Captured Video with Audio Drift

[dellsam34]

I got about a couple of dozens of VHS-C in EP (1H30min) to be captured, The owner requested MPEG2 SD files so I have to use an MPEG2 capture software, The problem I'm having is I get about 1 second of lip sync delay in every 10min of video even when no dropped frames, Capturing video every 10min will take forever. Is there a stable way/software that I can use to accomplish this as fast as I can? Gosh I missed DV capture, The most stable way of capturing analog tapes ever.

My hardware is:
Dual core 2.93Ghz, 5GB memory, Windows 7
Pinnacle 500-USB Capture Device
Pinnacle Studio 19

[Bernix]

Hi,
you can try Virtualdubfiltermod. There is some improvement in capturing video recently. And I don't think you must capture to customer format directly. You can convert to mpeg2 in last step, can't you?
I didn't try Virtualdubfiltermod itself, but changes made seems very promising.

Bernix

[dellsam34]

Hi,
you can try Virtualdubfiltermod. There is some improvement in capturing video recently. And I don't think you must capture to customer format directly. You can convert to mpeg2 in last step, can't you?
I didn't try Virtualdubfiltermod itself, but changes made seems very promising.

Bernix

I'm trying to save time on cutting down on steps, But if I can capture the whole tape with no issues then I don't mind doing a 2 step process rather than capturing every few minutes.
I know hardware capturing MPEG2 devices don't have this issue but I don't feel like buying another capture device.

[Bernix]

Hi,
just to clarify Virtualdubfiltermod is software
I have feeling you think it is HW.

Bernix

[dellsam34]

Yes I'm aware VirtualDub is just a software however I don't see a difference between VirtualDub and Virtualdubfiltermod it still captures AVI only.

[Bernix]

Hi,
even it is avi, you can capture to x265 or what compression you have listed. Best is uncompressed of course. Then in handbrake you can do 2pass encoding to mpeg2. I think the quality will be better than directly capture to mpeg2. Actually the size of final video can be reasonable.
But of course it is your decision. I just think it is worth to try it.

Bernix

[davexnet]

Best to capture to a fast lossless format such as HuffyUV or UT video codec using avi if the device is able to do so..

[dellsam34]

Best to capture to a fast lossless format such as HuffyUV or UT video codec using avi if the device is able to do so..

As I mentioned the customer wants MPEG2.

[Bernix]

But you have to capture in very high bitrate. Isn't better to lossless and then two pass to Mpeg2? Or he wants 10GB file for cassette?

Bernix

[manono]

As I mentioned the customer wants MPEG2.

And as already mentioned, after capping as lossless AVI (I use Lagarith), then, if you don't want to make any improvements just reencode for MPEG-2 and DVD or whatever you want.

Gosh I missed DV capture...

What's to stop you? You no longer have a Canopus box? I use mine for capping, at least partly because it doesn't have the issues you're asking about. And my final format is DVD.

[dellsam34]

Hi,
even it is avi, you can capture to x265 or what compression you have listed. Best is uncompressed of course. Then in handbrake you can do 2pass encoding to mpeg2. I think the quality will be better than directly capture to mpeg2. Actually the size of final video can be reasonable.
But of course it is your decision. I just think it is worth to try it.

Bernix

Can you be more specific on how to capture to MPEG2 in VertualDubFilterMod ?

[Bernix]

In citation you quoted, there is nothing about mpeg2, just noticed format that are listed. I also said that "then in handbrake you can 2pass encoding to mpeg2.

I think the quality will be better than directly capture to mpeg2.

by this I meant any program that capture directly to mpeg2, not virtualdubmod.
To retain quality of source, with compression directly to mpeg2 with no additionally compression the file size will be huge. That is all.

Bernix

[dellsam34]

As I mentioned the customer wants MPEG2.

And as already mentioned, after capping as lossless AVI (I use Lagarith), then, if you don't want to make any improvements just reencode for MPEG-2 and DVD or whatever you want.

Gosh I missed DV capture...

What's to stop you? You no longer have a Canopus box? I use mine for capping, at least partly because it doesn't have the issues you're asking about. And my final format is DVD.

When you have 25 tapes you want the fastest option possible or you will be working a rate of a minimum wage. As of DV part again the customer wants MPEG2 therefore I can't capture DV.
By the look of it I think I'm going to turn down this offer.

[Bernix]

All you need are two computers. One for capturing, and second for compression. 25 tapes to capture take 37,5 hours, compression to mpeg2 take less time on average computer.
howgh

[dellsam34]

I captured one tape as lossless HuffYUV and trying to figure out how to convert to MPEG2 using VrtualDub but no luck, I know the MPEG2 filter is installed in the pluggins folder I checked it but it doesn't show up in the options list, Tried handbrake but there is no support for MPEG2 480i which what the customer wants.

