My head would spin and then stop and it would shut down the power on an Emerson EWV404. There was no evidence or the servo lifting the cradle and ejecting, and the tape was only slight damaged and at the leader only. There was no evidence of a bad servo belt and no loading actions would occur even after the previously mentioned unplugging trick, and the tape WAS rescueable 100% (which was being used to archive to DVD), and being that there were a number of good fully functioning used 4-head HiFi VCRs in my stock to replace his VCR, I had his agreement to scrap it and I had to partially bend the brace across the top as a screw wouldn't free and I worked the cassette up and free by one side to pull it out. I am sorry I could not provide instructions that did not destroy the unit, but both of us felt my surplus units were built better. You have a TV involved, in which case I probably would not feel comfortable performing this action. Perhaps though you will gain insight into the repair so as to escape my emergency manoevers.
A. Tinker, November 2005