Is my new AVT-8710 DOA? (screenshots/clips of error)

[lopaka1998]

Quote:

Originally Posted by franklesniak

Thanks kpmedia. I didn't think about trying to work the "I'm willing to upgrade" angle. Good call!

I'll give them a ring tomorrow morning.

By the way, I assume you meant to say "to the known-flawless TBC-1000"

Hi Frankle

I had one of those blasted things sometime around last august or so. Had to return it. Same issue as you.

I ended up using videoredo 3 tv to edit the video (remove commercials) and author. I used the JVC's line TBC as often as possible (on occasion tracking problems causes the TBC to really mess the video up even more so I would turn it off). As for maintaining sync, videoredo adds (or removes - i can't recall offhand) audio frames to maintain sync on an imperfect source. Just be sure to set the encoder quality to High instead of the default AUTO. If you leave it on AUTO, you get really crappy encoding at your cuts. It will only encode minimally when you place cuts (to remove commercials, etc).

It may not be optimal. But for me it worked and haven't noticed any problems. Of course this was done on some old shows that aren't on air anymore. So they're important but not "precious irreplaceable family video" important.

[franklesniak]

OK, I gave B&H a call this morning and spoke with Issac. He suggested that I call the manufacturer to get a warranty replacement (warranty on this thing is 1 year). I don't have the serial number with me here at work, so this will have to wait until tomorrow. B&H provided me with AV Toolbox's customer service number: 859-647-1077

Anyone had any experience in dealing with AV Toolbox's customer service? I don't have high hopes...

lopaka, thanks for the info. I'm trying to go the route of a hardware-based TBC rather than software-based... but good to know that your solution worked OK for you in the end.

[lordsmurf]

I'd still push for the upgrade option, if possible. They can deal with warranty/returns just as well as you can.

I've never dealt with AVToolbox support either. And they're just a reseller (private label) anyway -- the real manufacturer for this TBC is Cypress Technology in Taiwan. The real model number of the AVT-8710 is the CTB-100. There's a chance they have finally fixed the bad chipsets, and new units are fine. (That still means B&H has old stock on their shelves.)

Try both ways.

[franklesniak]

OK, good news! B&H agreed to let me return my AVT-8710. I'll have to pay the 15% restocking fee, but definitely better to lose 15% than the entire cost.

TBC-1000 order has been placed. And I ordered a couple inexpensive commercial VHS tapes from Amazon in order to test the TBC

[lopaka1998]

Quote:

Originally Posted by franklesniak

OK, good news! B&H agreed to let me return my AVT-8710. I'll have to pay the 15% restocking fee, but definitely better to lose 15% than the entire cost.

TBC-1000 order has been placed. And I ordered a couple inexpensive commercial VHS tapes from Amazon in order to test the TBC

You give up to easily. Know what you want, know what your options are - why are you backing down?

I would have told them that if they tried that restocking fee crap, after making another purchase - and when knowing the item was defective in the first place, that I would do a chargeback on that 15%. I'd pay for return shipping and the shipping to you - and that's it.

Do you know what a credit card chargeback is? If not, look it up. You have more control over this than you know. But they will take as much as you give them. They are trained to be pushy, so push back.

If you remember - please report here how the tbc-1000 works. I probably wont get it this late into the transfer - but I'd still be curious to know how well it does, and what features it has... If you remember... and have time

[franklesniak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lopaka1998

You give up to easily. Know what you want, know what your options are - why are you backing down?

The only reason they're charging a restocking fee is because I disposed of the manufacturer's packaging. So, with that being said, I think the restocking fee is reasonable.

If I had the packaging and they were pushing a restocking fee, that would be a completely different story and I would be pushing for a full refund.

Lesson learned: don't order specialized equipment until you 1) know how to completely test & validate it and 2) have any other equipment that you need to do the validation!

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

because I disposed of the manufacturer's packaging

Yep, you're pretty much stuck there.

See if they can, at very least, provide you with a prepaid UPS return box/label.

15% of $200 is only $30, so it's not a huge loss. I personally wouldn't cry over it. Losing money sucks, but I've been ripped off for far more in the past ($50 to $1,000), so I try to keep things in perspective. With the $175 or so -- whatever it is you have -- you'll be able to make a nice down payment on the TBC-1000.

And if you remember, be sure to use our B&H link when ordering the new one -- the link is added to the word B&H automatically by the forum software on the first two uses in any post. B&H shares about 4% of the sale when anybody uses our links. These tiny slivers of a few bucks each is one way this site is funded. That and the Premium Memberships, of course.

[ben_r_]

So have you gotten the TBC-1000 yet? Im considering selling my ADVC-300 and getting one. Let us know if youve gotten it and had a chance to try it out yet.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ben_r_

So have you gotten the TBC-1000 yet? Im considering selling my ADVC-300 and getting one. Let us know if youve gotten it and had a chance to try it out yet.

I've used TBC-100 and TBC-1000 for the past decade. They're always excellent.

There can be issues with the TBC-1000 and TBC-100 picking up electrical noise, which results in image signal noise. It really depends on the quality of power in your area, as well as the porousness of electrical noise coming from other hardware in your workflow. This should NOT scare you away from using DataVideo TBCs, but is simply something to be aware of.

In the past, there were also complaints about the DataVideo TBCs being softer than the Cypress TBCs, but it was mostly forum grumblings that never got backed by indisputable evidence. (I think most times it was just in the person's imagination.)

Also: We have one TBC-100 (PCI card) for sale for $300 + shipping if you're interested.

[franklesniak]

I did try out the TBC-1000 yesterday. I was happy to see that commercial copy protection did not work when dubbing a tape, so that means the TBC did its job.

