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  1. Hello,

    I'm getting a low frequency pulsing noise on my VHS captures. It's most noticeable on quiet parts, so I captured a sample from the beggining of a tape. It's attached.

    I noticed it on different tapes and if I play multiple times, it appears to be different every time, sometimes it is louder, sometimes it is quieter.

    Do I have a bad VCR?

    It's a Gradiente GSV-860HF (7-head HI-FI).
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  2. Looks like ten 60 Hz pulses each second. Maybe related to the power supply? Or field rate?
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  3. Member
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    Originally Posted by fbreve View Post
    Do I have a bad VCR?
    Yes.
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  4. At first mp3 (or any lossy) codec is not particularly good to provide samples. Second not sure but seem 1kHz level is modulated but frequency is stable so tape speed is likely to be constant.
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  5. I noticed that moving the VCR around reduces the noise. I guess it is taking interference from something else. I found a position where it is barely audible on silent parts.
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  6. Also try different cables if you have any. And try plugging everything (computer, VHS deck, capture device) into the same power bar to reduce the possibility of ground loops. If you have cable TV or an antenna connected to the VHS deck remove it.
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  7. I tried swapping cables before moving it, but it didn't work. I also plugged both the VCR and Panasonic ES10 (which is doing the TBC job partially) to the no-break outlet. It didn't work either. No antenna is connected.
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    Florescent lights and dimmers can cause all kinds of electrical interference. Check to see if anything like that is causing issues.
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  9. Most lights in my house are LED. And captured this sample during the day. They were all off.

    One exception is my monitor. I think Dell U2410 backlight is CFL, and the VCR was very near it.
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  10. Thank you for all the suggestions. It seems that the new location is good enough, I did a full capture and I didn't notice this noise anymore.
    I have another question about sound restoration, but I'll start another thread.
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  11. I have the same problem. Attached is the wav file. I connected to a UPS power supply and changed the video audio cable but still same problem, so I think its my other video stereo equipment that is causing it. I probably have to move my VCR away from them to solve this problem.

    Could it be dirty heads or head switching errors?

    Edit: I found out the pulsating noise only occurs on some tapes but when I play these same tapes on another VCR, I don't hear the pulsating noise.

    Edit 2: Moving the VCR away from my other video stereo equipment solved the problem. I wonder if it's my WI FI router or the dozen of power cables on my 16 outlets surge protector, both are pretty close to my equipment.
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    Last edited by digicube; 5th Jun 2017 at 05:22.
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  12. Formerly 'vaporeon800' Brad's Avatar
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    The head switch pulse is a 30Hz square wave.
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  13. Formerly 'vaporeon800' Brad's Avatar
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    If my math is correct, the frequency in your sample is around 9.8Hz, not 60Hz.

    1 / 0.102 s = 9.8Hz
    1 / 60Hz = 0.01666... s
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  14. I see. So my sample is different from OP's? They sound alike.
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  15. Formerly 'vaporeon800' Brad's Avatar
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    Never mind. I didn't look at the start of the thread. Ten 60Hz pulses per second describes yours too.

    Though you have an added blip 0.073 s after the start of each 60Hz pulse.
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  16. MagneticAsh
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    After years of reading these forums I finally have something to possibly contribute and help! I happened upon this with after no luck, and this thread tipped me in the right direction in talking about interference from a power supply. I had the same buzz on tapes that I was transferring. The source of the pulsing/buzzing turned out to be a Wifi Mesh Router that happened to be in proximity to the cables between the vcr and the computer. I moved the router about a 2 ft further away and the problem was solved. Here's the interesting thing though, and perhaps someone with more knowledge has an idea. I would only get the pulsing with some tapes and not others. The best I could narrow it down to, is that the tapes where it did not occur likely were recorded with hifi audio and the ones with the problem were probably taped on a mono or linear audio vcr originally. Why should that matter as it pertains to rf interference?
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  17. Originally Posted by drblubox View Post
    After years of reading these forums I finally have something to possibly contribute and help! I happened upon this with after no luck, and this thread tipped me in the right direction in talking about interference from a power supply. I had the same buzz on tapes that I was transferring. The source of the pulsing/buzzing turned out to be a Wifi Mesh Router that happened to be in proximity to the cables between the vcr and the computer. I moved the router about a 2 ft further away and the problem was solved. Here's the interesting thing though, and perhaps someone with more knowledge has an idea. I would only get the pulsing with some tapes and not others. The best I could narrow it down to, is that the tapes where it did not occur likely were recorded with hifi audio and the ones with the problem were probably taped on a mono or linear audio vcr originally. Why should that matter as it pertains to rf interference?
    Same here. Same noise on tapes. My deck was in the room next to my router. Anywhere the deck was, I had pulse when digitizing. If I was standing between the deck and the router, buzzing was a bit less loud but still there. So I finally moved my antennas on the router, placed aluminum foil behind it also, and I think that helped a lot. I don't hear the pulse now.
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