Overwhites or overexposed input out of VHS?
 

Hi everyone,

in the past I captured VHS tapes with a cheap device, in my case the Ion Video Forever. But the more I got interested in video the more quality I wanted to get out of those tapes. Of course (almost) the best quality you could get out of those analog tapes. So I bought a good vcr (VR1000, thank yo the guide of this forum) and a Kramer TBC.

Because my computer was not always that stable ánd the Ion Video Forever device is not the best on market, I decided to step out of computer capturing solutions, but to go for a standalone option. My set up: S-video output vcr -> TBC -> AJA S-Video To Dual BNC Cable -> BM Analog to SDI Converter -> BM Video assist. On the BM Video assist I record/capture on a SD-card.

The set-up works great, but I have some issues with the colors. It's overexposed. The bright colors are too bright. And the colors are not that colorful/contrastful as it looks on the Ion Video Forever device. In the attachment, you can see the difference. Both are from the S-video output of the VCR. The good one is captures from the cheap device, and the overexposed one is captured out of the 'professional' solution.

I already tested the SDI output of the Analog to SDI converter with the BM Mini Recorder to my pc: same overexposed picture. So the problem is not the Video Assist, but the Analog to SDI converter, or maybe the S-video splitter. I ordered another one from another brand to compare, but while waiting on that I thought let's ask you guys for help.

Maybe it is a fact that the Analog to SDI converter won't copy all the color data? That would be a pity. I already connected the converter via USB with my computer (with BM software I can see a few more options than only the switch options on the physical converter) and all the color settings were okay (0). No adjustments.

I thought with this set-up I would get the best result out of my videotapes. Does someone recognize this issue?

Is it possible to adjust the levels with the kramer tbc?

It is generally best to post short clips of the actual captured video rather than processed screen grab still images. The actual video allows seeing what is going on in the video signal.

It looks like there is a significant difference in the gain and gamma in the two signal paths. But it is not clear if this is the results of settings/setup of the individual devices, the result of AGC in some of the devices, or impedance mismatches in the connections. How does the original tape look when direct connected to a TV?

The BM capture strikes me as a bit sharper despite the blown out whites.

Did the "cheap" option include the TBC in its signal path?

SOLVED! Oh yeah :D On my TBC I have a gain control switch and when I set it on 'on', the overwhites are gone.

Good to hear.

Video AGC often works based on the the vertical blanking interval level. It adjusts the video gain to ensure the correct blanking level and assumes the accompanying video image will then be correct as well. If the video signal fed to the device with AGC has an out of spec blanking level, the AGC may cause the image brightness to be incorrect. Something to watch for with your tapes.