Capturing Hi8 tape using VirtualDub and Avisynth. Artifacts showing.

[MBX]

Hi,

As the title states, i'm in the process of digitizing some old Hi8 tapes. I'm using a Nedis Videograbber (USB) together with VirtualDub using the Lagarith codec, in order to get the best picture possible. Then i'm deinterlacing with QTGMC in Avisynth. The final product is pretty good, but i'm seeing some diagonal lines/herringbone once in a while, both before and after deinterlacing. Are these avoidable by tweaking Avisynth or is it flaws on the tape, cables or the videograbber? Please see attached photos.

They present themselves in different colors.

When i play the tape directly from the Sony camera to my Samsung smart TV, there are no issues at all, and the picture looks really good without any artifacts, using the same cables. I guess it could be the USB capture device that's failing.

Thanks.

[dellsam34]

What camcorder you are capturing with? Does it have TBC or is TBC ON if it has it? Line TBC in camcorders can fix some of those artifacts. Also make sure S-Video is used not composite even with regular Video8 tapes.

[MBX]

Hi dellsam,

It is a Sony Handycam CCD-TR515E. I'm not sure about the TBC to be honest, but i'll look into it. Sadly, the only video output on this camera is composite..

[dellsam34]

Unfortunately that's as much quality as you can get from a low end camcorder like that one, If you want decent captures you will be better off with a camcorder that is equipped with TBC and S-Video output. For example in the 3rd screen shot from the top the vertical lines would look straight if the camcorder has a TBC function.

[MBX]

What could explain the lack of these artifacts when playing directly to my TV then? I find it strange that they only appear when capturing on the PC. If the TV has some kind of processing, wouldn't it be possible to replicate it when processing on PC?

Thanks.