S-Video capture produces "crosshatch" noise

[scootdogg]

When capturing with my KWorld DVD Maker PCI (Conexant CX23883) via s-video, I get the following grid of dots (zoomed-in frame grab of solid blue area)



Some have referred to this as diagonal line, diamond-shaped, crosshatch, or "netting" noise or interference. Different combinations of cables work to improve this effect, but nothing makes it disappear completely. I can reproduce this effect on my ATI TV WONDER VE through the Composite input by disabling the luminance notch filter (BT8x8 tweak in VirtualDub capture or Advanced BT8x8 Settings in DScaler). However, none of the CX2388x Advanced Settings seem to put a dent in this stuff.

Anyone know what's up with this? I thought an S-Video capture would be less susceptible to artifacts such as these.

[themaster1]

Strange.Is this a still from one of your vhs or just a still of the vcr's menu when no tape is played?
I guess the cable have something to do with that.Also is i a brand new vcr or old?

That's what i get myself...no strange lines or anything

[lordsmurf]

Try another cable.

[redwudz]

Yes, that's apparently radio frequency (RF) interference. Can be caused by a badly shielded cable or can occasionally be internal to the computer or the tuner. Bad grounding on your AC lines can also cause it, or a strong radio transmitter nearby. If you are capping from a VCR, try unplugging it or your video source from power and you may see it disappear. Unplug any other devices temporally, like cable TV if it's hooked to the tuner or VCR. Then you may find the source.

Good quality short cables and good grounding is usually the cure. Also move the computer away from TVs or other RF emitting devices. S-video cables sometimes have lousy shielding, as they have several wires inside and just a cheap wire wrap around them for shielding. Also make sure all your connections are secure with no loose pins.

[scootdogg]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I haven't gone the $30 Monster cable route yet ... trying to eliminate all other possibilities.

Here's another cap ... I did grab the first from my HR-S9911U 's menu screen.



I'd run with the RF theory except that the noise seems ultra-uniform and ultra-granular. Adjacent pixels appear to have considerable luma variations throughout the image and in a very regular pattern.

Here is another forum topic I've been following which refers to a similar issue:

https://forum.videohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=326599&highlight=

That user claimed a cable helped and it appeared to, but I still see the same artifacts in the "fixed" image (just harder to see).

Could Y / C crosstalk be causing this? My cable run is fairly short with no TV's or such to contend with.

[redwudz]

Sure, could be crosstalk. But I wouldn't go for a 'monster' cable as the biggest improvement will be the lightening of your wallet. There are better cables out there for half the price or less. JMO

I suspect internal interference getting into the cable as much as the cable itself being the whole problem. But if you could pick up some large ferrite beads and wind a couple of turns of the cable through them, that may reduce it.

[themaster1]

Sure, could be crosstalk. But I wouldn't go for a 'monster' cable as the biggest improvement will be the lightening of your wallet.

Yeah i heard monster cable are BS(never tried myself)
i heard the wires from the mark HAMA(german company) are not bad

[lordsmurf]

Monster makes good cables, but I don't see that as being needed here. I think this cable is just bad. Even a cheap cable would not be this ugly.

[scootdogg]

Any cable recommendations? What do you think of the ones at

http://www.svideo.com/mogami4u.html

??

[redwudz]

I usually go with a major cable company that's been around a while, such as Belkin or similar: http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=23867 Or look around for some of their more expensive cables: http://www.belkin.com/ There's plenty of other good cable companies out there also, just watch out for the hype. A 6 foot piece of wire? $20 max.

Just my opinion. I don't buy $1.99 cables, but $199 cables are ridiculous.

[deuce8pro]

Excellent. I just posted in a thread about cables I just tried.
Give these cables a shot and thank me later.
You can buy them real inexpensive off ebay.
Acoustic Research Pro II series.
I think even guys like Lordsmurf would enjoy the results
used with these cables.

[geowharton]

deuce8pro,
Don't know if this will help, but I have had a pattern like this when I mistakenly had the S-video cable and composite video cable both plugged in to the computer at the same time.