I have some old recorded Cartrivision cartridges in which the foam adjacent to the 1/2 inch videotape has deteriorated and needs replacement. Does anyone know of a source for some material that I could cut to fit? I am not sure if any special characteristics are needed (anti-static, etc.).

Also, does anyone have any suggestions on what to use to clean the tape with prior to running it through a player? I was thinking of using a soft cloth lightly dampened with alcohol to remove any loose material, to not gum up the heads while attempting to play the tape. I'll have to rig up something to do so and not damage the tape in the process.

I do not know if it would work, but one source of adhesive-backed foam in small sizes (1/2 inch by 1/4 inch, for example) is weatherstripping, sold in packages of several feet for about $5 at Home Depot and similar stores. They have high density and low density; I would guess you want the low-density.

Regarding tape cleaning, I do not know if there is a feasible way to do such a thing with hundreds of feet of video tape, and keep it in/get it back in the cassette properly.

I wish you luck getting this going. Let us know if you succeed, or if you have further questions.