Converting captured mpeg to DVD mpeg always out of sync

[Rattlehair]

Have tried mostly tmpeg express and tmpeg author but always wind up converting a captured mpeg file that is perfectly in sync to a mpeg in DVD format that is out of sync. Have also captured the video in AVI format with the same results of original in sync but when encoded it goes out of sync. Have also tried many different capture formats, but keep thinking the capture plays fine so thinking the problem is encoding.

Previously tried every trialware and freeware programs I could find and always with the same results.

I basically have eight vhs home movie tapes to put on DVD.
After that our new video camera is digital so shouldn't run into so much problems.

Capture the video as mpeg format on via a leadtek winfast tv 2000 deluxe with an athlon 2500 barton cpu and a 3/4 gig of ram. The mpeg turns out fine but always during conversion it gets out of sync.

Will have to do more reading and research no doubt but I just want to convert these few tapes into DVD so was hoping for an easy way or reliable software. In the posts there seem to be many suggestions and options and I have tried a few without success.

What I was hoping is that someone could point me towards a reasonable solution or software for converting these few tapes. I find it amazing to think that with the many choices of software that this should be simple task will require a great deal of study and experimentation and the use and extensive knowledge of several different types of software.

Also have tried on several different computers, the fastest being an intel 3Ghz with 1Gigabyte of dual channel ram all with out of sync results. I am tempted to by a TV type DVD recorder but it seems wasteful just for a couple home movies.

Any help or tips appreciated.

[wwjd]

I used to have audio sync problems when converting my VHS home movies to DVD. To solve that I went with an external analog to digital converter made by Canopus, the ADVC-100. It 'locks' the audio and video so that it can not get out of sync.

I have edited and authored the avi files produced by the ADVC-100 using Pinnacle Studio 8, Nero Vision Express, Ulead VideoStudio 8, TMPEG and a few other trial wares. In all cases the video and audio were sync'd.

The ADVC-100 costs around $200 but in my opinion is well worth the money. I have seen posts for A/D called DAC100 but I do not know if it locks the audio.

wwjd

[mats.hogberg]

Why not capture to DVD specs in the first place (I suggest Half D1) to avoid reencoding?

/Mats

[wwjd]

For what is worth, I tried half D1 and still had audio sync problems and dropped frames. I have seen a lot of information on using half D1 for VHS that claims there is no loss in quality but I have yet to see it that way. I am not arguing the science but rather the qualitative result I see with my biased pair of eyes.

wwjd

[mats.hogberg]

I regularly capture live TV to half D1 and can see no diff between capture and live when viewed on TV. I use 3500 kbps ave, 8000 max, 2000 min.
VHS is worse than live TV (at least the tapes I have!) but then agaim the noise might require some bit rate...

/Mats

[Nelson37]

Describe the desynch more completely. By what sort of time value does it desynch? Constant value, starts at a certain point, gradually increases, increases spradically?

Are you SURE the original does not Desynch? Played all the way to the end? With more than one software? On the same player and media as the converted file? Have you played the converted file on the PC? Have you authored and burned the final file to disk and played it in a standalone?

Is there a padding stream? How large is it?

Try running the capture file thru TMPGenc Merge and Cut, then doing conversion.

[mats.hogberg]

If half D1 doesn't fulfil your quality needs, then go for full DVD res - the point was to avoid the reencoding before authoring.

/Mats

[Rattlehair]

wwjd
Have considered the external hardware option but still think it wasteful as once I do the 8 tapes have no further need for it. Also was thinking with a half decent computer the tv card I have should be capable of the task.

mats.hogberg
Could try the Half D1 capturing but still keep thinking there is nothing wrong with the capture as it seems perfectly in sync through out the full lenght of the recording.

Tried capturing a movie vhs tape we have and it also played flawless after capture but had about a ten second out of sync problem after decoding.

Sorry if I have any of the terminoligy wrong as a newbie at this.

May give TV to half D1 a try though. At this point I am only capturing a few minutes at a time as to not take so long to decode.

Nelson37
Have decoded over twenty times now various vhs tapes and even some tv feed from cable and always the same result. The desync is out about ten seconds throughout the whole lenght of the tape. I am considering the option of trial and error of changing the timing (that is after learning what best to use to do this). But still thinking of all the vast amount of software out there that some of it at default or near default settings must be able to decode without throwing this off. As I say the original captures always seem to be fine throughout. Lately have been trying just five minute captures to speed up the testing and the captures seem clear and in sync throughout or if they are out of sync it must be just a fraction of a second as I can't notice anything. The decoded versions are clearly many seconds off.

Lately just using about 5 minute clips that are I think about 50 mb. I deleted them all the other day so not quite sure of the size.

Usually use Windows media player to play both files.