Question: do I need to worry about routing audio through the TBC-1000? Or can I route audio straight from the VCR to my capture card?

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by franklesniak

Question: do I need to worry about routing audio through the TBC-1000? Or can I route audio straight from the VCR to my capture card?

See this post: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vide...html#post19665
The same question was asked just yesterday.

I bypass the audio in/out on the TBC unless I'm using the distro amp for some reason.

[franklesniak]

Cool, that's what I figured. Thanks!

[deter]

Lordsmurf,

Been kind of following this thread, actually purchased one of these units on your advise the AVT8710. On the 1st go, had a signal problem with the unit and sent it back. Later to find it didn't like the inputs from a betamax RCA cable.

Sometimes with the S-Video cable, if it had a loose connection or really nothing other than the AVT8710 didn't like the cables, would get random pulses in the picture. It is kind of weird were the screen would get a random flicker through the entire recording.

My menu gets the same thing that is stated above, just thought it was the way the AVT8710 worked. Had two of these units.

Also found if the area of the recording had trouble, like a random drop out or screen shift, (common with betamax) it would create a backwards frame. Which was really weird.

When I picked up on this duplicate or wrong frame problem decided to not use the unit anymore. My unit is about 1 year and 3 months old and purchased it from B&H for about $200.

Don't like the buttons on these units, they seem to be really cheap, however the comb filter does help improve some of the betamax tapes. It has also been kind of useful when doing PAL to NTSC work.

Don't use this as a double TBC or anything like that. However use the JVC VCR as a passthrough to not get a signal problem with the unit. Was wondering what I should do, and if you know of any kind of other units that would work better on Video Tapes. aka Betamax recordings, cause none of those machines have TBC's, most of them don't have S-Video outputs, at least none of my units do.

What are the pro's and cons for this TBC1000?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...=REG&A=details

[Cyclone82]

Is this place an ok source for the AVT-8710
http://www.bzbexpress.com/Multi-Stan...-AVT-8710.html

I found them on ebay then found they had a website. Seem legit to me. Or is B&H the best place reallY?

Are current units from B&H still in green casings and are defective units still being sold as of Feb/March 2012 or have they disapeared now?

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deter

Later to find it didn't like the inputs from a betamax RCA cable.

Dot crawl? Sometimes the unit can be finicky with cables.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deter

Sometimes with the S-Video cable, if it had a loose connection or really nothing other than the AVT8710 didn't like the cables

Again, it can be finicky with cables. And remember that your cables age. I throw out a handful of cable each year. I use old coax cable outside my house, to tie a tree down to rebar stakes. That's really all it's good for that that point -- wire for the yard. I have a long composite/RCA cable trio that's about to join the wire box in the garage. I throw away s-video cables (too short, too thin for anything useful).

Quote:

Originally Posted by deter

My menu gets the same thing that is stated above, just thought it was the way the AVT8710 worked. Had two of these units.

Unfortunately, no. That's not how it should work. On some ancient TV sets, however, you may see pulsing on the JVC menu, but never the video. The video pushed out by the JVC VCR is not 100% compliant/normal NTSC video. The older tube TVs seem to pick it up more, though I'm not yet sure what the technical explanation would be. It's not present on EOL SDTVs, or HDTVs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deter

What are the pro's and cons for this TBC1000?

The only con is that the units seem to be easily susceptible to external electrical (FM?) noise, and it will cause noise patterns in the video. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I had to sell off my TBC-1000 back in 2006, because the new place I moved into had power that was disagreeable -- even with a UPS+AVR.

Some units are reported to be soft, but I've only seen or read/heard about that a few times -- and a number of the unseen reports seemed like imagination as far as I'm concerned. The person wasn't testing with anything to verify.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclone82

Is this place an ok source for the AVT-8710 http://www.bzbexpress.com/Multi-Stan...-AVT-8710.html
I found them on ebay then found they had a website. Seem legit to me. Or is B&H the best place reallY?

Looks fine to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclone82

Are current units from B&H still in green casings and are defective units still being sold as of Feb/March 2012 or have they disapeared now?

- All current AVT-8710s appear to be black.
- The older green cases appear to be gone at this point in time.
- The CTB-100 editions are all baby blue and silver/gray.

[Cyclone82]

Ok thanks, i might give them a go. First i will buy a Datavideo TBC though. They seem harder to get.

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclone82

Ok thanks, i might give them a go. First i will buy a Datavideo TBC though. They seem harder to get.

We have a TBC-100, new in box, never used (outside of testing it), for $300 available.

It's the "guts" of the TBC-1000, which plugs directly into a computer. Only one is available.
The rest all sold out last year. I hung on to this one for a project that ended up falling through, so it's available now.

Just an FYI for anybody looking. (Not yet put it for sale in the marketplace.)

[Cyclone82]

Still want to get a Cypress/AVT 8710. Just read through this thread again but still not sure what to think. Does not seem to be any more new complaints comming in about faulty AVT's. Are people still buying them? Have you been happy? I was also thinking of the TV One TBC. I believe i saw it on AV tool box site and they directed you to the TV one site saying that the TV one TBC is a 'professional TBC' and something like 'please see TV ones website' They said something like that as i was redirected to the TV one site for that TBC. I dont think i would need the Genlock version. Just by looking at what it can do it seems to be the same as the AVT8710 but just in a different case?

http://www.tvone.com/1t-tbc-main.shtml

[lordsmurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyclone82

Just by looking at what it can do it seems to be the same as the AVT8710 but just in a different case?

Essentially, yes.