What's the problem with this video clip?

[audioflyer]

I was wondering if someone could help me diagnose the issue with this video, and if it might be possible to fix it. The file is attached.

The first part, with the boy in the white shirt, has several black horizontal lines that move up and down.
The second part has "glitches" in both the video and the audio, and the frames seem to jump when the glitches happen. This error is also present in the first clip.

My setup is:
JVC HR-7800U --> S-video --> Canopus ADVC110, capture on Mac with Vidi in DV.

On the JVC, I have Video Calibration set to ON, Picture Control to AUTO, Video Stabilizer OFF and TBC turned ON. It does not seem to help the problem if I turn the stabilizer ON and the TBC OFF.

The problem is intermittent, and only on some tapes.
Thanks for your help!

[audioflyer]

I am cleaning the heads and tape path by hand every few tapes, so I don't think dirty heads is the issue.

I am having another issue with the VCR itself, you can read that thread here:

https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/315632-My-JVC-7800-stops-and-turns-off-during-playback

[darkknight145]

Both problems are tape damage, not much you can do about it.
The hozizontal black bars running down is tape damage within the main picture area of the tape, the jumping is damage in the sync area near the edges of the tape. It doesn't take much to cause this problem, sometimes just caused by just stopping the tape, tapes are very delicate.

[lordsmurf]

It's not uncorrectable tape damage -- you need a better VCR.
If it's just one tape, consider using a service that specializes in restoring VHS to DVD.

That exact JVC VCR should be fine -- but no VCR works with all tapes all the time.

You may also be damaging the unit when you clean it.

[2Bdecided]

Isn't it a little strange that the "damaged" areas are black? Is that what NTSC JVC VCRs do?

I know there are dropout compensation circuits, but by the time the damage is that bad, they usually let white snow/noise through. That's what I see on most PAL machines anyway. Perfect black is quite rare.

Maybe it's a dub from a damaged tape, and the current tape has no physical damage at all, just a lousy signal recorded faithfully onto it.


Either way, I wouldn't be as confident as lordsmurf that it's recoverable with a better VCR - he has more experience than me (!) but if the tape is badly creased (and it looks a real mess) then no VCR on earth is going to play it properly.


Ah, a thought: in your other thread, it sounds like the take-up mechanism is damaged. People have assumed a fault with the tapes, but maybe it's with the VCR? Now that could cause these problems even on a decent tape - and in that case, another VCR (i.e. a properly working one!) would solve it.


First thing would be to look at the tape in the problem sections - does it have creases?

Second thing would be to grab any other working VCR (not one that eats tapes!) and see how it plays this tape.

Cheers,
David.

[2Bdecided]

You may also be damaging the unit when you clean it.

Yes - easily done - and all that poking about with greasy fingers (see other thread) could also be leaving residue on tape and heads which causes problems later.

Cheers,
David.