VCR to pc produces a shimmer in the view-pane, why

As I grapple with reaching good results with transferring VHS tapes from VCR to pc (for burning to DVD disc) I find this occurs. I use EZ-Grabber (aka TV Stick) and about one-third of way down the viewing pane (as in final result even from DVD on lounge tv) there is a shimmer, like a heat-haze wobble. It spoils any written words. These are not on the original VHS tape as proven by playing it on another VCR connected to the lounge tv

I have a choice of eight different "formats" (or are they codec's?) in which to transfer & save. I am using the highest quality (avi is the lowest). EZ tell me that these transfer devices are at the limit of the current technology and some (?not all) folk get this irritating effect. btw it persists even if I playback the saved file so I believe I have "created" it during the transfer process.....

I had wondered if my dualcore P3 Xeon could perhaps not keep up? Or the usb2 was peaking? Or my graphics card, a GeForce 9500GT, could not keep pace? Or if it might be an interlacing prob?

But perhaps this is the best that can be achieved? Any notions anybody? Yrs etc "Dualcore"

Me dim as a Toc-H lamp

I've been dabbling with video editing for a very long time sometimes successfully. I was taught three golden rules:

CPU power is far more significant than video card power

Always connect source to PC via firewire

Never have anything else at all running in background

(and a rule I learned myself - always stick to adobe products)

I would agree with what most of Jim has said, with special emphasis on the Firewire connection. These are much better than USB.

Software wise, we could all argue the plus and minus of all the products out there, personally I don't like Adobe at all, not even for still photography, but then others are willing to pay £££'3 for the "industry standard". How much you are paying for the "name" and how much for product I would argue when it comes to video work.

I have found that between Nero and www.avs4you.com I have been able to manipulate all my old cine 8 and super 8 onto DVD very successfully using the two and getting it converted onto high quality DVD work. NOT HD I hasten to add, but certainly better and with cleaner edits that the originals!

Nero I think everyone knows about, it is not just DVD Burning software but conversion software too. However, not many people have heard of www.avs4you.com

I was a bit dubious about taking out a "for life" licence with them, but then that was three years ago now and I just keep updating and downloading all their products and it costs me nothing further. Which is a far better deal than Nero! You might just find it is the best $59 you have spent for software, I love it.

Regards,
Trevor

2 x F2S 8mb lines, current speeds a rock solid 6.4mbps on each one.(hiding behind DG834PN & DGN2000 routers) on: a Win7 32 (RC1) Laptop, Win7 64 (RC1) ) PC & WinVista Ultimate Laptop.

Sounds like tracking to me - have you played the tape in the VCR used for the transfer to the TV and seen what the playback is like?

--
Tim
tim myers photography
images of the wirral and beyond

I have played the tape back in the offending VCR connected to the pc and things shimmer on the pc monitor. I have played the tape back in a different VCR connected to the lounge tv and it does not shimmer. Are you suggesting that the offending VCR is tracking badly and that causes the shimmer? If so, what could I do about it? Unfortunately to get the offending VCR out of one cable nest and into another is daunting & am trying to avoid same. Yrs etc "Dual Core"

Me dim as a Toc-H lamp

Your tracking should be easy to change.
Find the manual for your VCR, if you haven't got one, google it, you are bound to find one.

Some older VCR's have a small knob for tracking which was manual and excellent, unfortunately they then chnaged over to "Auto tracking" which IMHO is not nearly so good and can ony be manually altered (usually) via some key commands on your handset.

If you could find a second VCR from somewhere that doesn't produce the flicker, then you would make life a lot easier if you "nest" of wires is that bad!

It may even be interference from that "nest" of wires if they are that bad, but that is for later.......

Regards,
Trevor

2 x F2S 8mb lines, current speeds a rock solid 6.4mbps on each one.(hiding behind DG834PN & DGN2000 routers) on: a Win7 32 (RC1) Laptop, Win7 64 (RC1) ) PC & WinVista Ultimate Laptop.

Thankyou Trevor. To transfer I am using a time-served VCR --- aha you say!

It became available when a fortnight ago, after endless searching, I found that a brandnew VCR (of the LG brand) can be bought over the counter though it set me back £56-78 VATpaid. The national outlet supplying same is well-known and to avoid this thread being nuked because I named a firm, then here is the clue --- Jason would know 'em from the times of the ancient Greeks.

The newcomer VCR for the house tv released the old VCR which I then migrated to my pc and at the time of the changeover it was able to record without shimmers. The tapes I have are of varying ages and have been made on different VCRs across the years. The "culprit" VCR is a Toshiba V-231 UK and I have the manual. It features auto-tracking and also has a section telling the owner how to adjust tracking manually. It further says that if the tape is old or worn (very probably both by the subject matter on them and some long-forgotten adverts too) then it may be impossible to improve the picture performance & if the Pause/Still button is pressed the image may shimmer which may also be reduced by adjusting the tracking manually.

The reason I wish to transfer VHS tapes to DVD is to anticipate the time when my VCRs croak and cannot be replaced. Isn't it disturbing that mfrs & retailers seem to have got together to kybosh VHS tapes, the playback of same, ingnore any demand for VCRs & force everybody on to DVD and at the same time threaten to make our VHS libraries inaccessible....

So thanks to the tracking suggestion I have something to grapple with in the days ahead. I will post again if I get a significant result. Yrs etc "Dual Core"

Me dim as a Toc-H lamp

I assume the PC software is set to the correct PAL standard? If using the wrong standard it might cause problems with screen images (and there are a number of PAL standards in use). Not sure if it is the problem but worth checking (and also can't remember what the correct UK standard is - might be PAL-I but that could just be my failing memory).

No, you are spot on,

in the UK we use PAL-I which is as you suggest different to other PAL versions.

Although there is a generic PAL in some modern things which annoys the hell out of me, becaues technically there is no GENERIC PAL !

Regards,
Trevor

2 x F2S 8mb lines, current speeds a rock solid 6.4mbps on each one.(hiding behind DG834PN & DGN2000 routers) on: a Win7 32 (RC1) Laptop, Win7 64 (RC1) ) PC & WinVista Ultimate Laptop.

The "shimmer" on the PC monitor is due to what's called Interlacing on each of the video frames. A PAL video signal (where PAL stands for "Phase Alernate Line") involves each of 25 frames per second being scanned twice - even lines then odd lines - resulting in two half-scans per frame.

The reason for this is to reduce the effect of flicker when viewing on a good old-fashioned CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) telly, and the history of this goes right back to the beginnings of PAL colour TV development in the erly 60s and or good reason.

However, when viewing PAL interlaced frame scanning on a display that doesn't require interlacing - a computer monitor or LCD/Plasma TV display running in "progressive" mode (in which a frame is displayed as a complete frame) - you'll then see what's called "jaggies". I think this is what you're seeing beause it does have the effect of appearing as a shimmer, especially on fact action like racing cars going past a camera.

Your computer is more than capable of coping with processing all this so don't worry. What you could do is look for a setting that results in your saving the captured file as a "progressive" rather thn "interlaced" file. That will help. Failing that, download an excellent freebie application called MPEG Streamclip (google for it) which will take a clip and convert it for you as a "p" rather than an "i" sequence. If you're planning on viewing only on PC screens that's your best option.

However, if you plan to view your newly-digitised sequences on a normal telly then you won't see these jaggies at all.

Colin