Macrovision effects with home videos?!

[MarcosJP]

Hello there!
I had been capturing video with no problems at all. Now, misteriously things are not too good. When I try to capture from home videos (made with a camcorder), the picture keeps changing brightness and the image is almost useless. Is this some macrovision that "thinks" I'm trying to copy commercial video?
When I capture from satellite feed, it's ok!

I'm using ATI AIW Radeon with MMC 7.7.

HELP!

Marcos, Brazil.

[tomreedtoon]

The only answer, and it's not a happy one, is that your camcorder's video is unstable. Don't feel bad, most of them are. The video is stable enough to make a good picture on a TV, but for video capture, it's not stable enough.

I work in TV, and every time we have to dub from VHS or any other video format, we run the video through a frame synchronizer with time base corrector (sometimes called a "frame sync" with "TBC"). This essentially takes all the video, converts it to digital form, and sends it out precisely corrected for timing errors. This also helps defeat Macrovision. Unfortunately, broadcast quality frame sync's cost upwards of $10,000 US.

If anyone has a cheaper solution, I'm sure we all would love to hear about it.

[Riccardom]

I had the same problem capturing from VHS tapes from my old VHS recorder.
In the beginning I thougth it was Macrovision, but in some tapes i was sure it wasn't.
I was wondering about buying a TBC or something similar but they were too expensive.
So i tried with other VHS recorders and found out the the tapes came out very nice, without those changes of brightness.
Probably the new VHS recorders send out a better signal from the same tape. So i'm going to buy a new recorder, less expensive than a TBC.

Riccardo

[SatStorm]

Over the years I had many VCRs from many manufactures.
One thing I can advice, is to play the tapes on VCRs from the same manufacture. SO, if you record a tape to a sharp VCR then only a sharp VCR gonna play it well....
For example tapes recorder from JVC ain't good looking on sharp and vise versa
Hope help a bit....

[MarcosJP]

Hi there!
Thank you all for your info.
The curious here is that I DID capture lots of camcorder made video with no problems at all! All the problems began after I upgraded from MMC 7.5 to MMC 7.7, because I wanted to be able to capture DVD compliant video.
I even changed the video cable for a much better one, with gold coating and stuff. No good.
If I did capture ANY video successfully before, regardless of the origin and even those really shaky ones, why can't I do it now? The VCR is just the same as before, and so are the capture card and all.
Why is this so difficult?

[SLK001]

Most capture cards use the horizontal sync pulse as a frame reference (which it is). However, they require the sync pulse to be virtually perfect, which it rarely is with a VHS tape. Without the reference, you will see a "curvey" black bar on the side of your captured video. Also, audio will be wildly out of sync, because it too, is referenced from this pulse.

[MarcosJP]

Ok.
So, why this wasn't happening on one day and started on the following day?

[homerpez]

...Age?

I personally just use a Sima Copymaster, the simple one with Composite or S-Video IN/OUT jacks, and an on/off switch. It will (should) eliminate tape Macrovision, and somewhat stabilize the video (it's intended function)... though it has limits...

Have you tried giving the Camcorder a head-cleaning? (That's not an area I'm all that familiar with)...

[gll99]

I know you won't get DVD that's why you upgraded but why not go back to 7.5, see if everything is back to normal. Then reload back to 7.7 and compare. Use the same settings and rez. If you confirm the problem. Go to the ATI site check for comments. Contact Ati through their website and describe your problem they may have a solution.

[yg1968]

I have the same MMC 7.7 problems with macrovision protected material (but not with normal tapes). (I have disabled macrovision on the ATI MMC recorder). Have you found any solutions?

[keller]

I'm using MMC 7.7 and am having problems with Star Trek : Voyager tapes. Where did you find a macrovision hack that worked for 7.7? I can't seem to come up with anything but an expensive hardware solution. Anyone have any experience with a Sima Copymaster gotten recently from Best Buy and a All in Wonder Radeon? Thanks guys - this whole site and all the forums have been so much help already! :D