Capturing/Video copy protection probs.

[Superstar24]

Hi,
I'm having a problem. This is kinda long so I'll try my best to explain it as easily as I can. I've been capturing videos to my computer for a number of months now, using Studio 8/Dazzle with a product called "The Clarifier" hooked up to them, it is supposed to remove any copyright protection on the videos.
I've made probably around 100 DVD's never with a problem until last night. A few weeks ago I removed the Clarifier to plug it into my regular DVD player because I was trying something. So when I was done I hooked it back up and I didn't try capturing anything until last night, so a few weeks went by in between. I decided a few nights ago to do a destructive system recovery where everything is wiped off the computer and it is the way it was when I first bought it, and I had to re-download everything.
So, I re-downloaded all of the stuff I wanted. I decided to do this because I'm going to be using my desktop now for nothing but making DVD's and capturing. Anyways, I re-installed everything and went to capture a video to the computer and in Studio when you capture from a VCR, the screen is blue in the preview window before you play the video, and this time the screen was black. I could hear the audio playing, but there was no picture.
So I realized that when I plugged the Clarifier back in I must've plugged it in wrong, I've had it hooked up with the Dazzle for almost a year now and never unplugged it until a few weeks ago, so I didn't really pay attention to how it was plugged in and I never took a mental note of how I had it for some stupid reason. So, I messed around with the video wires (the yellow ones) and tried a bunch of different hookups and I found a few that the video would play in, however when it was playing I could see faint white lines go across the video, which I assume have to be some sort of copyright protection and this never happened before in the other 100 or so that I've captured.
So, I took the video out of the VCR that I have hooked up to the Clarifier and played the video on my regular VCR that I have hooked up to my TV and it played fine, there was no lines.
The video that I was capturing was one that I did before. I captured it before and made a DVD out of it but the audio was way out of sync, so I decided to re-capture it and re-make it again to a new DVD, however I still have the old DVD that I made originally of this video so I put it in my DVD player and it played fine, there was no white lines on it anywhere (this goes back to what I was saying about how I never had this problem before, and I assume that the Clairifer eliminated this problem as its supposed to do)
So I tried a few more hookups and every hookup I tried the video still played with the white lines, so at this point I've been working on this for about 2 hrs. so I uninstall the Studio 8 software totally and re-install it and try it again and the lines are still there. So I try another video to check and the lines are on this one too and this is another video that I captured and made into a DVD before and the video and DVD were fine then, but this time the lines were there on this video as well.
So, I try some more hookups and I've decided that this particular hookup has to be the right one, this is the way that I have it now -
VCR output to Clarifier input
Clarifier output to Dazzle input
The back of the computer has a video plug but it is an output so I don't have anything plugged into that and I'm pretty certain that I never did before either, plus as I was looking at all the plugs there is really no where for it to plug into on either the Clarifier or Dazzle.
So, as I said that hookup I just described has to be the right one, yet I'm still having this problem with these lines on the video and I never did before, as I said I captured around 100 videos and made into DVDs and never had this problem and it had to be with that hookup but now it's not working.
I really need to get this fixed and I've literally drove myself almost to tears outta frustration from this because nothing I do will work, so does anyone have any help and or advice they can give me?
Thanks so much for reading my post and I hope I made it easy enough to understand my problem. Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[rkr1958]

You say you also wiped your system and did a clean install of everthing. Are there any Studio 8/Dazzle patches you failed to reload? What about the Clarifier ... any software and / or patches there?

Also, for the future you might consider, (1) getting a second harddrive for your video work or (2) at the least make two partitions with one containing your O/S & applications and the second one containing your video work area. Option (1) is the recommended and lowers the risk of dropping frames and improves speed (e.g., encoding). With either option you can do a reformat of the video work disc / partition without messing up your O/S & applications disc / partition.

[Superstar24]

Thanks for the reply. No there shouldn't be any patches with Studio that I didn't reinstall because it automatically checks for updates when you instal it and it said that there was none. As far as the Clarifier goes it's just a box you plug in, there's nothing to download at all.
As far as the 2 harddrives go I've never done that because I've never had any probs like this before, would I just have to buy something to do that? I'm not familiar with that or the O/S thing you mentioned. I'm just stumped because this is happening so suddenly and nothing seems to be fixing it.

[rkr1958]

The real issue, as I see it, in troubleshooting your problem is that there were two factors changes between the time when everthing was working and when it wasn't. (1) You unhooked the box and then hooked it up again & (2) You did a clean install of your Operating System (O/S) and applications. Your problem could either be hardware (i.e., "The Clarifier" is hooked up wrong) or software (i.e., something is different or missing ... drivers, patches, etc. between your old and current software configuration).