[davexnet]

Give AVStoDVD a try, it can create DVD-spec mpg or the DVD structure if you prefer. Plenty of support on this forum for this product, including the autho

[dellsam34]

Give AVStoDVD a try, it can create DVD-spec mpg or the DVD structure if you prefer. Plenty of support on this forum for this product, including the autho

Thanks I will give it a try.

[LMotlow]

It;'s a shame you have to degrade analog tape by capping to DV and further degrade by re-encoding. I'm sure your customer is probably the typical viewer who will watch anything no matter how much ugly schmutz and artifacts are in it (blame the tape, of course). But this business of audio drift with VirtualDub just says you're using inappropriate settings with your capture device (which you haven't described), and it always happens with VDub's default settings no matter what you use. You haven't described your capture setup at all, so who can start blaming VirtualDub first off? I'd blame the user first because I'm such a meanie, but millions of users for decades have been using VDub for capture since Day One and never had a problem, probably because they did more than just click a couple of icons.

DV is easy. Pretty ugly, too. Good luck. Thank god they're not my tapes.

[dellsam34]

It;'s a shame you have to degrade analog tape by capping to DV and further degrade by re-encoding. I'm sure your customer is probably the typical viewer who will watch anything no matter how much ugly schmutz and artifacts are in it (blame the tape, of course). But this business of audio drift with VirtualDub just says you're using inappropriate settings with your capture device (which you haven't described), and it always happens with VDub's default settings no matter what you use. You haven't described your capture setup at all, so who can start blaming VirtualDub first off? I'd blame the user first because I'm such a meanie, but millions of users for decades have been using VDub for capture since Day One and never had a problem, probably because they did more than just click a couple of icons.

DV is easy. Pretty ugly, too. Good luck. Thank god they're not my tapes.

No, DV is not involved here at all, We are discussing whether to capture lossless and encode to the customer's choice or capture to the customers choice directly, As for the capture card which is the Pinnacle 500-USB as I mentioned above, What setting are you talking about? I don't have the option to change any setting, I'm capturing NTSC 4/3 720x480 interlaced in MPEG2 in Pinnacle application, VDub detects the setting automatically, It's pretty much cut and dry, I don't know what setting you are referring to? I just mentioned DV for its stability and locked audio feature which no one can deny that Vdub can't even come close to that level of audio sync precision even for 8 hrs LP VHS tape, Try to do that with VDub and see how many minutes of audio drift you will get.

[lordsmurf]

Audio drift is almost always caused by dropped frames.
Video frames drop, audio frames do not.

Do you have an external framesync TBC in the hardware chain.workflow? If not, there's your problem.

[dellsam34]

Audio drift is almost always caused by dropped frames.
Video frames drop, audio frames do not.

Do you have an external framesync TBC in the hardware chain.workflow? If not, there's your problem.

Lordsmurf, I can't use my inline TBC it makes the picture ghostly, I got one of those black shell ones, I got ripped off. Although for some tapes seem to work or at least it doesn't harm the integrity of the picture, Luckily Pinnacle capture app doesn't drop frames even without external TBC unless there is a blank section in the tape (static), there is damage to the tape or the tape mis-tracked during original shooting. I've captured 45min of Hi8 footage with zero drift.

[lordsmurf]

The owner requested MPEG2 SD files so I have to use an MPEG2 capture software

No you don't. That's probably part of the problem. Capture lossless, encode to MPEG afterwards. Very few capture cards can do MPEG well due to hardware for it (ATI AIW, Hauppauge PCI cards, Matrox, Canopus non-DV, etc).

The problem I'm having is I get about 1 second of lip sync delay in every 10min of video even when no dropped frames,

You're dropping frames, even if it's not reported. The other potential issue is audio is refusing to adjust kHz to maintain sync.

Dual core 2.93Ghz, 5GB memory, Windows 7
Pinnacle 500-USB Capture Device

This is fine.

Pinnacle Studio 19

This is terrible.

Lordsmurf, I can't use my inline TBC it makes the picture ghostly, I got one of those black shell ones, I got ripped off.

Yep, that's the flawed chipset of the black AVT-8710. Terrible device now. Only the older green ones are good.

Luckily Pinnacle capture app doesn't drop frames even without external TBC unless there is a blank section in the tape

The capturing software itself really can't/won't affect dropped frames (unless using 100% CPU), but it may fail to report the drops. That's more likely, especially with Pinnacle software (infamously bad).

I've captured 45min of Hi8 footage with zero drift.

Hi8 usually isn't as troubled as VHS by dropped frames.