How can I correct severe tearing during VHS capture?

[Sparrowhawk]

I've been capturing/converting VHS to DVD for some time now, with fairly good results. But suddenly I'm getting severe tearing across the top of the picture. I've check this and other forums and done a fair amount of online research. With the information I've gained I've now got this setup: JVC HR-A51U VHS player, DataVision TBC-1000 time base corrector, VidBox capture device, and Ulead DVD Movie Factory 2SE software. I arrived at this after trying 3 VHS players, 3 different capture devices, 4 different software programs, connecting through a power USB hub, connecting driectly into a USB port on my PC, and connecting the whole setup directly into my laptop. Nothing has corrected the tearing. The TBC was my last hope, but I'm still getting the severe tearing. HELP!

P.S. For those wanting to convert/burn the digital file to a DVD, ConvertX to DVD4 is great. It lets you set up menus, chapters, combine files, put more than one title onto the same DVD (space permitting) and more.

[DB83]

Just with one tape or all of them ?

[SLK001]

Perhaps your TBC is not properly setup.

[handyguy]

Did you adjust the tracking?

[robjv1]

Some of the JVC DVHS decks are known to fix this. The cheapest solution is the JVC ES-10 DVD recorder. It's not a great DVD recorder but the good news is that you can use it simply as a pass through device to your capture device.

it's ability to correct tearing is amazing.

[Blackout]

Sparrow i think purposely left out the important information ....is it for this one tape in particular or all of his tapes. i suspect one tape only.

And generally the short answer is that there is so little bias and signal left on that particular tape that you are just simply not going to get a clean pass from it no matter what you do. ive had several tapes like that. The video tape is just exhausted, the signal so weak you are never gonna get much. Tape was probably originally cheap, recorder was originally worn, signal was original weak.

the best you can do is use the best video recorder that you can afford, and several different ones and accept the picture or throw it out and move on. Unless its your wedding video i would not torment yourself.

Cheers,
Blackout

[oldfart13]

Some of the JVC DVHS decks are known to fix this. The cheapest solution is the JVC ES-10 DVD recorder. It's not a great DVD recorder but the good news is that you can use it simply as a pass through device to your capture device.

it's ability to correct tearing is amazing.

You mean Panasonic ES-10 don't you?

[robjv1]

^ ha-ha, yes! I hope I didn't send the OP on a wild goose chase by getting so JVC happy in my post.

Can you make a screen capture of the problem in question? Also -- try a tape you've already successfully captured; are you getting this tearing problem on it now? If this problem does not appear on the tapes you've already captured, then the ES-10 might be fitting. Otherwise, I'm guessing you have some sort of software issue. A DataVideo TBC will do nothing for tearing, so you're barking up the wrong tree with that one.

Don't quote me on it, but I believe in addition to the Panasonic ES-10, the Panasonic ES-15 will fix it too, but you better search the Restoration thread (that's where most of the VHS experts hang out) or ask someone who remembers.

The JVC DVHS decks that will usually correct this problem are the: HM-DH30000U, HM-DH40000U, and HM-DH5U. I've heard good things about the last two and that the 30000U can have a whole host of issues.

[jbd5010]

^ ha-ha, yes! I hope I didn't send the OP on a wild goose chase by getting so JVC happy in my post.
Don't quote me on it, but I believe in addition to the Panasonic ES-10, the Panasonic ES-15 will fix it too, but you better search the Restoration thread (that's where most of the VHS experts hang out) or ask someone who remembers.

The JVC DVHS decks that will usually correct this problem are the: HM-DH30000U, HM-DH40000U, and HM-DH5U. I've heard good things about the last two and that the 30000U can have a whole host of issues.

Fancy seeing you ever here too, robjv1

I've bought and sold many HM-DH30000U's... they're not really worth your time. Nothing special. I have an HM-DH40000U, but I haven't thoroughly run it through some tests yet. No experience with the HM-DH5U, except a stubborn Craigslist seller that won't ship his because he doesn't have paypal... and he's only asking $50! Damn!

I second the Panasonic DMR-ES10 recommendation. Aside from an AG1980 or JVC built-in TBC, that's about the only other thing that can take care of horizontal jitter and tearing. TBC-1000 definitely doesn't help that. You can find a DMR-ES10 for less than $100 on eBay, and since the actual DVD recording sucks (go figure, it's a dvd recorder...), scope one out that powers up and passes signal but maybe has a busted burner/drive. It will be dirt cheap and will serve the purpose you're looking for!

EDIT... and by "ever here" I meant "over here." I'd rather look stupid because of good reasons.. not stupid reasons!

[robjv1]

Hey! :b

Yeah, that is all sound advice I think. I got a fully working ES-10 for $75 shipped on eBay. One of the best purchases I've ever made for this kinda work.

[lordsmurf]

And generally the short answer is that there is so little bias and signal left on that particular tape that you are just simply not going to get a clean pass from it no matter what you do....... The video tape is just exhausted, the signal so weak you are never gonna get much. Tape was probably originally cheap, recorder was originally worn, signal was original weak. ......... the best you can do is use the best video recorder that you can afford, and several different ones and accept the picture or throw it out and move on.

That's simply not correct.

Rob has posted the correct answer.
I've covered this many times in the past 7 years on multiple sites online.

I know there have been recent posts here: http://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/video-restore
Search for "tearing"
One post even has highly technical information on why this error happens.

This is a seemingly horrible error that's really fairly trivial to correct, given the right hardware.
If it's only one tape, or even a handful of tapes, just pay a good service
-- it's cheaper than $100's in hardware costs.

[jbd5010]

Don't quote me on it, but I believe in addition to the Panasonic ES-10, the Panasonic ES-15 will fix it too, but you better search the Restoration thread (that's where most of the VHS experts hang out) or ask someone who remembers.

If that's true, then I might have a great eBay find. It's exactly what I mentioned earlier: working unit with just a bad drive/burner. I verified with the seller that it's a DMR-ES15 (since he didn't specify in the listing):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160568046836

You still alive Sparrowhawk? You went MIA after your first post!