If you are sure, or fairly confident, that you have "The Clarifier" hooked up the same as before and that it's working then this points to a probable software difference. Let's look at your O/S. Are you running Windows XP? If so are your running XP with service pack 1 (SP1) or SP2? Do you know what O/S configuration you were running prior to the reinstall? Also, do you have the latest video card drivers? What about before the reinstall? What about DirectX ... which version are you running now? Before?

The reason I bringing all this up is that I had a problem similar to yours. I had a harddrive crash and had to go through a reload of everything (just like you). I had an application that was one of my workhorses that no longer worked properly. This drove me crazy for a week or so. The problem turned out to be with my TV tuner card, which seemingly was unrelated to the application. Before the crash I had had a patch loaded for the tuner card that I hadn't reloaded after the crash. After I loaded that patch to the TV tuner card, my application started working correctly again.

One other thing ... have you tried a google search on this? ... somethings that can help.

Good Luck, keep at it and keep us informed.

[rkr1958]

As far as the 2 harddrives go I've never done that because I've never had any probs like this before, would I just have to buy something to do that?

Most people on this site highly recommend a second harddrive, separate from you operating system (O/S) and applications drive, if you plan on doing a lot of video capture. The two main reasons are reducing the risk of dropped frames and the ability to wipe the drive (i.e., reformat it) after you finish with a video project. New harddrives are realtively cheap nowdays. You can get monster drives, 200 to 250-GB, for around $100 if you look around. If you're not that familar with upgrading computers, installing a new harddrive would be considered a moderately difficult task. You'd need to know if you have an internal 3.5-inch bay open in your computer and if you need a IDE or Serial-ATA (SATA) drive.

With all that said, and after you solve your current problem, if you decide you want a second harddrive and you want to install it yourself there is more than enough expertise at this site to guide you through that process.

[lumis]

you should try removing the clarifier from the equation.. see if you can do a normal capture from unprotected material, then try introducing the clarifier.

[Superstar24]

Well, I've tried removing the Clarfier and playing it regularly too and that didnt help unfortunately, thats about the point I really got frustrated.
I did another destructive recovery before this one on New Year's Day and captured videos after that and I didn't have this problem , so I don't think that would be the problem, although I did consider it too but I don't think that's the problem. I have XP media center edition, it came installed on my computer already and I think it's still sp1...before I did the recovery it was sp2..but i'm on dialup and that thing takes like 5 hrs to download and my connection has disconnected the last few times ive tried to install it after a few hrs..im not sure how it downloaded the last time i had it, so im stll tryin to figure out a way to install it again to be sp2. No I dont know the O/S configurations prior to what i did..i honestly dont recall ever hearing of that before..
I dont think I have directx, i tried to install power dvd player so i can test my authored dvds before i burn em and after it downloaded it said please install direct x 9 or higher version, and it wouldnt finish the install, i havent done that yet because i'm not sure where to get it..ive never had to install that before...
So, I dont know what else to do or look for, cause this took my totally by shock...ive tried a few more hookups and it hasnt worked right yet, those damn lines are still there *sigh*

[rkr1958]

I dont think I have directx, i tried to install power dvd player so i can test my authored dvds before i burn em and after it downloaded it said please install direct x 9 or higher version, and it wouldnt finish the install, i havent done that yet because i'm not sure where to get it..ive never had to install that before

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0a9b6820-bfbb-4799-9908-d418c...DisplayLang=en

[pfh]

Perhaps the vcr you're using for transfer needs a tune up?

[presto]

Try to be more systematic in figuring out the problem. Don't just try something and say "that didn't work". You have to isolate the problem.

1) Take the clarifier out of the loop (as previously suggested) and see if you can capture video. Find a VHS tape that you are sure doesn't have macrovision and try to capture it. If you have trouble, clean the tape heads. Use a tape head cleaning cassette first. If that doesn't work take the VCR someplace and have the heads cleaned. Don't do anything else until you get this working.


2) Now try to capture your "problem" tape and note whatever problem you see.


3) Ok, so you know you can capture video but are having trouble with one particular tape. Put in a store bought movie that has macrovision protection and confirm that you CAN NOT capture it. Now add the clarifier back in and confirm that you CAN capture the same tape. Don't do anything else until you get this working.

3) Now you know you can capture video and you know you can capture macrovision protected tapes by adding The Clarifier. Try your "problem" tape again. If you still have problems you will have to continue trouble shooting but at least you know it isn't your software, isn't your cableing, isn't your hardware, isn't macrovision, isn't the tape heads.

