early Turner Home Entertainment releases and some by GoodTimes Home Video, Orion Home Video, and Cabin Fever Entertainment.
Scare Factor: None.
Feature Films for Families
(1980s-2004)
Logo: On a black background, the screen reads "If the picture on your screen is not clear, please adjust the tracking on your VCR." in a white Arial font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on certain Feature Films for Families releases.
Scare Factor: None.
UAV Corporation
(1989-1998)
Logo: On a black background, we see the words "For better picture quality, adjust tracking control on your VCR" in white typewriter-like font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: Just a man reading the message.
Availability: Seen on UAV tapes.
Scare Factor: None to Minimal, if you're not expecting the man reading the message, it may scare you, but it's otherwise harmless.
Media Home Entertainment/Maier Group/Random House Home Video/Miscellaneous
(1980s-1990s)
Logo: On a black background appears the white text "FOR MAXIMUM PICTURE QUALITY" and the red or blue text "IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO ADJUST THE TRACKING CONTROL ON YOUR VCR". The screen lasts for fifteen seconds until it finally fades out slowly.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: Three seconds of silence, then a man reads out loud by saying "Please note: For maximum picture quality, it may be necessary to adjust the tracking control on your VCR." After that, the rest of the screen remains silent.
Music/Sounds Variant: Sometimes, a different announcer is heard.
Availability: Uncommon for the most part, but it was seen on a 1990 Media Home Entertainment Video copy of Madeline (released through Hi-Tops Video). It was also seen on some Random House Home Video releases such as a few The Bernstein Bears videos as well as Maier Group's Inspector Gadget tapes.
Scare Factor: None to Minimal, if you're not expecting the man reading the message, it may scare you, but it's otherwise harmless.
Media Home Entertainment (standalone)
1st Logo
(1981-1985)
Logo: On a blue background is the white text "PLEASE ADJUST TRACKING FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY." and "THANK YOU".
Variant: On the 1989 Video Treasures VHS of Class, the PLEASE ADJUST TRACKING FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY was smaller and it doesn't have the THANK YOU text.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on certain Media Home Entertainment releases of the era. It was also preserved on several Video Treasures re-releases of the aforementioned titles.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo
(1987-1993)
Logo: On a red/orange gradient background, there is a white figure guy holding a wrench and the white text "FOR BETTER VIDEO VIEWING HAVE VCR SERVICE CHECKS." on the top. Below them is a white bar, and underneath it is the first portion of another white text, which reads:
MEDIA HOME ENTERTAINMENT
& YOUR VIDEO ENTERTAIN-
MENT RETAILER RECOMMEND
YOU HAVE YOUR VCR
ROUTINELY SERVICED
TWICE A YEAR TO
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF
YOUR VIEWING, PROLONG
THE LIFE OF THE VCR, AND
TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF
DAMAGE TO THIS VIDEO
CASSETTE.
Four seconds later, the figure with the wrench slides away to the right (as if he was running) and then five seconds later, the bottom text scrolls up, revealing the rest of itself. After that, it stops scrolling to show the last portion.
FX/SFX: The figure sliding away, the scrolling of the second text.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: TBA.
Scare Factor: TBA.
Celebrity Home Entertainment
(1985-1991)
Logo: On a white background, we see the text "FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE PICTURE PLEASE ADJUST THE TRACKING KNOB ON YOUR VIDEO MACHINE", with "THE TRACKING KNOB" blinking on and off.
FX/SFX: The blinking of "THE TRACKING KNOB".
Music/Sounds: A man reading the message, which sounds like it was recorded in an auditorium.
Availability: Found on some Celebrity Home Entertainment releases, most notably the Mighty Mouse compilation tape.
Scare Factor: None to Minimal, if you're not used to the man reading the message, it may at least surprise you, but it's otherwise completely harmless.
Simitar Entertainment
(1990?-2000)
Logo: On a sky blue background, we see the words "Recorded in EP Mode If you experience any picture problems, adjust Tracking Control" in silver.
FX/SFX: None
Music/Sounds: Completely silent.
Availability: Seen on Simitar tapes with the Gold S logo (currently unknown if it appears on releases with the Other S From Heck logo).
Scare Factor: None.
Vestron Video
(1989)
Logo: On a blue background is the white text "This Cassette is Recorded In The Extended Play Mode. Please Adjust Tracking" in quotes.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Extremely rare. Found on the screener demo VHS of Gleaming the Cube.
Scare Factor: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: This can be seen on some Parade Video releases that have been recorded in EP Mode.
Scare Factor: None.
Malofilm Video
(1990s)
Logo: On a black background we see the words "For Maximum Picture Quality, It May Be Necessary To Adjust The Tracking Control On Your VCR" in a typewriter-like font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: This can be seen on some Malofilm Video releases that have been recorded in EP Mode.
Scare Factor: None.
Strand/VCI Entertainment
(1988-1993)
Logo: On a black background, the screen reads "For best picture quality, please adjust the tracking control on your VCR." in a white Arial font. FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on Strand/VCI Entertainment releases.
Scare Factor: None.
BBC Video
Logo: On a black background, white text scrolls up and stops at the center. It reads "IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF ANY PICTURE INTERFERENCE, PLEASE ADJUST YOUR VIDEO RECORDER'S TRACKING CONTROL. THIS WILL, IN MOST CASES, RECTIFY BOTH SOUND AND PICTURE QUALITY."FX/SFX: The scrolling.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on 1990s VHS releases of BBC shows.
