Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro, Black Frames In Jumpy VHS

I've been using a Blackmagic Design Intensity Pro 1080p Capture Card for a few weeks to capture VHS tapes. I'm specifically using this product, as it allows me to capture both PAL PAL-60 & NTSC signals via a variety of inputs, all in one card. I've noticed one little issue and I'm hoping there might be a setting to change this.

When using it to capture a decent quality tape, it does the job perfectly. No problem. I have noticed the card does not display everything put into it. By that I mean it displays a signal when I have a VHS tape playing, but it does not display the blue VCR 'holding' screen when the VHS is stopped, and if a VHS tape is a little degraded, it will black out any frames of jumps or noise. I'm sure the card is doing exactly what it's meant to, but not being able to see the VCR blue screen means I have to plug it into another source in order to change any VCR settings via the on-screen menu, and if I want to capture a less-than-brilliant VHS source, I'm left with bursts & odd black frames throughout?

I'm using the card in a Windows XP PC, with a JVC HR-S7600 S-VHS VCR with TBC, and this issue is the same either via composite or s-video connections. I have also seen this same issue before on a friend's Mac capture rig with a different VCR.

A VCR with built-in TBC is perfect to clean and stabilize the picture, but you also need an external TBC to stabilize the video signal before going into the capture card/device.

Ah, okay. So having a decent external TBC in between the VCR & Blackmagic card will stop the black frames during sections of degraded video? And what about viewing the VCR menu through the card rather than a separate device?

You won't have black frames, but it's possible that you'll have distorted video course. But it's the way to do it.

For the VCR Menu, it depends on the TBC used. I've try a brand new Toolbox AVT-8710 which have great review normally, I was not able to see the VCR menu from my JVC HR-S9800, and had ghosting issue also..

I don't have the VCR menu or ghosting problem with a Datavideo , FOR.A, Snell-Wilcox, or Big Voodoo TBC.

I use a Sony 8-inch CRT pro filed Monitor to loop the Composite Ir SVideo signal through first, you can see the menus and what you are feeding, then connect the monitor loop through out to a SW Kudos TBC, this way you get a reclocked signal via the TBC for the capture card, and can see the menus from the VCR and input signal. I have a spare monitor you can have for $100 plus shipping.
Cheers