Copy protection or capture issue?
 

First video: I really don't know what to even call this. I've had no issues with capturing and editing home recorded VHS tapes, but it seems that when I try to capture some commercial VHS tapes, I run into this issue, where 95% of the frame repeats itself and flashes as if it is stuck within a buffer, while the very top scan lines appear to play as normal. This happens with stabilization, DNR, and TBC on or off. All of these are on in the first video. Playback was on a JVC HM-DH30000U.

Initially, I thought this was some sort of copy protection, but the fact that the frame just repeats itself makes me think it's an issue within VirtualDub or the drivers. I'm using the 32-bit version provided here on a XP/7/10 and tried both the OEM drivers and the drivers posted here as well as the MV hacks for the ATI x1900.

My other thought is that the issue could be mechanical. The VCR has an issue with the cassette loading mechanism that I've narrowed down to either the carriage being out of phase or some issue with the levers that engage with the cassette. The person I bought it off of had no concept of proper packaging (they used old slices of cardboard boxes, trays, and I think beer boxes for padding...), and it was either damaged during shipping and/or they failed to mention or image the damage in their listing, as it does have some cosmetic damage to the top and front cover, but the playback mechanism and the electronics have no other damage as far as I have been able to tell. Nothing is loose, nothing broken. The power supply has been totally recapped with either voltage equivalent or derated 105C capacitors, the MOV and the cord was replaced. I don't have any tapes that I can use to calibrate or adjust anything though if it's being caused by that, though I do have all of the other tools to do it.

No post processing was done on the video.

Second video: I read somewhere that the vertical jitter is caused by running both the TBC and the stabilization feature, is that what I am seeing in this video? Deinterlacing helps but it seems to go away when one or the other is turned off. Is there a way around that limitation?

Where is the samples? I don't see any link.

I attached it to the post, not sure why its not there but here's some youtube links:

Video One: https://youtu.be/KR5Ccd_WHPg
Video Two: https://youtu.be/2EcGQJS1nfU

If home recorded movies don't do it at all and the playback appears normal on modern or old TV's I'd say it is safe to assume it is a macrovision related problem or interaction with your specific capture card. The vertical jitter normally I'd say would be due to lack of frame TBC, but if there's zero vertical jitter on home recorded tapes, that doesn't exactly make much sense that it would occur only on commercially produced tapes unless it's a single tape that does the vertical jitter thing, in which case it could just be an issue with that specific tape.

If you want to do a test without spending a ton of money or changing your capture card, you could pass the signal through a Sima Copymaster which does have S-Video and composite in and out. I see there's a brand new one on ebay for around $25 shipped. Another user tried one and he said the picture got shifted slightly to the right or left, but otherwise it worked well for the issues they were having.

Any recommended TBC would also remove this, or anything non-recommended TBC with "vertical blanking" as an option

I've just noticed another issue with one home recorded video that isn't present when played on my consumer VCRs & TV, the video just completely drops out at certain parts along the tape when capturing. I haven't yet gotten it to do that on any of the other tapes I've put through it so far. My theory is that either the tape wasn't recorded right or it's been stretched and that the looser tolerances on the consumer VCRs aren't affected by it, or that I need to recalibrate the circuits on the 30000U. The vertical jitter is present in home recorded tapes to, I suspect it's either a symptom of the issues I'm experiencing or it might be how it's being captured by the card.

I'm planning on pulling the VCR and testing it again on a TV to see if it's the capture card or the VCR before I consider getting or doing anything else. If it's present on a TV to then I will consider looking into getting some sort of TBC, but as far as I am aware, the 30000U already has a TBC in it that can be toggled with the service remote but it otherwise always on. I don't know as to the quality of it, but I've been under the impression that the TBC should take care of copy protection issues.

Worst case though, does anyone have a good, preferably fresh, source for alignment tapes?

It looks like tracking issues, do a manual tracking adjustment as I suggested in this video, I'm not saying it's the same scenario but it could well be, Your VCR must have a manual tracking adjustment for this to work.