Scare Factor: TBA
GoodTimes Home Video
(1984-1990s)
Logo: On a black background, there is white text in a blocky font reading: "FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY ADJUST TRACKING CONTROL". FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Uncommon. Seen on some GoodTimes releases of the time. Also seen on some MCA Home Video tapes Co-Distributed with Universal and GoodTimes.
Scare Factor: TBA
Turner Home Entertainment
(1987-1992)
Logo: On a black/gray gradient background, we see white text reading "This video is recorded in E.P. mode. For best picture quality please adjust your tracking."FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Used on early Turner Home Entertainment releases and some by GoodTimes Home Video, Orion Home Video, and Cabin Fever Entertainment.
Scare Factor: None.
Feature Films for Families
(1980s-2004)
Logo: On a black background, the screen reads "If the picture on your screen is not clear, please adjust the tracking on your VCR." in a white Arial font. FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on certain Feature Films for Families releases.
Scare Factor: None.
UAV Corporation
(1989-1998)
Logo: On a black background, we see the words "For better picture quality, adjust tracking control on your VCR" in white typewriter-like font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: Just a man reading the message.
Availability: Seen on UAV tapes.
Scare Factor: None to Minimal, if you're not expecting the man reading the message, it may scare you, but it's otherwise harmless.
Media Home Entertainment/Maier Group/Random House Home Video/Miscellaneous
(1980s-1990s)
Logo: On a black background appears the white text "FOR MAXIMUM PICTURE QUALITY" and the red or blue text "IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO ADJUST THE TRACKING CONTROL ON YOUR VCR". The screen lasts for fifteen seconds until it finally fades out slowly.FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: Three seconds of silence, then a man reads out loud by saying "Please note: For maximum picture quality, it may be necessary to adjust the tracking control on your VCR." After that, the rest of the screen remains silent.
Music/Sounds Variant: Sometimes, a different announcer is heard.
Availability: Uncommon for the most part, but it was seen on a 1990 Media Home Entertainment Video copy of Madeline (released through Hi-Tops Video). It was also seen on some Random House Home Video releases such as a few The Bernstein Bears videos as well as Maier Group's Inspector Gadget tapes.
Scare Factor: None to Minimal, if you're not expecting the man reading the message, it may scare you, but it's otherwise harmless.
Media Home Entertainment (standalone)
1st Logo
(1981-1985)
Logo: On a blue background is the white text "PLEASE ADJUST TRACKING FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY." and "THANK YOU".
Variant: On the 1989 Video Treasures VHS of Class, the PLEASE ADJUST TRACKING FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY was smaller and it doesn't have the THANK YOU text.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Seen on certain Media Home Entertainment releases of the era. It was also preserved on several Video Treasures re-releases of the aforementioned titles.
Scare Factor: None.
2nd Logo
(1987-1993)
Logo: On a red/orange gradient background, there is a white figure guy holding a wrench and the white text "FOR BETTER VIDEO VIEWING HAVE VCR SERVICE CHECKS." on the top. Below them is a white bar, and underneath it is the first portion of another white text, which reads:
MEDIA HOME ENTERTAINMENT
& YOUR VIDEO ENTERTAIN-
MENT RETAILER RECOMMEND
YOU HAVE YOUR VCR
ROUTINELY SERVICED
TWICE A YEAR TO
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF
YOUR VIEWING, PROLONG
THE LIFE OF THE VCR, AND
TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF
DAMAGE TO THIS VIDEO
CASSETTE.
Four seconds later, the figure with the wrench slides away to the right (as if he was running) and then five seconds later, the bottom text scrolls up, revealing the rest of itself. After that, it stops scrolling to show the last portion.
FX/SFX: The figure sliding away, the scrolling of the second text.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: TBA.
Scare Factor: TBA.
Celebrity Home Entertainment
(1985-1991)
Logo: On a white background, we see the text "FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE PICTURE PLEASE ADJUST THE TRACKING KNOB ON YOUR VIDEO MACHINE", with "THE TRACKING KNOB" blinking on and off.FX/SFX: The blinking of "THE TRACKING KNOB".
Music/Sounds: A man reading the message, which sounds like it was recorded in an auditorium.
Availability: Found on some Celebrity Home Entertainment releases, most notably the Mighty Mouse compilation tape.
Scare Factor: None to Minimal, if you're not used to the man reading the message, it may at least surprise you, but it's otherwise completely harmless.
Simitar Entertainment
(1990?-2000)
Logo: On a sky blue background, we see the words "Recorded in EP Mode If you experience any picture problems, adjust Tracking Control" in silver.
FX/SFX: None
Music/Sounds: Completely silent.
Availability: Seen on Simitar tapes with the Gold S logo (currently unknown if it appears on releases with the Other S From Heck logo).
Scare Factor: None.
Vestron Video
(1989)
Logo: On a blue background is the white text "This Cassette is Recorded In The Extended Play Mode. Please Adjust Tracking" in quotes.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: Extremely rare. Found on the screener demo VHS of Gleaming the Cube.
Scare Factor: None.
Parade Video
(Late 1980s-Early 1990s)
Logo: On a black/blue gradient background appears the white text:
ALL VCRs ARE DIFFERENT
TRACKING ADJUSTMENT
MAY BE NECESSARY.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: This can be seen on some Parade Video releases that have been recorded in EP Mode.
Scare Factor: None.
Malofilm Video
(1990s)
Logo: On a black background we see the words "For Maximum Picture Quality, It May Be Necessary To Adjust The Tracking Control On Your VCR" in a typewriter-like font.
FX/SFX: None.
Music/Sounds: None.
Availability: This can be seen on some Malofilm Video releases that have been recorded in EP Mode.
Scare Factor: None.