Have also burnt or should I say wasted seven dvdr's and they play out of sync on both the computer and dvd player.

Not familiar with padding stream but will have to check it out.

Have tried

• DVD Producer
  MovieFactory (several versions)
  DVD Workshop
  DVD Lab
  tmpeg
  and a few others I can't think of right now

What amazes me is none of the software tried could (for a novice at default settings) take what seems like a perfectly fine capture and decode it without being out of sync.

Will try Try "running the capture file thru TMPGenc Merge and Cut, then doing conversion"

This mole hill has turned into a mountain.

[wwjd]

Rattlehair, you have a good point. I struggled with that same thought 'what will I do with this once I am done with converting my VHS and 8mm tapes?' In the end it came down to how much more time and money was I willing to invest to find a solution that worked.

I am sure you will find the right solution that works for you. For what it is worth I use my ADVC-100 to convert TV shows I want to record. I also have cable TV, so I just hook the cable to a VCR select a channel and record. This method is far being a PVR but it works for me.

Good luck!

wwjd

[mats.hogberg]

Rattlehair, I think you're missing my point: Capture to any valid DVD resolution. I suggest this because it seems to be the reencoding that introduces sync probs. By capturing to a DVD spec mpg, reencoding isn't necessary, it's just to author!

/Mats

[Rattlehair]

mats.hogberg

"By capturing to a DVD spec mpg, reencoding isn't necessary, it's just to author! "

That’s exactly what I thought and the main reason the vhs was caputered in mpeg format. But........ when using tmpeg and other software it complains that the mpeg is not DVD compliant.

Guess I'll have to do a lot more experimentation in capturing although to play back the capture it seems fine.

It feels like am trying to reinvent the wheel here, trying to capture a few vhs tapes to burn on DVD, which this in itself continues to astonish me that this should be simple task is turning out so difficult.

Anyway got to paint the house this weekend and clean out a couple chimneys so doubt I will get a chance to fool with it.

[mats.hogberg]

Well, don't know about your card, but mine captures to MPGs that's just to load into TMPGEnc DVD Auhor and click on "Output".


/Mats

[bugster]

I basically have eight vhs home movie tapes to put on DVD.
After that our new video camera is digital so shouldn't run into so much problems.

Any help or tips appreciated.

Just a silly suggestion. There is a pretty good chance that your new digital cam has composite or S-video inputs. So why not copy you VHS tapes to digital video tape (DV?) on your cam. Then use firewire to transfer toy our comp and encode/author etc.

If the 'copies' on the digital cam are in synch, they should remain in sync.

If your cam is DV, it might even support pass through, in which case you can simply use it as a firewire capture device, saving the step of copying to tape.

[Rattlehair]

bugster
I have two older (or maybe because they are cheaper) VHS machines and niether have S video out though. Do have (if I can find it) an Svideo to rca plug adapter.

It seems with this project every way I turn is a dead end. Will have to try adjusting the time sync or even try some other capture settings to see if it will make a difference.

[bugster]

bugster
I have two older (or maybe because they are cheaper) VHS machines and niether have S video out though. Do have (if I can find it) an Svideo to rca plug adapter.

Composite? Is it not available on the Cam. My Sony Cam has both.

Or borrow a VCR from a friend that has S-Video out maybe?

[Rattlehair]

bugster
Digital Camera just has svideo, digital and usb in as a lower end JVC.

Will have to try different methods of caputre but still keep thinking the capture is OK as it plays in sync on two different computers, its after I monkey with it where the problem begins.

Although thinking maybe these programs will handle another format better such as AVI seems to be the one of choice.

Or although the capture looks and sound perfect maybe it isn't.

Don't like to borrow so would probably go out and buy a VHS (although I have two we don't use now). Also I am stubborn and think the existing hardware and software should work just a matter of how.

I have not fooled with this for about a week so will have to get back into it and maybe then can be more specific about the exact details of what settings and configurations are used.

[Nelson37]

Try the Merge and Cut approach. With a constant desynch value, this sounds like the audio and video cap is not starting at the same time.

Many capture progs use (or create) a padding stream as a compensation method, I believe primarily for dropped frames. If you do a demux, you will see this stream listed along with the audio and video streams. If you demux it and it is more than a Kb or so, that means it contains needed info. Exactly what is in it I do not know, but I know this. It allows almost any software player to play the file in synch, but a demux/remux (or any other processing) will result in a desynched file. TMPGenc Merge and cut does a demux/remux as part of the process, but somehow takes the padding stream into account (exactly how I do not know) and produces a synched file, with NO padding stream, that can be processed normally with no problems. Would be interesting to see if your Authoring program would accept the Cut file.

Another method which works is to open the file with AviSynth, open the AviSynth file with VDub, and frameserve to your encoder. I always did the audio in a second step and remuxed later.