Brightness mess when capturing *some* VHS through Sony DCR-TRV33E

[Pinto007]

The best option is a PCI card with SAA713x chipset.
https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/388472-Does-Grex-really-work-on-VHS-MV/page2#post2578162

[trotskito]

Hello everybody,

I'll try to make a short summary of my journey:

Our last conclusion was that the problem was caused by some sort of unavoidable autogain setting in the Sony DCR-TRV33E Camcorder. So my first hope was in testing a different DV cam. Last week a friend lent me a Canon MV700, which is pretty similar to mine in terms of age and features, but unfortunately it lacks AV input. No more (free) camcorders were available in my circle, so I left that way frozen until I could try my other options (and, if they failed, consider the acquisition of a different capture device).

Then I went on testing the Panasonic DMR-E50 DVD recorder as passthrough device between the VCR and the camcorder, with the MV box plugged also in between. My first attempts were frustrating, as I didn't notice any difference between the previous captures without it. The day I got the Panasonic I tried all the sensible combinations I was able to wonder, but I got nothing in return. Therefore, I convinced myself that the problem was indeed in the camcorder. I thought then that I would have to buy a capture card, yes-or-yes.

Today I had to get rid of all the machinery until I could buy the new equipment. But before putting everything in its box, I wanted to do a last try, only that this time I would use the original Scart-to-Scart cable that was provided with the MV box to connect the VCR to the DVD-R and...magic!: the problem disappeared, and I've been able to capture the movie without the annoying brightness mess. Somehow I wondered that the RCA cables were missing some type of signal (...or something) that was present in the Scart connection. I understand this must have a rational explanation, which I ignore at the moment (I mentioned my first suspicions in the #7th post of this thread).

This way, the DVD recorder has proven essential, as I cannot use the original MV box Scart-to-Scart cable to connect the VCR to the camcorder, and had to do the Scart-to-RCA adaptor workaround. Then, the problem was (as some suggested) an antycopy protection issue, that the camera was able to manage up to a certain point but not further: the MV box only works by using its original Scart cable. And all has been solved for €20, the price I paid to a neighbor for the Panasonic.

I want to thank you all for your time and suggestions. Heck, now I have some hours of quality entertainment assured.

[johnmeyer]

Thanks for taking the time to report your success. I'm sure it will help lots of other people who may have similar problems in the future.