An unusual Audio synching issue

[danhostler1985]

Before I get started I just want to say I’ve already done a search on every topic relating to this and have tried a good amount of solutions that have either not worked or are not applicable to my problem. That been said.

I’m converting analog VHS tapes to DVD using the Dazzle 150b device and software program Pinnacle Studio 9.1. I have done this before in the past with no problems but here lately I’m having odd synching issues. I capture about 90 to 120 minutes worth of material that plays fine in the Edit Preview on Studio. Everything is in sync from the beginning to the end. However when I go to Make Movie and export the MPEG file, the final MPEG file starts off in sync but then drifts out of sync as the file plays on and gets progressively worse. I did some calculations the audio is late by about ten seconds at the end.

My capture settings are in MPEG-2 format with 48 as the sampling rate in audio. It is the same in the export settings. In other words all DVD-Compliant. There were no dropped frames in the capturing.

Here’s what I’ve done so far to try to remedy the issue:

*Exporting in AVI to edit in Premiere Pro. This still had the audio sync issue of drifting.
*Exporting in MPEG-2 DVD-Compliant and tried to re-sync in Premiere Pro. Parts of the video would repeat themselves on the timeline throwing off audio sync.
*Disabling the MPEG Minimal Rendering in the registry. (This solution was discussed in the Pinnacle Studio forums). Still drifted off sync.

Even though a few of the solutions worked for video, the audio was still drifting off. What I’m thinking is the audio is somehow not agreeing with the video and that maybe I need re-sample or re-encode somehow.

I would like to get this in proper DVD-compliant files to author with Encore because I prefer to generate my own menus with Photoshop and work with Encore.

If anyone can give me some ideas on how to work this it would be greatly appreciated. Also if you need more information to help with this please do ask. Thanks

BTW, if I posted in the wrong forum I apologize and please do move to the correct forum.

[dphirschler]

Justa guess, but double-check your framerate.


Darryl

[rsgars]

I'm curious about something. If you are capturing Mpeg2, why are you even bothering with the Make Movie stage? Shouldn't you be able to jsut author a DVD using the captured footage?

[danhostler1985]

I'm curious about something. If you are capturing Mpeg2, why are you even bothering with the Make Movie stage? Shouldn't you be able to jsut author a DVD using the captured footage?

Well I need edit down some of it as well as make adjustments here and there....but I could try that

[rsgars]

Well I need edit down some of it as well as make adjustments here and there....but I could try that

Does the Dazzle 150 allow you to capture as DV instead of Mpeg? Does Premiere work with the Dazzle 150?

If so I would take Pinnacle Studio out of the mix. Capture directly into Premiere if possible. For editing that is what I would do, then encode after the editing is finished.

One method I have used for VHS capture is to use my digital video camera as a pass-through connected to the computer -- VHS > Digital Carmera > PC (via firewire). Use Premiere to do the capture.

[danhostler1985]

Well I need edit down some of it as well as make adjustments here and there....but I could try that

Does the Dazzle 150 allow you to capture as DV instead of Mpeg? Does Premiere work with the Dazzle 150?

If so I would take Pinnacle Studio out of the mix. Capture directly into Premiere if possible. For editing that is what I would do, then encode after the editing is finished.

One method I have used for VHS capture is to use my digital video camera as a pass-through connected to the computer -- VHS > Digital Carmera > PC (via firewire). Use Premiere to do the capture.

Dazzle only allows me to capture as MPEG....Premiere does not work with Dazzle as I have tried that but because Dazzle is a USB connected Premiere seems to only recognize Firewire

[rsgars]

There are a few ways I might approach this problem.

First, do you own a digital video camera with Firewire capability? If so I would use that as my pass-through (same function as the Dazzle performs). This will allow you to capture Premiere conformed DV.

Second, do you have an analog capture card on your PC? If so you could capture directly from the VCR using a program like iuVCR. I think I used the Huffyuv codec when I did it that way.

