converting VHS time-lapse tapes

[timelapser]

I have a bunch of analog VHS time-lapse tapes that I wish to convert to digital. The images on the tapes were recorded at 5 or 10 frames/second. I have a Canopus ADVC110 converter, and Adobe Premier Elements. When I try to capture the images, they roll up on the screen, as when the tracking is bad on an analog player. I'm thinking that this occurs maybe because the frame rate of the converter is different from the image rate on the tapes? In any case, I need to review the tapes frame-by-frame and I'd like the images to stay put on the display as I run through the tapes. Any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks!

[guns1inger]

Questions

1. Do the tapes play back correctly on a normal VCR and TV ? If so, while the images may change every 5 - 10 fps, they have been recorded at either 25 or 29.97 fps.

2. Are the tapes PAL or NTSC ?

[timelapser]

1. I am quite sure they'll play OK (all the other tapes I've recorded this way have, but in very fast-motion) on a normal VCR but I'll check soon. However, a 2-hr VHS tape will record for 24 hr at the 5 fps, so I think that must be the actual recording rate.

2. The manual says "NTSC color signal", but I can't find anything more about the standard it uses. The tapes themselves would be PAL or NTSC? They are VHS 2-hr tapes; that's all I know about them.

[guns1inger]

The tapes will play back at either 29.97 fps (NTSC) or 25 fps (PAL). Rolling images are often a sign of PAL material playback through NTSC equipment. This is also often accompanied by colour loss if played back as PAL.

If you recorded them yourself then they are probably NTSC, in which case it is something about the tapes themselves, or the equipment that is causing the issue.

[thecoalman]

I've worked with one of these tapes before and assuming it will play on normal VCR you are confusing the difference between the time frame recorded per second and FPS it will playback. Look at this way... it's as if you took a regular video and removed every other frame Or however many) but kept it 29.9FPS. It's still 29.9 FPS but will playback 2x. The device that is making the recording is only recording 5FPS (or whatever amount) but in a 29.9 format.

As suggested above check you are using the correct siganl, NTSC if you're in the US. The first thing I would do though is make sure you can play them from a normal VCR to a normal TV.

[timelapser]

OK, finally I have tried viewing this time-lapse tape with a regular video monitor (rather than through the ADVC110 onto my computer monitor). Using a regular VHS player (the same one I’m using to input to the ADVC110), the images play back fine—There is no movement at all of the image frames. I am in the U.S. and suppose I am recording in NTSC so I tried that converter setting first; I also tried moving the converter's switch to PAL, with the same result.

[redwudz]

I've converted several time lapse VHS tapes with my ADVC-100 with no problems. They were all recorded in 24 hour mode. I just copy them at 29.970 and do a framerate conversion with VD Mod if I want to slow them down. They are usually best played back on the timelapse deck that made them, but I just used a cheap VCR and it worked fine. All mine were B+W, so I haven't tried any color videos. Some timelapse VCRs have tracking problems, but if the tapes work OK on a regular VCR, they should also copy.

[Dr_Layne]

A Time base corrector may help. I've tried to capture tapes that would "roll" like this too though not time lapse tapes. A TBC fixed the problem.

[timelapser]

OK, thanks to all for the help. By adjusting the manual tracking of the VCR I can get the rolling to stop enough to make analysis possible--the captured frames jump around occasionally rather than constantly rolling. Maybe the tracking on the original time-lapse deck is off. I am going to try playing back on that deck to see if that helps. I can't afford a time-base corrector but that seems to be what I need ideally.

[timelapser]

OK, I tried playing back on the time-lapse deck. Same result: the image rolls when passed through the ADVC110 but not when it isn't. So I guess the frames are off enough so the ADVC can't deal with them, but the video monitor (straight from the video deck) can. I'll work with the jumpy tracking-adjusted images. Thanks for the help!