Intensity Pro: intermittent analog input

Hi,

I've got a new Intensity Pro (PCIe) connected to a very fast new Win7 computer.

I'm using it to handle a (huge) pile of legacy media.

Right now, the task is A->D conversion of old self-recorded VHS videos. For now I'm using a simple VHS composite video player, not even S-Video.

Played to a TV monitor, all is well. Sound and video are good, all the time.

Captured via Intensity Pro (even in preview mode, no storage), there are many dropouts per second in both audio and video; it is somewhat dependent on the quality of the tape. I see this both in Adobe PPro CS6 and in BMG Media Express.

I assume some kind of level is set wrong, but I can't find it. The available control panel settings only affect chroma and brightness. I have no I/O processing enabled. (IRE is at 7.5)

HEEELP! Any ideas what this could be?

Blessings,
Pete

[Chris Pearse]

Hi Pete,

It sounds like the problem you are seeing is down to the quality of the output of the VHS output. VHS, and certain other tape systems produce very unstable composite outputs. TVs and monitors do not typically mind this, but the Intensity Pro needs steady sync for it to capture correctly. A Timebase corrector (TBC) may help, but depending on the condition of the tape it might not always be perfect. Some VHS players may also have a TBC built in. I don't have any recommendations for a TBC, but others who have used them may have some suggestions.

Hi Pete
I'm facing the same problem when playing VHS tapes or using camcorder.
However noticed when sending the signal from the aerial TV connection at the VHS directly to the composite output it works fine.