Charles Angelich wrote in a message to Roy J. Tellason:

TW>> Now I do have a VCR for Time Shifting things I might want to watch 
TW>> to MY Schedule instead of theirs. 

RJT> Right. And since you don't have to sit there and watch the 
RJT> commercials at normal speed, it actually takes *less* time than it 
RJT> would if you didn't do it that way. And since we've all got only 
RJT> so much time, not wasting it strikes me is kinda nifty. 

CA> If you are doing this recording and then fast-forwarding through 
CA> the commercials it heats up the motor quite a bit more than just 
CA> watching a video rental.

I don't think so.

CA> My first machine was a median price range machine and died in three 
CA> years time. When I took it apart the heat from the motor had burned 
CA> the grey paint to brown on the bottom metal plate. (I eventually 
CA> found another old dead VCR and used the motor from it to repair 
CA> mine)

CA> Meanwhile I got myself a cheapo VCR but this time I put spacers 
CA> UNDER the VCR to improve airflow and put a muffin fan behind the
CA> VCR. This cheapo lasted 8 years. Putting a VCR into an 
CA> entertainment center shelf with no air circulation would have the
CA> opposite effect. :-\

Environmental influences appear to be a nontrivial factor here.

CA> I also stopped rewinding tapes in the VCR to preserve the motor and
CA> use a $9 tape rewinder instead.

I've been meaning to get one of those,  still haven't gotten around to it...

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