AmaRecTV: When VirtualDub inserts frames, desyncs audio, w/out framedrops
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Using AmaRecTV for video capture as an alternative to VirtualDub Introduction I've put this little guide together to help those of you that are at their wits' end with audio and video not being in sync when capturing with VirtualDub. I've dumped hours and hours into trying to get the recommended software configuration to work, and it just doesn't work for me. From some of the threads I've seen, others are in a similar boat. AmaRecTV is an alternative capture software to VirtualDub. It has worked where VirtualDub has failed. I went from having horribly out-of-sync audio/video with VirtualDub to rock-solid captures with AmaRecTV. I was able to capture a full-length film, from beginning-to-end, two times in a row, with 0 framedrops and perfect audio/video sync from beginning to end using AmaRecTV. I'm not claiming to be an expert at VHS archival and I'm not recommending doing what I outline below as a first option. You should have already tried everything LordSmurf recommends. I'm just an engineer who has researched ad nauseam, got fed up with VirtualDub's problems, and has learned a lot by reading posts on this forum. Hopefully this helps some of you: This guide IS for you if you are:
My Equipment I'm using capture hardware refurbished and sold directly to me by LordSmurf. I've also included my PC specs so maybe we can figure out some common ground for those of us that are having this issue.
There are a million factors on the software and PC hardware side that could be contributing to what has been a very frustrating experience for some of us, so none of this should be understood as a challenge to what LordSmurf recommends. This is a backup plan to implement after you've tried everything else. Many of the things I tried are documented in this thread, but here's the "short" version:
Configuring AmaRecTV Which Version of AmaRecTV to Use You can obtain AmaRecTV 3.10 from this VideoHelp download page. There are newer versions of AmaRecTV, but you SHOULD NOT use them. You'll be shooting yourself in the foot if you download and install a newer version. To understand why, you can read the comments on the download page linked above. How Should I Configure AmaRecTV? AmaRecTV's configuration is arguably a bit wonky. Hopefully my setup helps you as you decide how to configure yours. It's geared toward VHS capture. Initial Setup All of the configuration you're about to set up will be stored in the amarectv310 folder that you unzip. The config file is named "AmaRecTV.ini", so if you ever want to reset things you can just delete that and relaunch the program. Or, if you want to hold onto a couple of different configurations, you can just swap multiple copies of this file in and out as needed. If you don't see a tab mentioned here, it's because I didn't change any settings on it. When you first launch AmaRecTV 3.1 you'll be met with this window: https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...nch_window-png Click OK. Graph 1(Device) Tab Clicking OK will automatically take you to the "Graph 1(Device)" tab of configuration where you can select your capture device and define the resolution, framerate, video format, and audio bitrate you want to capture in. Here's what mine looks like: https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...ettings_01-png Graph 2(Preview) Tab As the tab name indicates, I believe these settings only affect the video preview, not the actual video capture, but since I'm paranoid, I made changes to the aspect ratio, deinterlacing, and scan line doubling as shown below: https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...ettings_02-png Recording Tab This is where you can set up your video and audio compression. I don't know what's up with the "Frame rate" on this tab, but I'd leave it as-is. It is the "Graph 1(Device)" tab that affects your capture framerate, not this one. HuffyUV is generally the recommended codec around here. You'll need to have installed it first (scroll down after clicking), but if you have, you should be able to select the "Other Codec" radio button, click the "Update Codec List" button below, and you'll see it in the list of available codecs. I was concerned that I couldn't specify the color space in AmaRecTV's codec options. I really didn't want to capture in 4:2:0 when the ATI USB 600 can capture 4:2:2. However, it WILL capture in 4:2:2 if you specify HuffyUV, as you'll see later. Leave audio on "(Uncompress)". https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...ettings_03-png General Tab You can set the base path and filename prefix for your recorded files here. AmaRecTV will automatically add a datetime suffix to the filenames every time you capture, so you don't have to worry about overwriting existing files if you forget to change the filename, as you might with VirtualDub. Capturing and Capture Results There's not as much info during capture as there is in VirtualDub. All you have available is what shows at the bottom of the window:
https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...lm_capture-png When I was first capturing, that "30 FPS" concerned me (it should be 29.97), but that number is not really representing what is being captured. In the attachments below you'll see example_clip.avi ...if you throw that clip into MediaInfo, you'll see that it has the correct resolution, the correct NTSC framerate, the correct 4:2:2 colorspace, and that it is still interlaced (which is good, because we can use a proper deinterlacer later like QTGMC via Vapour Synth rather than being forced into using a subpar deinterlacing method). At least on paper, all indications are that you are making NO compromises in the quality of your capture if you use AmaRecTV. See for yourself: https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/att...-mediainfo-jpg ...and well... That's it! There could be a typo here or there, or something I missed. ...and I'm not one to think there couldn't be gaps in my knowledge. But, if nothing more, I hope this gives some of you that were feeling hopeless a path forward. If you see any problems with this guide, or have any other input, by all means post a comment. Godspeed! :salute: |
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Excellent guide, FleshWound. It should be placed by the admins in the "Sticky" section.