[Superstar24]

Thanks for the replies and advice.
I went and bought a new head cleaner today, tried it and still had the prob, so I took this VCR out, put a new one in, tried that, and still had the problem.
I tried with and without the Clarifier and still had the prob.
I'm not sure what else to try..should I try another destructive recovery? I really don't know what else to try, anyone have any other suggestions?
Does the setup that I said I tried sound like it's right?
VCR out to Clairifer in
Clarifier out to Studio in?
Here is the link to the Clarifier user guide if anyone wants to check it out
http://www.facetvideo.com/xcart/customer/userman.pdf
So again, I seem to be back at square 1, this is very frustrating to say the least.
Thanks again for any help and or advice.

[lantern]

I bought the Clarifier and had the same problems right from the start that you are seeing now. I just ended up returning it and splurged and bought a tbc (3x the cost of the Clarifier, but absolutely no problems). Too bad you are past the return period. Maybe the support at facetvideo can help out. Maybe they will replace it

Hope you get it worked out.

[Superstar24]

Well, I never had a prob with it before Ive had it for like 10 mts or so and it was fine til I unplugged it. I did email a guy there and he replied and said he wants to give this his upmost attention but I noticed when I tried capturting without it those lines they almost look like ripples i think would be the best description were there still too so I don't know what to think anymore.

[presto]

Can you capture video with and without macrovision or not? Forget about this one problem tape. You can't troubleshoot your system using a tape that you are not sure of. Get a tape that you know is good and make sure you can capture it. THEN AND ONLY THEN try the problem tape.

If you are getting feint lines on every tape that is completely different than if you are getting them on only one tape. From your posts it seems the problem is only with this one tape unless I missed something. Please clarify thisl

You said you get faint lines when trying to capture the problem tape with or without the Clarifier so it isn't being caused by the Clarifier.

[Superstar24]

Hi Presto.
Thanks for all your replies. I took out the problem tape which was a store bought master copy that I never had the lines and ripples on before (I made it into a DVD before too, just wanted to re-make it because the original had bad audio outta sync probs)..but now it does have the ripple-like lines, they're very faint, but I can tell they're there and they shouldn't be, and I don't want them there...so I took that out and put a video in that I recorded from a show on tv, so there can't be macrovision on it, and the ripple like lines were on that too..
So, that's when I unhooked the Clarifier and put in the new VCR and tried, and tried both videos again, and again the ripple-like lines were there...so it must not be the Clarifier maybe?
That's why I thought maybe another system recovery? Maybe something went wrong when it did it? Because like I've said since last March or so when I started doing this I've made around 100 DVD's with no problem.
Any other suggestions or ideas? I'm fresh out. Thanks again.

[Superstar24]

And yes, I'm able to capture the video whether I have the Clarifier hooked up or not, because if it's not hooked up, I just simply plug the VCR out to the IN on the Dazzle, so the video will capture, but the problem is, that it captures with these damn lines thru them.

[Nelson37]

Are the cables now routed close (or closer than before) to any kind of electrical or magnetic device? Are you certain that all connections are tight? Tried different cables?

Simplify by removing the black box. You problem does NOT sound like macrovision, but rather either electromagnetic interference or some sort of VCR problem.

[Superstar24]

Well, all the cables and stuff are set up exactly how I had them before..and I've tried 2 different VCR's both with the same problem, so I don't know if that'd mean it's something with the Studio/Dazzle or what I've never had this happen before so I'm at a total loss

[presto]

Simplify by removing the black box. You problem does NOT sound like macrovision, but rather either electromagnetic interference or some sort of VCR problem.

I agree.

Where are you seeing these lines? On the computer when captureing? On the TV when playing the finished DVD?

[Superstar24]

yes..
but if i play the problem video on my TV that i watch all the time, the lines arent there....and when i watch the old DVD from this same video that i made before, the lines arent there either..

[presto]

but now it does have the ripple-like lines, they're very faint, but I can tell they're there and they shouldn't be, and I don't want them there...so I took that out and put a video in that I recorded from a show on tv, so there can't be macrovision on it, and the ripple like lines were on that too..

If you get these lines on all videos then there is no "problem video". I used that phrase because you gave the impression that you were just having trouble with one video.

It's almost certainly some kind of electrical interference. Turn off other devices nearby, move cables so they are not near each other. If you have equipment stacked on top of each other try moving them...

[Superstar24]

i honestly dont have anything anyway that i didnt have it before...actually everything is the same the only thing i put was a dvd player on top of my vcr thats hooked up to the clarifier but i moved it when i switched vcrs and tried the videos again and it wasnt on top of the vcr and the prob still happened
do u think it could be something in my computer?

