[SOLVED] Removing scrolling lines from videos

[palyons]

Hello, I have some episodes from a rather old tv series which has been off the air for a long time now from a series of VHS tapes.

Anyhow, when I capture the video I am using Pinnacle Studio 10, captured with MJPEG (PICVideo) at the highest quality setting. However one thing that annoys me about the captured video is that I am getting these horizontal lines, about an inch thick which scrolls upwards, they are most noticeable in the dark scenes of the video. Here is an example of what I am talking about:

I am trying to figure out how to remove it with VirtualDub or any other similar program. Any help in removing these would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Edit: Replaced the image I had posted with some frames I've actually captured, as you can see, the first half of the image to the left was the very first frame in the video, and honestly it shows the lines quite well, I've also brightened it so it's easier to see, and on the right is a normal scene from the video, and is present there too.

And if you click on the image you'll see a larger version of the same two pictures.

[Video Head]

Probably helical scan lines. These most often become present in tapes recorded in EP or SLP mode. Playing back the tape in the same machine it was recorded on will sometimes help. It could also be a missaligned head drum causing the helical lines. If you have access to another VCR you can try capturing from it to see if the problem is still there. If it isn't then the problem is mechanical. Either way, there will be no easy way to get rid of the lines once the tape has been captured to digital.

[palyons]

Thank you for your reply, unfortunately I do not have the VCR in which these were recorded from originally, these were bought online from a web site from someone who had recorded the episodes. I believe I might have another VHS tape around here I might be able to try though. Thanks for the help, very much appreciated.

[olyteddy]

To me they look like 'Hum Bars' which result from AC (power line or grounding) issues. They move slowly through because the power lines are at exacly 60 Hz whereas the video is at 59.94 Hz. (FWIW back in the golden era of Monochrome TV Video was exactly 60 Hz to prevent them from being noticed). Now to prevent them: Use well shielded cables, eliminate any extraneous connections to your equipment (Cable TV? Phone Line? Printer?...etc.) ensure that all the equipment involved (PC, VCR, Capture Card) receive power from the same outlet. If that doesn't clear it up you might also 'Lift the Ground' on your PC by using one of those three prong to two prong adapters.

PS, have you looked at the tapes on a TV to see if the distortion was recorded on them?

[palyons]

See, I don't believe it's a problem anything like that, with my old video capture card I didn't have those scrolling moving lines, which was a WinTV PVR-150. I now use a Video Advantage PCI card for video captures, since I get superior quality with it, aside from the obvious video problems I'm seeing now.

EDIT: OK, I found out exactly what was causing the problem... My new capture card isn't really a tv tuner, so I have to use my Antenna Out jack on the back of the VHS to record stuff from the TV. As a result however, that seems to cause the interference, both while capturing from the VHS as well as capturing from the TV. When I unplug the extra video cable the problems disappear (at least from when I need to capture from the VHS)!

Now a new problem arises, would there be any way for me to capture from my TV without too much hassle? Thanks in advance for any help on this.

[olyteddy]

Multiple ground paths, FTW!

[jagabo]

Cable TV is notoriuous for bad grounding. At least make sure it is grounded where it enters the house.

[vhelp]

palyons,

My cabletv is bad like this too. Humbars or harenbone bars or what-nots showing up during
capturing, though also while previewing on the capture's window. Whenever I would capture
(while the cable is connected to the vcr) from a vhs tape, these line would appear, much like
yours. Very bad for mpeg encoding and resulting quality. Anyway.

I've tried many difference surge protections and so called filter cleaners, but none really
worked in my computer enviornment, so I gave up. Then, while browsing around at one of
the Best Buy stores, I came across another, so called filter cleaner. I passed it by, and
then said, 'what the heck'. My rationale was that I was REALLY sick and fed up with
the line noise that was plauging me for many years. And, for the last time, I said to myself,
that this was it, the last time I was gonna try one of these gizmos. Anyways, long story
short..

I resolved this issue of line noise by using a power consitioner outlet that includes a built-in
AC line filter. I believe that there are several AC line filter (conditioners) available. You have
to try both. The one that I used (and resolved this exact issue) is the one put out by:

--> $79 Monster Clean Power Stage T v.2.0 -- Better Sound & Picture

(this one includes the feature for: Ultra Low Loss CableTV, HDTV, Antenna connections)

..though there might be an even sheaper $20 dollar unit if you search the net, but I'm not sure
if they work since I had not used/tested those. I'm going by my own $$ experience using the
above product -- that actually worked!!

Now, when you connect these, you have to connect your equipment a certain way, else
you will prob still experience this hum bars or whatever you're calling them..

Make sure that whatever you are connecting (for your final destinate for capture card)
that your equipment all have ground plugs (that third prick, if you will) and then you would
proceed to connect everything to this one outlet unit by (in my case) following all the
color coded outlets. The last thing you plug in is the computer. But make sure that your
monitor is also plugged into this unit. Just make sure that nothing else (that is connected
to your computer in any way -- audio cards; sound system; montiors; keyboards; dv; etc)
is connected to an *other* AC outlet. And also, plug the Antenna or Cable coax cable
directly into the cable connectors on the outlet unit -- NOT THE VCR!
Otherwise, your outlet unit is being used in vain.

-vhelp 4508

[olyteddy]

Actually, if you can find two of those Coax (round) to Twin Lead (flat parallel wire) adapters you can conntect the Twin Lead ends together and pass the Cable TV signal through them. Most of those 'Baluns' were transformer based and consequently work to lift the CATV ground.
Something like a couple of these: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062054&cp=&pg=1&searchSort=TRUE...entPage=search , although I've never used this particular one.