- VHS Playback Problem
- Posted by Tim on August 6th, 2004
I have a VHS tape which, when played back, has a distorted image at the top
of the screen (skewed to one side and abnormally bright ).
Here is a link to still frames of it ...
http://tinyurl.com/56e96
Does anyone know what might cause this? Thanks in advance
- Posted by rqo on August 6th, 2004
IMHO, the video playback tracking looks out of alignment. Have you tried to
adjust it? Do all your tapes do this? If not, it looks like a poorly
recorded tape.
rqo
"Tim" <argybargy@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2ni9t4F19amgU1@uni-berlin.de...
- Posted by Tim on August 6th, 2004
"rqo" <safetyo@nospambellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:VKTQc.285188$%t6.139456@roc.nntpserver.com...
Thanks for your reply. I tried adjusting the tracking control but this is
as good as the image quality gets. And yes, this is the only tape I have
that does this. If it is the recording itself, any idea what could have gone
wrong to cause this problem?
- Posted by DeepOne@ix.netcom.com on August 6th, 2004
"Tim" <argybargy@hotmail.com> wrote:
It might help to fast-forward the tape to the end and then rewind it
before playing it. When tapes have been stored for a long time, they
can become unevenly wound or something like that. It might also help
to try a different VCR.
If all else fails, programs like TMPGEnc can be used to mask the
distorted area.
- Posted by rqo on August 7th, 2004
I would think any number of things could have gone wrong with the recording.
Not knowing where the original came from or it's condition, my thoughts
would be:
The source could have been bad to start with.
The video feed was weak or did not have a solid connection, possibly a bad
rca plug (if that's how you made the copy, by going tape deck to tape
deck.).
The recording head was out of alignment.
The recording head was dirty or just plain worn.
Your tape deck did not like the brand of tape.
?????? Gremlins 
rqo
"Tim" <argybargy@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2nihjlF19gv5U1@uni-berlin.de...
- Posted by Tim on August 7th, 2004
<DeepOne@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:OkUQc.13563$Jp6.12173@newsread3.news.atl.eart hlink.net...
Tried that, fast forwarding and rewinding several times. Makes no
difference.
That's my plan ;-)
- Posted by jolphil on August 7th, 2004
"Tim" <argybargy@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<2nir48F1b30rU1@uni-berlin.de>...
Most of the other posters are correct in that the Horizontal sync was
probably supressed while recording and or transfer from one recording
device to another..As they said it could be due poor VCR
alignment(more than likley than not the leading tape guide on the
recording VCR since it is the top of the picture and not the bottom,
that would indicate the following guide)..If this tape is irreplacable
you can try a "corrector" or "stabilizer" that they sell that may help
this type of condition....As a second suggestion you might try another
monitor or TV to view
the tape..Some TV's have poor horizontal oscillator recovery after the
vertical retrace...
Good luck,
jolphil..
- Posted by Richard Crowley on August 8th, 2004
"Tim" wrote ...
Looks like common interchange error to me. (Playback
machine and record machine are not in alignment together).
Try to play it back on the same machine that recorded it.
Is this at the standard (2-hour) speed, or at extended (6-hour)
speed? Slow (6-hour) speed is much more difficult to track
even with the recording machine.
Most common solutions are: playback on same machine that
recorded it and/or TimeBase Correction (TBC).
- Posted by Neil Nadelman on August 8th, 2004
On Fri, 6 Aug 2004 17:01:58 -0400, "Tim" <argybargy@hotmail.com>
wrote:
Looks like a weak control track to me. Do you have access to
a time base corrector you can run the signal through?
-----------------------------------------------------
Neil Nadelman arvy@navzr-genafyngbe.pbz (ROT13)
-----------------------------------------------------
I have no fears in life,
for I have already survived Theta-G!
- Posted by WEBPA on August 8th, 2004
How quickly knowledge goes away!!
Your description of the problem is most consistent with "flagging" caused by a
difference in feed-reel brake tension between the recording machine and the
playback machine. On 3/4" U-Matic machines, there was a (mechanical) back
tension adjustment ("Skew")...VHS machines never had this. The skew adjustment
on VHS machines is internal only.
If your problem tape contains "original" video...that is: The flagging was not
recorded into the image...then it is theoretically possible to mis-adjust your
current playback deck to match the original recorder. If the flagging is
recorded-in (was happenening during an earlier dubbing operation), then your
only option is to mask it out...it cannot be removed by mechanical or
electronic manipulation.
webpa
