Problem with the Videonics MX-1
 

Hi,

I recently got a MX-1 (PAL), but the output produces this glitchy effect:

https://youtu.be/cGCc0DtuEZ0

Is there any solution? I should add that I'm not familiar with mixers at all; I'd just like to use it as a TBC passthrough and have no idea how to set it up in case there's some wrong setting. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Welcome. :)

The MX-1 is not a TBC, and contains a weak line TBC for its own internal processing. It's not there for you, and is not intended to "clean up" or "prevent dropped frames" as some low-knowledge Youtube videos claim. Those people don't know what they don't know, and mislead newbies far too often.

When bad sources is fed to a mixer, it gets confused. This is likely the issue.

This assumes it's not just broken junk, which is also very common (especially if sources from resellers/recyclers on eBay).

If you want a budget-grade line TBC(ish), then you'll need to source a Panasonic ES10/15 type DVD recorder. Those are not TBCs either, but at least were intended to make VHS lessy crappy on conversion. And the units had the unique passthrough ability. Those contain a strong+crippled line TBC, with non-TBC frame sync. Not best, but better than nothing, and better than 99% of mixers.

Hi, LS:
Thank you for your feedback.
Yes, I'm aware of the fact that an MX-1 is not an ideal "TBC", but it is among the very few options we can find here in Argentina. I'd love to own a Panasonic ES10/15, but it's almost the same story... No units exists here, and it's hard to import products from abroad unless they are visibly new and sealed (you know, customs service...)
Regarding the MX-1 itself, I guess it's just garbage, as the source I'm imputting is totaly clean...
Nevertheless, I'll keep trying to find a suitable equipment somehow.

Most likely bad capacitors, most likely those in the power supply area which would be where the power enters the board near the barrel jack. Would inspect for any bulging or leaking caps, but then go to using an ESR meter to do more screening if you don't see anything obvious. I'd ays 75% of bad caps in general look completely normal while installed in a board.

As a video mixer the MX-1 provides frame sync between two sources that operate on separate clocks. This can have some TBC-ish benefits and will ensure solid sync on the output as well as strip out most Macrovision trash. I've used MX-1 and <X-1Pro with a variety of analog video source and do not recall ever seeing anything like your clip.

Do the internal color bars and color screen output work? If you get the bad output with all input video sources (try a live camera if you can) then the problem is most likely internal to the MX-1, bad caps is one possibility but there could be other issues as well.

I tried with the four input sources and got the exact same "glitchy" result...
As for the internal mixer's screens, they all output with -apparently- no problem:
https://i.imgur.com/pLtXLvG.jpeg