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  1. I'm having a problem capturing analog video and am hoping that this forum can identify what I am experiencing and point me in the right direction to a resolution, if one exists.

    I've seen others post this same problem, but have not seen anyone identify it as interlace issue, noise, dropped frame, etc...

    Here's the problem, video looks fine when played back on HI-8 camera, looks fine when played onto a TV screen, looks fine when copied to VHS. Mostly looks fine when captured to PC, but regardless of software I use, or hardware used to connect the camera to the PC I get the same 'issue' at the exact same moment in the tape. I have tried both internal cards and USB dongles, I have tried multiple PCs (desktops and laptops) and still get the same error at the same point of time. I have also tried to capture various resolution levels and file types (AVI, MPEG-2) and still have the same issue. I have attached a quick 6 second sample.

    An identification of what I am experiencing and a suggestion of how to resolve would be most appreciated.
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  2. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=macrovision+transfer&&view=detail&mid=5150084CE28...6FORM%3DHDRSC3

    https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=vhs+tape+tbc+correction&view=detail&mid=A2FFC5703...136B&FORM=VIRE

    Without the exact setup, hardware, model / make, connections, software, etc, hard to tell.

    First guesses are Macrovision or Time Base Correction fixes are needed.

    ...

    For Macrovision, you'd have to get one of the numerous old Macrovision removal boxes they used to sell (ebay?).
    This would remove the copy protection detection in your setup so that the video can be captured correctly.

    For TBC, you'd either have to get a better VHS deck that has it, or push it through a device like the Canopus ADVC-100 that can fix it.

    ...

    Because these are Hi8 tapes, another way (which requires more hardware), is to play them in a Digital8 camcorder/deck or into an analog to digital converter like the Canopus ADVC-100, then output over firewire cable to a computer with a firewire card in pure digital format.
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  3. Formerly 'vaporeon800' Brad's Avatar
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    You need a Time Base Corrector (TBC) of some kind.

    See samples attached here: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/394670-VHS-Horizontal-Stabilisation?p=2563178&view...=1#post2563178
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  4. babygdva and vaporeon800:

    Thanks for the responses. I'm leaning toward the issue being TBC. I've been dabbling with capturing these old tapes for years. I don't remember if I ever tried to capture the VHS copies I made of the Hi8 tapes to see if the anomaly occurs, that may be a test for later today.

    I didn't bother listing my exact setup as I have tried several different setups over the years, all with the same result. I think the problem resides with the analog to digital conversion. I may eventually just not worry about it as the issue does not occur that frequently, and does not occur at all in any footage I captured using a tripod. I will probably just edit out the glitches, my main concern is to at this point capture the best quality digital copies I have before something happens to either the tapes or my camera.

    Thanks again for the responses and suggestions.
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  5. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    Lack of TBC is the problem.

    The problem is your workflow hardware (camera, VCR, TBC, capture card), not the process itself.

    - no external TBC = capture will not work properly, if at all
    - capture card in use? cheap cards give many issues, especially Easycap (infamously known as Easycrap) and clones (Roxio, etc)
    - VCR, camera in use? lack of internal line TBC especially leads to image quality issues
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
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  6. Thanks for the reply lordsmurf.

    Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    Lack of TBC is the problem.

    The problem is your workflow hardware (camera, VCR, TBC, capture card), not the process itself.

    - no external TBC = capture will not work properly, if at all
    Most of my captures have turned out OK. The six second clip I posted is the only issue I have in that recording which was approx. 30 minutes in length, the rest of the footage was captured with no issues. I also have not seen any issue with any footage that I have captured that was originally recorded with the camera on a tripod. I originally thought that the first PC/software/capture card I was using was not up to the task as the issue seems to manifest itself when there is a lot of motion in the frame, but after attempting to capture the same footage on several PC/software/capture device combinations and have the issue occur at the exact same time in each capture I ruled out my hardware.
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  7. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
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    You likely have many more issues, but are not noticing them, or are not aware the issues exist. Too many people assume that analog/VHS/etc video simply looks bad, but that's not at all the case. Those formats can easily be "digital quality" (SD satellite/cable), but only when using quality hardware for the conversion. Not just any old VCR, not any cheap capture card.
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
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  8. Formerly 'vaporeon800' Brad's Avatar
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    I was viewing the sample on my phone before so I didn't notice; why is the compression quality so atrocious?

    It's AVC Baseline L3.1 854x480 @ 5.6Mbps. Even factoring in artifacts from lossy re-compression, the video is terrible quality for the bitrate.

    Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    VCR, camera in use? lack of internal line TBC especially leads to image quality issues
    I'm 90% sure this sample had player line TBC turned on.

    Image
    [Attachment 51589 - Click to enlarge]


    The horizontal blanking seen here in the middle of the frame has been bent by the capture device, but the curve is remarkably regular. Compare to horizontal jitter here:

    Image
    [Attachment 51590 - Click to enlarge]


    And the same but with line TBC on; these captures roll diagonally because the sample rate of cxadc doesn't line up exactly with a pixel grid.

    Image
    [Attachment 51591 - Click to enlarge]
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