Movies lose audio/video sync as they progress

Sorry Guys, this will either help to utmost extent or confuse everybody:

I have a G5 2x2.0GHz and as well transferred about 300 old VHS to DVD with an external Canopus ADVC55 and never had any out-of-sync issues.

After I installed a Miglia Alchemy TV-Card to copy TV I had out-of-sync issues. We are talking of about 15 frames per 1.5 hours of movie.

There is nothing I can do about it, all of your posted help, Apple Care, Miglia Support - nothing works.

Last week I bought a Sony Camcorder and voila: Out-of-sync issues, around 10 frames per 60 minutes, same thing.

And now the weird part:

I have an iMac G5 1.8 GHZ as well. By using Carbon Copy Cloner I mirrored my Hard Drive from the G5 to the iMac, so all software is a 1:1 copy.

And here it comes: There is no out-of-sync on the iMac. Same camera, same footage, same software, everything the same, except the hardware.

Consequently: The whole issue must be a hardware issue.

Right??

Consequently: The whole issue must be a hardware issue. Right??

Wrong. It CAN be a hardware issue, but I doubt it.

It all started when you installed the Miglia card and its drivers, right? Since you don't have the card in the iMac, the drivers don't load even if they (now) are present on the hard drive.

Then there is something called Parameter RAM (PRAM) that contains Mac-model specific settings. This contents was not copied over.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86194

No, Lennart, I took the card out again, of course, and I installed a clean system after erasing the Hard Drive completely. I never rely on the uninstallers.

I have an external Hard drive with a complete Virgin OS X and my Software. I am using this sometimes to install everything clean from scrap without the hassle of using all the CDs. My way takes about 45 minutes, the official about one day.

But you are correct: I did not zap the PRAM on both machines. Do you think it would change the outcome?

I did not zap the PRAM on both machines. Do you think it would change the outcome?

I don't know. Since you have sync problems on one Mac, you have nothing to lose on that Mac. :-)

I zapped the PRAM - no effect.

And, before you ask: I started with the System CD, deleted the HD, installed the OS, reset the PRAM, started again, deleted again, installed everything with Carbon Copy Cloner - did not help.

Unless you have anything else which turns the Mac into an even more factory like condition I think it is very obvious that this is a hardware issue.

Unless you have anything else which turns the Mac into an even more factory like condition I think it is very obvious that this is a hardware issue.

It's unlikely to have any effect, but you might try to reset the PMU (or SMU, depending on Mac model). See the documentation for your Mac model on how to reset.

Yes, it does seem that you have a hardware problem with your iMac. If it was a common problem, these forums would be flooded with complaints about the 1.8GHz iMac.
The most common hardware problem is bad RAM. Have you tried the hardware test CD you got with the Mac? Try the extended test several times as RAM problems may be hard to find. (You may even remove all but one RAM boards and then try putting another back, removing the first tested one.)