VCR Distorts Color with Some Tapes

[TheUglyDuckling]

In the past few weeks, I have begun to use an ADVC-100 along with a Sony SLV-N750 to convert a number of VHS tapes to DVD or other digital formats. On most commercial and standard (rerecorded) VHS tapes, the conversion and playback are up to my expectations.

However, on certain commercial tapes the signal from the VCR becomes severely darkened and distorted during parts of the video (these parts are not consistent through every playback). The following example comes from Shanghai Noon.

Playback with distorted video:


Playback (a different time) without distorted video:


The problem comes and goes during playback, but renders the entire capture unwatchable. If the colors become distorted once with a tape, it will happen every time it is played back, though not necessarily in the same parts.

When the colors become distorted, any playback through the VCR (menus, etc.) changes as well. Most tapes are fine, and I have never had a problem while watching cable which is routed through the VCR.

Although I haven't tried a great number of tapes over the past few weeks, the ones that have suffered from problems have been commercially made, and have never had a problem with any other VCR in the past. Also, the tapes that have problems when connected to the ADVC-100 play back fine using the N750 when connected to a TV set. However, these are the only tapes (or any video stream) that will not work when connected through the ADVC-100, so it would be hard to fault any component other than the VCR.

I exchanged the VCR for another unit, so it is not a defect specific to the machine, but perhaps one of the model.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem, or does anyone have a possible solution or explanation? Any help is appreciated.

-- TheUglyDuckling

[FOO]

Everyone has experienced that problem.
It's called Macrovision and its done on purpose just
to piss you off. There may be a way to make the ADVC
block it. I dunno

[TheUglyDuckling]

Hey, thanks for the reply. That actually makes a lot of sense. I didn't know that there was Macrovision protection for anything other than DVDs.

Anyway, does anybody know any cheap stabilizers or VCRs whos AGC-circuitry is not affected by Macrovision protection?

[TheUglyDuckling]

Sorry for the multi-post. I looked around some more on Macrovision Protection, and it turns out that the ACVC-100 will not convert any video where it detects the Macrovision signals.

It also turns out that this function can be defeated by doing the following workaround (found here):

- Press and hold the Input Select button on the front panel until you see the color bars appear.
- Keep the button pressed (about 15 seconds) until the color bars disappear. (Note: with some capture cards the color bars may not appear. In any case, keep the button pressed for the full 15 seconds.
- Macrovision copy-protection is now disabled until you switch off the ADVC-100.

I've only tried it on ~10 minutes of video so far, but it seems to have worked (from my previous experience, I would never have gotten this far without the video becoming unusable).

Thanks again for the response, I didn't even know what I was looking for before.

-- TheUglyDuckling

[racerxnet]

The ADVC100 will bypass the macrovision by holding the button in. You can find this info out by doing a search. You might go to the Canopus forums also regarding your questions.

MAK

[thecoalman]

The ADVC100 will bypass the macrovision by holding the button in. You can find this info out by doing a search. You might go to the Canopus forums also regarding your questions.

MAK

Ummmmmmm......... nevermid :P