I do not wish to "dirty" your post, but just an addition for some important setting in "Advanced" tab:
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Thanks FleshWound for your post, but I have the same problem. You can see that I have 7Drop. I have a high end setup but I don't have Frame TBC, only Line TBC. Is that the problem? Can you make the same capture test without your Frame TBC and see if you have the same issue as me? Cheers.
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You should solve this problem whatever capture software you use, indipendently if it is VirtualDub or AmarecTV. The topic refers to asynch audio/video issue with VirtualDub in a clean capture, with few or no dropped/inserted frames, that AmarecTV is able to solve. If I understand correctly, your problem is different. |
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Post the AmarecTV log file of a long capture, and a segment at the end where audio and video are asynch
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Let me do some additional testing to factor in the great information you provided, then I'll work with the mods to see if I can regain edit privileges to this post since it is no longer available to me. As I re-read things, I also realize I inaccurately referred to 4:2:2 as a colorspace rather than chroma subsampling. I'll get to work on all of that, then will integrate your notes into the original :D |
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Using AmaRecTV I don't have desynchronization, but it does tell me about drop and +1 adds up. |
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A single inserted frame is not a problem at all. If the drops only appear at the beginning of the capture, try several combination of starting before and after the play of the tape or the activation of the capture in the software. |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hueF0Idnsug https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPeNJoptsGc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCtlCMcUwcU EDIT: AmaRecTV log .txt attached |
The drop frames that you show in the youtube videos while you are not capturing are not relevant.
The log file show dropped frames at: NT=00:03:06.743s(Drop), Total=1 NT=00:03:40.379s(Drop), Total=2 NT=00:07:13.805s(Drop), Total=3 NT=00:10:02.883s(Drop), Total=4 NT=00:12:50.524s(Drop), Total=5 NT=00:13:14.781s(Drop), Total=6 NT=00:13:32.003s(Drop), Total=7 NT=00:20:29.438s(Drop), Total=8 NT=00:21:59.899s(Drop), Total=9 NT=00:30:45.052s(Drop), Total=10 NT=00:31:18.688s(Drop), Total=11 and inserted frames at: NT=00:25:42.532s(46213f), Total=1 NT=00:25:43.104s(46231f), Total=2 NT=00:26:16.304s(47225f), Total=3 NT=00:26:16.705s(47238f), Total=4 It is possible that the tape has some drop, verify that when playing the tape you do not see a "glitch" at these positions, and verify across multiple captures if the dropped and inserted frames are exactly at the same position. I found strange the number "Buf=", that for me is always at 1, while in your report is changing. I suspect bad buffering. I suggest to check all points as in this post https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/vid...html#post86813, and to double check all settings in AmarecTV (NTSC/PAL, HuffYUV parameters, framerate, colospace, etc) |
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