Grey blocks on capture...

[Cole]

I have just built a new computer and am having problems with my captures: they are all coming out with grey blocks as in the picture below.



This is captured through a Canopus ADVC-50 using either WinDV (worse) or DVapp 9 (as in picture above; not as bad as WinDV, but still present).

However when played back using Media Classic, there isn't a block in sight. The trouble is, when encoding with TMPGEnc Plus, the blocks are in the final encode.

This makes me think that I have a codec problem; the applications I have installed are WinDV, DVapp, Power DVD XP, WMP9 and Media Player Classic.

If it isn't the codec, the only other thing that I can think of is the firewire card is not up to scratch.

Can anyone advise what I can do to resolve the issue - the same set up was on my last PC, and this didn't cause any problems at all.

Thanks in advance.

[Cole]

Further information is that the only thing that seems to capture properly, without any blocks present, is Windows Movie Maker.

[edDV]

...
However when played back using Media Classic, there isn't a block in sight. The trouble is, when encoding with TMPGEnc Plus, the blocks are in the final encode.

Is this true for files captured with WinDV or DVapp 9 ?

If so, that indicates the DV capture file is OK. The issues seem related to importing DV format material into the encoder.

[Cole]

Yes, both WinDV and DVapp create these blocks on the DV - WinDV captures feature these far more.

Edit: the blocks also do appear when played on Windows Media Player 9.

[Richard_G]

As you've just built the computer, it might be your choice of pci slot for the Firewire card. Try moving it to a different slot and don't ever use the one nearest the AGP slot as resources will be shared.

[Cole]

I have just read back my post - these grey blocks don't appear when I am doing the actual capture but when I play them back on WMP; apologies for missing that point.

Sadly I discovered this issue when I watched an encoded movie, which had already gone to DVD

[Cole]

Well, all sorted out. No idea what the problem was, but I have installed Win 2000 instead of XP and things are working perfectly now. Fingers crossed.

I may go back to XP at a later stage, but for a PC which has been built especially for video recording and encoding it 2000 will suffice.

Oh and Richard, I did move the firewire card down a PCI slot too.