VHS audio sync drift

[chazcon]

Hello, I'm a rookie working on converting old VHS home movies to digital so that I can edit and create DVD's.

I ripped the VHS tapes to mp4 using an old VCR and Elgato hardware & software. I'm editing in DaVinci Resolve 14 and discovered that my audio is out of sync - starts in sync then drifts off as the video progresses.

After some self-education on the web I believe this is called audio sync drift, and a lot of people suggest that I get a TBC and rip the VHS again. So an inexpensive TBC is about $275 bucks for my 25 tapes - ugh.

Any other solutions? I was thinking what if I took my tapes to a shop and had them rip the VHS to digital with their TBC and high-end equipment, I just want the raw files so I can edit in Resolve and create my DVD content. If they charged more than $10-11/tape I might as well just buy a TBC - right? Or am better off having a pro do the rips?

I have a program called DVD Flick to create the DVD's. I realize with my zero skills these are not going to be awesome color-corrected DVD's but I want preserve them, do some editing and create DVD's for the family.

[hech54]

Hello, I'm a rookie working on converting old VHS home movies to digital so that I can edit and create DVD's.

I ripped the VHS tapes to mp4

First mistake.

[JVRaines]

Almost certainly a problem with Elgato and how it interacts with your computer. A TBC (frame synchronizer is a better description) is unlikely to help unless you are dropping a lot of frames, which I'm sure you'd notice. Try AmarecTV instead as your capture application.

[chazcon]

Hello, I'm a rookie working on converting old VHS home movies to digital so that I can edit and create DVD's.

I ripped the VHS tapes to mp4

First mistake.

Really helpful dude, thanks a lot.

[chazcon]

Almost certainly a problem with Elgato and how it interacts with your computer. A TBC (frame synchronizer is a better description) is unlikely to help unless you are dropping a lot of frames, which I'm sure you'd notice. Try AmarecTV instead as your capture application.

Really - OK I'll check this one out. And what format should I be ripping my VHS to?

[Bernix]

I think he react to your DVD and MP4. Because DVD standard. But anybody can use DVD nonstandard simply as medium with DVD/Blu-ray players that support mp4 or mkv content.

EDIT:If you are able to play VHS content on your PC monitor Through Elgato, you can try grab it with OBS studio. It is free. And don't forget the VHS resolution also.

Bernix

[JVRaines]

Almost certainly a problem with Elgato and how it interacts with your computer. A TBC (frame synchronizer is a better description) is unlikely to help unless you are dropping a lot of frames, which I'm sure you'd notice. Try AmarecTV instead as your capture application.

Really - OK I'll check this one out. And what format should I be ripping my VHS to?

I capture losslessly to Lagarith/AVI, then transcode to whatever the client needs. I usually recommend FFV1/MKV for longterm archiving plus high-constant-quality AVC/MP4 for a viewing copy.

Settings/Edit Ignore List is sometimes a useful function here on VideoHelp.

[chazcon]

Thanks for the help, very much appreciated. I'd hate to have to rip all the VHS again but I may have to.

I'm messing around in Resolve and if I could just separate the audio clip from the video clip, I could adjust the sync. Trying to figure out if that is possible.

[Bernix]

Hi,
if the audio is out of sync progressively then there is no other method, than make audio duration same as video duration. You can do this in Audacity, but it will most likely doesn't help you.
Google says that there is link button under the main viewer window. Click on it and you can work with video audio track separately.

Bernix

[chazcon]

Bernix, I found the link button, thank you! I may be able to make this work, as the content is mostly narration, only in a few places do I need to link the audio exactly.

[hech54]

Hello, I'm a rookie working on converting old VHS home movies to digital so that I can edit and create DVD's.

I ripped the VHS tapes to mp4

First mistake.

Really helpful dude, thanks a lot.

DVD is not "mp4"....never was and never will be "mp4".

[chazcon]

Ahh ignore list, great tip thx.

[Cornucopia]

Too bad. You would be ignoring a helpful tip. Mp4 (specifically low bitrate h264 in mp4) is fine as an end format, but is not recommended as a capture or intermediate/editing format. Hech54 may be curmudgeonly but he ultimately has helpful or insightful things to say. Not so cool to start using the ignore list when such a newbie.

Btw, you are not "ripping" but capturing. Ripping refers to sector data extraction & copying from discs (with or without decryption).

Other thing to think about re: sync is that you maintain the dropframe timebase. Iow, your cap and your editor should be set for 29.97/59.94 not 30/60. Changing one of these commonly the thing that makes av drift out of sync.

Scott

[chazcon]

Thx Corn for actually explaining that. Very helpful.

No I don't do curmudgeonly - I say, don't walk away from negative people, run away from them.

[chazcon]

OK so I'm getting a used JVC HR-S7600 VCR with TBC built in.

I already bought this ElGato hardware/software thing. Regardless, what is the best way to hook up my VCR to my computer for good captures? Previously it was -cheap VCR to -ElGato device to -computer. I captured to mp4 which I understand was a bd choice, I need to capture to what - AVI?

I understand there are good software programs for capture - better than what came with ElGato - however I don't know if the ElGato hardware bit will work with other software.

Say I don't use the ElGato device at all, how do you usually connect the VCR to the computer for capture? I have this video card

[JVRaines]

There is probably nothing particularly subpar about your Elgato dongle. Install the Lagarith codec and try an AVI capture with AmaRecTV. The interface is a little quirky but it never gives me trouble with audio sync. If you still have trouble, it could be that the Elgato doesn't play nice with your VCR/tapes; another USB converter might work better or perhaps you need analog conditioning after all.