VCR Tracking Control Bumpers

Background
Many home video companies placed these bumpers at the beginning of VHS tapes to remind the viewer about adjusting the tracking feature on their VCR for the best quality. When auto-tracking became the standard in the late 90's, these bumpers ceased to be used.

(1988–1993)
Bumper: On a black background, the screen reads "For best picture quality, please adjust the tracking control on your VCR." in a white Arial font.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on some Strand/VCI Entertainment releases such as the first 5 Thomas & Friends VHS releases.

(1990-2005)
Bumper: 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."

Technique: The scrolling.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on 1990s VHS releases of BBC shows.

(1984-1990s)
Bumper: On a black background, there is white text in a blocky font reading: "FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY ADJUST TRACKING CONTROL".

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Uncommon. Seen on some GoodTimes and Kids Klassics releases of the time. Also seen on some MCA(/Universal) Home Video tapes co-distributed with GoodTimes.

(1987-1992)
Bumper: 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."

Technique: 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 (such as Lonesome Dove).

(1980s-2004)
Bumper: 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.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on certain Feature Films for Families releases.

1st Bumper (1984-1989)
See the 1st logo on the CLG Wiki page.

2nd Bumper (1989-1998)
Bumper: On a black background, we see the words "For better picture quality, adjust tracking control on your VCR" in white typewriter-like font.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: Just a man reading the message.

Music/Sounds Variant: A different screen with a louder version of the same voiceover is on some Gemstone Entertainment VHS tapes from 2001.

Availability: Seen on some UAV tapes, such as Felix the Cat.

(1980s-1990s)
Bumper: 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.

Technique: 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. It was also seen on some Festival of Family Classics tapes from Starmaker. It was also on some copies of the 1988 Vestron Video VHS's of Hoosiers and Platoon, which is strange, because those films were released by Orion Pictures.

1st Bumper (1981-1985, 1989)
Bumper: 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 THANK YOU.

Technique: 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.

2nd Bumper (1987-1993)
Bumper: 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 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.

Technique: The figure sliding away, the scrolling of the second text.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on certain Media tapes of the era.

(1985-1991)
Bumper: 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.

Technique: 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 tapes.

(1990?-2000)
Bumper: On a sky blue background, we see the words "Recorded in EP Mode If you experience any picture problems, adjust Tracking Control" in silver.

Variant: There is an early variant which is in a blue background and is not in a gradient, and includes a different font which is narrower.

Technique: None

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Simitar tapes with the Gold S logo (currently unknown if it appears on releases with the Other S From Hell logo). The easy way to find this is by looking at the tape to see if it says EP Mode. It was rarely seen on the Awesome Series but it might be on other tapes as well. The Early Variant can be seen on Awesome Airplanes and Awesome Motorcycles. It also made a surprise appearance on Awesome Mining due to the fact that the tape has been recorded in SP Mode instead of EP.

(1989)
Bumper: On a blue background is the white text "This Cassette is Recorded In The Extended Play Mode. Please Adjust Tracking" in quotes.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Found on the screener demo VHS of Gleaming the Cube.

(Late 1980s-Early 1990s)
Bumper: On a black/blue gradient background appears the white text: ALL VCRs ARE DIFFERENT TRACKING ADJUSTMENT MAY BE NECESSARY.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: This can be seen on some Parade Video releases that have been recorded in EP Mode.

(1990s)
Bumper: 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.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: This can be seen on some Malofilm Video releases that have been recorded in EP Mode. It was seen on The Best of Mighty Machines.

(1985-1991)
Bumper: On a blue background is white text reading "PLEASE ADJUST TRACKING FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY" in small size.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: This can be seen on some Burbank Video releases that have been recorded in EP Mode.

(????)
Bumper: We fade in to a yellow filmstrip at the size of the screen and in the middle is a grey gradient background with "CINEMA CLUB" at the top and the tracking reminder information at the bottom reading: ''Cinema Club has recorded this programme on high quality video tape to provide you with great sound and vision quality." "in the unlikely event of any picture interference, please adjust your video recorder's tracking control. his will, in most cases, rectify both sound and vision quality." and the grey background and the information fades out leaving the filmstrip on screen transitioning to the warning screen.

Technique: The text and the info fading out (minus the filmstrip).

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Cinema Club videos in the United Kingdom.

(1995)
Bumper: On a silver gradient background, we see white text with black shading saying: "ADJUST TRACKING FOR BEST PICTURE QUALITY"

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on Schoolhouse Rock! VHS releases from 1995.

(1996)
Bumper: On a black background, we see white text in a Garamond font with gray shading saying:

This Film Has Been Duplicated in Extended Play Mode. Please Adjust Your Tracking Accordingly.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on The Street Fighter VHS releases from 1996, except for the letterboxed versions of The Street Fighter and Return of the Street Fighter.

(Mid-Late 1990s)
Bumper: On a black background, we see the following text in the center: Arial

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Seen on CineRail releases in the UK.