I am using a Matrox Marvel G400 P866 512M Ram 40G HDD Sound Blaster Live to capture with a composite input. This configuration works exceptionally well most of the time, however occasionally while capturing from VHS source I have experienced a problem with a substantial flicker or flash over the top 15-20% of the screen. The flicker/flashing is evident while viewing the video on the screen and while capturing. This flicker is not continuous but will occur randomly sometimes every second or so. It sometimes appears to have a pink colored band associated with it. When this occurs I experience dropped frames. When it occurs with a particular VHS tape, if I change to another tape the problem goes, if I use the problem tape in a different VCR the problem still exists. When a problem tape is played back on a TV through the same VCR the picture is stable and clean it is only into my PC that I have a problem. I thought it was perhaps to do with low quality recordings but yesterday I tried to capture from a Sony 3/4" Umatic tape source (this Umatic tape and player is the system used to mass produce retail copies of VHS tapes) and experienced the same problem. My PC runs a very clean install, is defraged and will capture perfectly from TV or most other VHS or similar inputs. I am at a loss to understand why this occurs. It appears to me to be some bad input signal but I have no idea what to try next. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem and managed to resolve it. I have tried the packaged capturing software and AVI_IO, both show the same characteristics.
I even put the RF output of the VCR into the antenna input of the blue box, then tuned this signal in. The picture still has the same problems. It sounds like it is a characteristic of the particular tapes I try to play but it is strange that when played on any VCR into a television the picture is perfect.
All I can think of is that the signal is not clean for some reason. Does anyone know of a way to clean up the composite output or amplify it to possibly improve the signal?
Thanks in advance.