Strange problem with VHS import Can anyone help?

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Level 1

4 points

Strange problem with VHS import Can anyone help?

I hope someone can help me with this obscure problem. I tried importing some VHS tapes me and some friends made of Halo on the xbox. There are 4 tapes in total.

I used the Miglia Directors Cut Take 2 but only one of the four tapes appears in the preview window.

I've tried all manner of things to get the other tapes to work. One thing that might be of note is that I tried copying one of the tapes to a second video. The footage of Halo still didn't appear but the TV program directly after it (which was already on this second video) did.

Is it something to do with the video players that were used to record the footage as each one of the 4 tapes was recorded to on a different player.

Anyone got any ideas? Ever come across this before?

Power Mac Quad G5, Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Jul 29, 2006 8:43 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Jerry Hofmann

Level 9

53,949 points

Jul 29, 2006 9:12 AM in response to Kojima

My guess is that the video out from an Xbox is so unstable, that only the sloppy parameters of VHS let you see it at all. When you send it's bad signal to FCP, it just can't deal with it.

Might try a VHS machine with a Time Base Corrector in it, or dub the material to DV then capture it... Since ONE of the recordings worked, it's likely that machine might work for all recordings.. i.e. you'd have to re record with that same machine... try the dub though, that at least will digitize the VHS and give the playback from DV a good shot of being capturable I'd suggest...

Jerry

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Answer 2

Jul 29, 2006 10:38 AM in response to Jerry Hofmann

Determine what your need is for this footage and then try to work backwards form there. If you need to get coherent video into FCP, you must record to a decent, in-spec video format. Video game consoles have composite outputs, some have HDMI, component, DVI or channel 3/4 outputs (or still others, dunno). Figure out which one will give you a recordable image by experimentation.

Back in the olden days, our time base correction system was to simply shoot color monitor with a studio camera. Since your image quality needs do not exceed second generation VHS, you can shoot the screen and get much better results.

bogiesan

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Answer 3

Jul 29, 2006 1:31 PM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Good idea David! Just shoot the TV set.

Jerry

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Answer 4

Jul 29, 2006 2:54 PM in response to Kojima

If you have DVCamera that will accept an input, try taking the output of the x-box and plugging it directly into the input on your camera and record. This may work with certain, less professional DVCAM decks, like the DSR-11, 25, 35, 45 since they don't require synch to record.

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Answer 5

Jul 29, 2006 4:43 PM in response to Jake Abramson

've tried all manner of things to get the other tapes to work. One thing that might be of note is that I tried copying one of the tapes to a second video. The footage of Halo still didn't appear but the TV program directly after it (which was already on this second video) did.< </div>

You haven't told us how you are getting the signal from the xbox. It's crucial to our debugging this for you.

bogiesan

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Answer 6

Kojima Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 30, 2006 4:06 AM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

wow! Thanks for all your replies. We captured the footage simply by plugging the scart lead from the xbox into the av in on the video players and taped from that.

Low tech I know. Might have even used one of those composite to scart leads that they pack in with the console when you first get it. I guess that won't have helped.

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Answer 7

Kojima Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 30, 2006 4:24 AM in response to Kojima

The basic set up was four xboxs hooked up via scart to four separate video recorders all recording at the same time.

I hoped to edited the multiplayer footage together.

The best Idea I could come up with is to copy the existing video footage somehow to minidv and then play those through my DVcam into the mac, I know Jerry suggested this.

My camera is a sony DCR HC85E. Having looked it up on Sony's website the stats claim it has both a Firewire in and S-Video in but the only jacks I've seen are the usual firewire out and the jack that the TV connector attaches to. I'll check the manual.

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Answer 8

Jul 30, 2006 8:43 AM in response to Kojima

The basic set up was four xboxs hooked up via scart to four separate video recorders all recording at the same time. I hoped to edited the multiplayer footage together.< </div>

Sounds like a cool application of FCP5's multicam editing capabilities. you could view the four-way split screen for a certain amount of time and then cut to full-screen from any of the 4 players' points of view as the action heats up. Could be very interesting with careful pacing and editing. Depends on your audience. For instance, dedicated gamers may want to see everything. Me, I have no idea what's going on in such worlds so editing to keep me happily engaged is a completely different theory and would definely include documentary footage of the players, their controllers, interactions with people in the room and other stuff.

Multicam requires careful synchronization of your footage and this is not physically possible with VHS. After a few minutes, the captured footage may start to drift.

But, if you think about your editing problems by building a story and shooting/playing/scripting to tell that story, you will find a way to work around all of the technical problems.

You've got an interesting project, we wish you much luck and all success.

bogiesan

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Answer 9

Kojima Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 30, 2006 11:02 AM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Thanks Bogiesan.

I tried the the method of hooking the VCR through my Dvcam and into the Mac as the Dvcam manual described but I got the exact same problem, only one tape shows up.

I did find something unusual though. Using the DVcam method the picture is visable if I'm fast forwarding the tape in the VCR but as soon as I press play and the supposedly stable picture returns the image is lost.

Do you think there is anyway I can salvage this footage I've already recorded?

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Answer 10

Jul 30, 2006 11:05 AM in response to Kojima

verify what speed each tape was shot in, anything other than SP, good luck.

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Answer 11

Kojima Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 31, 2006 12:19 AM in response to thrillcat editorial

The tapes were recorded in SP, I made sure of that. I presume LP is too unstable to capture?

I tried using the Time Base Correction function of my VCR but still haven't had any luck. Are there any other possible solutions?

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Answer 12

Kojima Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 31, 2006 2:01 AM in response to Kojima

I've just found something else.

I checked all four tapes on a second VCR to make 100% sure they were all recorded in SP (which they were). The information display states that 2 of the four are "PAL Auto" (including the one that actually works) and the other two are "NTPB".

Any idea what this means?

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Answer 13

Jul 31, 2006 5:48 AM in response to Kojima

Sure it's not NTPB and not NTSC? PAL auto would probably be PAL and NTPB? must mean NTSC... I'd guess...? PAL is used in England as the standard, and NTSC is USA mainly. They are different video standards.

Might try capturing the NTBP as NTSC to see if this is the case?

Jerry

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Answer 14

Jul 31, 2006 7:16 AM in response to Kojima

I checked all four tapes on a second VCR to make 100% sure they were all recorded in SP (which they were). The information display states that 2 of the four are "PAL Auto" (including the one that actually works) and the other two are "NTPB".< </div>

Ah. You recorded the tapes improperly. No one can possibly know how that happened except whoever was running the deck. I suppose you might also have had an output pref set incorrectly on the xbox but I've never used one, dunno.

This would explain why you can see the image in fast forward, too, but not in play. There is no way to savlage your tapes unless you can find a VHS deck that will play PAL or NTPB.

bogiesan

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Answer 15

Jul 31, 2006 8:24 AM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

What is NTPB? I googled it... National Paintball showed up...

Jerry

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