What are inserted frames in Virtualdub when recording VHS?

[bigbadben]

I recorded a 2 hour and 27 minute VHS tape to my computer and there was 0 dropped frames but 1 inserted frame. This is with a DVD recorder passthrough. I've heard from lordsmurf that 0 dropped frames is the only amount that is acceptable. But what is the consensus on inserted frames? If I record again is it possible for that inserted frame to disappear? And what is an inserted frame?

[Sharc]

Congrats for the 0 dropped and 1 inserted (probably a duplicate) frame for a 2h27min capture!
I wouldn't worry much about the inserted frame. It was probably inserted in order to keep video and audio in sync. You may want to delete the inserted (duplicate) frame, but watch out for not introducing an annoying audio glitch/click.

Doing the capture again has various possible outcomes:
- 0 dropped and 0 inserted frames (wishful best case)
- the inserted frame appears at a different position
- more dropped and inserted (duplicated) frames
I would leave as is if the capture has no other deficiencies than just 1 inserted frame over the full length of 2h27min capturing. Just my opinion.

[Alwyn]

You using a GV-USB2?

[bigbadben]

You using a GV-USB2?

Yes. Why?

[Skiller]

Do not worry about one inserted frame in a two and a half hour capture.
Like Sharc, I also believe it was inserted to keep audio in sync and it's harmless.

[Alwyn]

My GV-USB2 does the same, every capture. Ignore.

[bigbadben]

Do not worry about one inserted frame in a two and a half hour capture.
Like Sharc, I also believe it was inserted to keep audio in sync and it's harmless.

The capture device duplicates a frame near the beginning of the tape. It's annoying. Is there a way to get rid of it?

This black/grey bar appears at the bottom and top in certain parts of the video. I don't have a full frame TBC just a line TBC DVD recorder. Is there a way to get rid of this too? It appeared smaller the second time I recorded for some reason.

I notice like a flash of noise on my tape appears at moments. Could this indicate damage to the tape? Screenshot of the bar below:


[Attachment 61827 - Click to enlarge]

[lollo]

The capture device duplicates a frame near the beginning of the tape. It's annoying.

It is not.

Is there a way to get rid of it?

Sharc already aswered you.

You may want to delete the inserted (duplicate) frame, but watch out for not introducing an annoying audio glitch/click.

To remove it, in AviSynth you can do

video_new=videosource.trim(0,x-1)++videosource.trim(x+1,0)

#where x=number of duplicated frame

I notice like a flash of noise on my tape appears at moments.

It is "head switching noise", is normal to have it, and you can mask it in AviSynth with

crop(0,0,0,-x)
addBorders(0,0,0,x)

#where x=number of lines you want to mask

[bigbadben]

The capture device duplicates a frame near the beginning of the tape. It's annoying.

It is not.

Is there a way to get rid of it?

Sharc already aswered you.

You may want to delete the inserted (duplicate) frame, but watch out for not introducing an annoying audio glitch/click.

To remove it, in AviSynth you can do

video_new=videosource.trim(0,x-1)++videosource.trim(x+1,0)

#where x=number of duplicated frame

I notice like a flash of noise on my tape appears at moments.

It is "head switching noise", is normal to have it, and you can mask it in AviSynth with

crop(0,0,0,-x)
addBorders(0,0,0,x)

#where x=number of lines you want to mask

It's annoying to me. If it's not annoying to you then good for you. Not sure why you're being unfriendly. I've never met you in my life.

[lollo]

I did not want to be unfriendly. Just confirming that having 1 inserted frame is not an issue from a technical point of view.

[Sharc]

Assuming your capture is a lossless *.avi, you can try as follows:
1) Open your file in VirtualDub2
2) Navigate to the (next) frame which you want to delete
3) Press the Delete key on your keyboard
Repeat steps 2) and 3) for all frames you want to remove
4) Save the file under a new name

I notice like a flash of noise on my tape appears at moments. Could this indicate damage to the tape?

Either this, or local dust/dirt on the tape, or temporary dirt on the VCR head, or a glitch in the capture. It may go away in a second capture attempt, or just appear at a different position. You may want to delete these frames using the method above (and eventually accept audio hickups and video jumps). You may just try, or upload a sample for better advice.

You could also delete the unwanted (ugly) frames and replace these by interpolated frames which are synthesized from the adjacent healthy frames, but this is a rather complicated process with its own pitfalls.

[Skiller]

The capture device duplicates a frame near the beginning of the tape.

A.k.a. at the very beginning of every capture???
Two things to narrow this down:

1) See if it happens if you just capture the DVD-recorders setup menu without any tape playing. If yes, then it's not related to the analog signal to be captured but on the PC side of things. It could, for example, be something as trivial as the HDD spinning up from stand-by.

2) In such case it would happen only once for the first capture and not for the next capture if you start another one right away. Does it happen for every capture if you do several short ones in a row?