[Superstar24]

Well, like I said I had everything exactly the way it was before, and I tried moving some stuff around..and then I tried a few more wire hookups and I get the ripple-like lines in the exact same spots in the video no matter what i try to do..i've got this with 2 different VCR's , different wire hookups,whether I use the Clarifier or not...so I guess those problems are eliminated..I have someone who ordered like 30 dvds from me and i cant make em until i get this fixed and it was fine before I got like 8 done and then this happens
So, what other probs are left now that I guess we can eliminate the ones I named in this post, could it be possibly something in my computer?

[presto]

I don't think it is in your computer.

Describe exactly where you are seeing this (the lines). Do you mean you see it on the little preview screen in Pinnacle Studio when capturing? Have you tried actually making a DVD and seeing if it is on the finished DVD?

It would be nice to figure out if the problem is the Dazzle 150. If you hooked it up wrong at some point, maybe you fried something. Can you hook the Dazzle up to another computer and try?

[Superstar24]

I see the lines in Studio 8 in the preview window ...i havent tried to make a dvd cause I only have dvd-r and i dont want to waste a disc because I know it'll be on there too, I tried capturing a few min. even with the lines and after I capture a video, I go to VideoRedo and check the audio in it and make sure it's in sync and if it's not I fix it in there.
I dont have another computer to hook it too, the dazzle cant be wrong because it never was before, I wish tehre was a way i could check though, but I don't see what could've happened to it.

[Nelson37]

When you say the Dazzle can't be wrong because it never was before, this is a MAJOR mistake. Electronic parts can and do go wrong for absolutely no detectable reason. A marginal part can fail due to the most minimal environmental change pushing it over the edge, something as simple as removing and replacing a cable, for instance. Or bumping a unit by placing something on top of it.

The interference you describe definitely sounds like an electromagnetic interference of some kind. Now I asked you if any electrical device had been placed near the cables, you said no. Then you state that a DVD player was moved on top on the VCR.

Unplug, move, or deactivate ALL electrical devices, including lights, fans, and telephones, within 10 feet of any of the equipment to be tested. Turn off or unplug ALL equipment not essential to the test. If possible, have the PC, the Dazzle, and the VCR all by themselves, with absolutely nothing electrical within several feet, test this. A speaker, a telephone, a clock radio could be causing the problem. Some electrical device in the next room but on the same circuit could be the problem. The tectonic plates underneath your house could have moved and dislocated your ground wire.

Never assume that a given object could not be the cause of the problem until you have absolutely eliminated that object from the equation.

Have you tried a DIFFERENT set of cables? Cables which appear to be OK based on their transmission of signal to a TV could have major problems which only show up on a PC.

Please post a pic of the interference.

[Nelson37]

Just reread your comment regarding the ripples showing up in "the exact same spots". Are you saying that they are NOT constant, and display only on certain segments of the video??

Where these videos stored on or near a large speaker or motor, something generating a magnetic field? Or something hot? Are they exposed to sunlight, or perhaps while the rearrangement was occurring?

Any Electromagnetic Pulse fields occurring in your area?

Might be worthwhile to rent or borrow a tape from outside your environment for testing.

[Superstar24]

Hi,
Thanks for your suggestions.
I just called Pinnacle support and told them my problem and I asked him if I had everything hooked up right and he said yes, and he said the only 2 things that he could think the problem could be is old drivers for Pinnacle or the Video cords I'm using might be bad so he sent me a link to download the latest driver, which I did and after I did that, I tried a new Video Cable, played the video and the lines were still there, so of course knowing my luck, those things didn't help either.
Yes, the lines are in the exact spots in the video it's like, every few seconds it comes up..it's done this with 5 different videos, 3 different VCR's..I don't know what could've caused all this to go wrong so quickly...I don't know what Pinnacle is gonna suggest I try next, I hope they'd just send me a new system but I'm sure that won't happen.
I don't think any interference as far as things I have plugged near it could be...I've never changed anything or moved anything since I started making the DVDs about a year ago and I never had this problem..the way my room is setup, its so small i can't move anything actually because it's small, but like I said that was never a prob before..
The videos I'm trying to remake now are ones that I previously did before and put on DVD i just wanted to re-do em and that's when I got all these probs, it never happened before, for instance when I play the video in my regular VCR thats hooked up to my TV it plays fine, with no lines in it at all, but as soon as I try it on the VCR thats hooked to me Dazzle and Clarifier the lines come in..the only thing I can think is its either something internally in my computer or the Dazzle, I think I've basically tried and eliminated everything else..I thoguht about another system recovery but I dont think that'd do much, so I'm not sure now..

[pfh]

At this point, given what's been said, I'd have to agree- it's either the Dazzle or the clarifier that's gone bad.

[malish2005]

You mentioned earlier that you had Win XP SP2 before the reboot and now you have SP1. Maybe it could be just as simple as this. Just download it or have microsoft send you a SP2 disk and try running everything on SP2.