VCR with DVCAM, weird video flickering?

[IfyL]

Connecting a VCR to a DVCAM leads to video flicker. If the DVCAM is connected to a DVD player, or a game console with the same cables, it can record those fine, but why does the VCR have such a problem? It doesn't have this problem when it's connected to a TV.
I also noticed that whenever the VCR shows transitions to a black screen, the image becomes perfectly clear, but flickers once again when the image becomes bright.

Sample: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UeG...ShkZhSXn2rpv6h This is just some random TV recording, the issue is present on all tapes.

[RobustReviews]

Hmm interesting.

Sony DSR-40P by any chance?

[IfyL]

No, it's like a mini tape camcorder.

[latreche34]

Any chance of a model #? Did you try to clean the heads and you are using firewire to rule out bad LCD screen? Or does this on a live feed before even recording on the tape? Possibly weak ADC that can't handle the signal from a consumer low end VCR. What's the model of the VCR? Too many variables and not enough information available.

[IfyL]

The camcorder's model is: Sony DCR-TRV6E (PAL), and the VCR model is: Thomson V1800.
I have cleaned the VCR heads. The image looks fine on a TV with the same cables which I connect to the camcorder. I've also tried a USB capture card, which had no flickering problems whatsoever, it just had bad quality compression and was dropping frames.
Also yes, I've connected it to firewire and used VirtualDub to view and record the video. When there's a blue screen on the camera, there's a thin line at the top in software.

[latreche34]

Use WinDV or Sclive for DV streaming, not vdub. Use Vdub when you have a USB analog capture device.

[IfyL]

Sadly this doesn't fix the problem that the camcorder doesn't receive the video properly.

[latreche34]

That wasn't suppose to be a fix, It was just an advice to use the right software for the right job.

If you can capture the video with a video card then there is no need to connect it to a camcorder, If you must insist on using the camcorder you can either send it out for repair which could cost you a lot of money assuming you can find someone who still tinker with 3 decades old technology and can find the parts, or buy another used working camcorder and move on.

[IfyL]

As I mentioned, the capture card is no good.
Also I would've realized by now to send the camcorder for a repair, if every source was flickering. But it's only with this VCR, and the VCR outputs video completely fine on any other receiver. I was just asking for advice as to why would this be.

[latreche34]

It's probably for the same reason I mentioned above in post #4, You would need some sort of signal stabilization for any capture device or the camcorder you have to lock on the signal, a DVD recorder in the workflow, or a frame TBC, Alternatively a good VCR built in TBC should work fine with your camcorder.

[lordsmurf]

Back up .... why are you using a DVCAM at all?

[IfyL]

No other way, unless I spend lots of money just for a few very old tapes. Is there something bad about DVCAM recording?

[latreche34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IfyL

No other way, unless I spend lots of money just for a few very old tapes. Is there something bad about DVCAM recording?

You will be still in the same loop, one day you would need to transfer those DVCAM tapes to computer, plus DV is a lossy format even when tape is bypassed and DV is stored on hard drive. Also the DV files have to be converted to a modern codec sooner or later and that incur another loss.

[IfyL]

Oh, didn't know it was lossy, but still, it's better than letting those tapes rot away, or using VHS-DVD combo which gave me blocky mpeg2 videos. If I ever get my hands on a better equipment, I'll rerecord them. Thanks for letting me know.