Random timebase error or dropout?
 

I have been noticing on some captures that I have been getting what appears to be a random 1 or 2 line (sometimes more) timebase error. I am using a AVT-8710 TBC combined with DigiPure on the JVC. Is this being caused by dropouts, or equipment problems? The attachment shows the worst I've seen, most of the time its just one line per frame thats offset.

http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/atta...1&d=1287446867

That's just a glitch in the video. Indeed, it could be related to signal timing.
Is it constant, or does it just comes and go?

It comes and goes, video output is usually clean. It does not appear on the same scan line when it does happen, its usually random and limited to one scan line at a time.

Granted that tape is almost 20 years old and was stored in unknown conditions for its first 10 years, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was tape flaws that can't be completely corrected.

This can also be dirty heads.
But you'd see it on almost all tapes, not just a few.

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