Third option, but I hate to add another step to your process. Pull the Mpeg into VirtualDubMpeg2. Select Video Direct Stream Copy. Select Audio Direct Stream Copy. Select Audio Interleaving and adjust the audio delay. There is a guide that explains this in more detail. This has worked for me, but you probably will ahve to play areound with the settings a few times before you get it right.

[danhostler1985]

There are a few ways I might approach this problem.

First, do you own a digital video camera with Firewire capability? If so I would use that as my pass-through (same function as the Dazzle performs). This will allow you to capture Premiere conformed DV.

Second, do you have an analog capture card on your PC? If so you could capture directly from the VCR using a program like iuVCR. I think I used the Huffyuv codec when I did it that way.

Third option, but I hate to add another step to your process. Pull the Mpeg into VirtualDubMpeg2. Select Video Direct Stream Copy. Select Audio Direct Stream Copy. Select Audio Interleaving and adjust the audio delay. There is a guide that explains this in more detail. This has worked for me, but you probably will ahve to play areound with the settings a few times before you get it right.

First two suggestions, no. Third one I'll try that one. Thanks

[danhostler1985]

Okay I did the third solution and it worked however anytime i adjusted the time at the ending, the beginning would go out of sync...so anytime i adjust synchronicity on one end...the other end falls out...what am i doing wrong?

[rsgars]

Okay I did the third solution and it worked however anytime i adjusted the time at the ending, the beginning would go out of sync...so anytime i adjust synchronicity on one end...the other end falls out...what am i doing wrong?

Actually, I thought of that last night but wasn't near a computer to post a correction of my own post. Your problem is not a constant out of synch, it is a drift, which is a lot harder to correct. I have never even attempted that one. Sorry for the bad info.

Okay, so let's back up a second. Your capture is fine. Right?

You bring the capture into Pinnacle Studio and render an avi file and that is where your synch problem is created. Right?

If I am right about this then I would skip the Pinnacle Studio step. Take your captured Mpeg2 file and bring it into VirtualDubMpeg2 and just use Vdub to create your avi file. I would go to the Panasonic website and get their DV codec to use for the video conversion. It's free, it's very good and Premiere loves it. Now just bring that avi into Premiere for your editing.

Actually, you could even do the editing in VDub. It doesn't do all that Premiere does, but you might be able to skip yet another step.

[Cornucopia]

If a video is running at 30fps when it should be running at 29.97fps, the drift difference will amount to 7.2 seconds when added up through 120 minutes. Maybe that's it.

Scott

[rsgars]

If a video is running at 30fps when it should be running at 29.97fps, the drift difference will amount to 7.2 seconds when added up through 120 minutes. Maybe that's it.

Scott

That could have something to do with it. Also, is his sampling rate correct? Shouldn't it be 44,100 khz for Mpeg2? Perhaps those two things combined are causing the problem. Can you hange the capture parameters to 29.97 frames per second at 44.1 khz?

[danhostler1985]

I can try to do those things tonight when I get home and Ill let you know what i come up with..thanks

[Cornucopia]

Don't know what choices the Dazzle allows for the audio portion of the capture (or even IF it does audio; for all I know, it may rely on a regular sound card), but MPEG2 in general allows a number of sample rates: 22, 32, 44.1, 48kHz being the most common. DVD is a strict subset of that, allowing ONLY 48kHz.
So--check and see what it's capping at. It should be 48kHz, and REMAIN at 48 throughout the process, just like the capping of the video should be done at 29.97fps interlaced (since you're in USA=NTSC) and REMAIN at 29.97i throughout. (Unless you have film footage on your home VHS tapes, which I doubt).

What audio codec/parameters are you using? Could be there are transcoding problems going on behind the scene because it's not really in the correct format...You never know.

Scott

[danhostler1985]

Heres what ive got...i took teh captured video into premiere and exported to dvd files...still goes off sync

tried virtual dub with no use

i mean i think i might as well shelve this until i can get a canopus 110..ive read good things about them...theres nothing much i can really do

thanks for your help though...gladly appreciated