Help with capturing from VHS

[dross333]

HI, I am capturing using my AIW 9000 card from my VCR. I am also using ULEAD Video 8. I am able to capture, but although it looks fine on the screen, when I play back, the screen it something like 720x 240, so much of it gets cut off. I tried changing this setting and when capturing, the lower part is kind of green. Not sure what setting I need to adjust as I'm sure that is what the problem is. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
David

[thecoalman]

Lordsmurf has a great tutorial on using the AIW. www.digitalfaq.com That green you see is probably overscan if it is a line across the bottom that is about 5%, when I had a AIW some captures would get that. It won't be visible when you view it on a TV only your computer.

[dross333]

Thanks for the reply. However, after going through his article I am still having problems. I am getting a lot of flickering and "waving discoloration" I tried different tapes and tried different settings. I am using composite cables, if that makes a difference. Any other suggestions. The VCR that I have is not that old, if that could be the problem.

Thanks
David

[thecoalman]

You didn't mention the flickering. Does it brighten then darken, sometimes looks like someone is taking a picture with a camera for a few frames? White line across the top 10% of the capture? You can check out my page here for detailed info and some examples www.nepadigital.com/mv

If so what your seeing IMO (and others) is Macrovision and it's dirty evil work. The AIW has trouble capturing older VHS tapes. It gives a lot of false MV detections on video that isn't very clean. A vcr with a TBC or standalone TBC will fix this but they start at around $300. Other cheaper video enhancers might work as well. The flickering problem is common post here.

[dross333]

BINGO...Frame 2 in the video samples on your site show the exact problem I am having. I wish there was a cheaper alternative. If anyone has any other suggestion, that would be great.

Thanks for the help coalman.

-David

[thecoalman]

Try one of those cheap video enhancers, if it doesn't work take it back. I had a similar problem on the same tape with my GeforceFX based VIVO card and that eliminated the problem. I had already removed the ATI from my system so I wasn't able to test it. Think the cheapest ones start around $50.00.

There really is no other solution that I'm aware of, Ive tried everthing short of the enhancers or TBC. I even disconnected my speakers and moved them across the room at one point. I can tell you one thing, one person that was having the same problem said the TBC eliminated the flickering and improved the quality of his capture overall.

Edit: Another solution

1.Remove card from computer.
2.Place on stump.
3.Smash with axe.
4.Send picture of card to ATI.

Not a very practical solution but would be quite fun.

[grossjamesh]

I dont know if this method will work for you but this is how I have moved serveral dozen VHS tapes to dvd.

VHS -> TV(home theather) -> TV Monitor out -> Video capture card(Happauge WINTV PVR USB 2) -> HD -> TMPEGenc DVD Author.

Of course not all TVs have a monitor out.