-
Color problems capturing from a sony u-matic
Hi –
I’m capturing from a sony VO-9800 using a kona LHE box. The deck only has composite video out, so I have my Kona set to that. Everything looks OK except I’m getting these weird color shifts periodically throughout each tape. It’s kind of like the color flashes into negative for a split second.I tried capturing on the fly through a little miniDV camera we have, and did not have any of the color issues so I don’t think it’s a problem with the tapes. I also don’t have this problem capturing beta tapes from a different deck, so I don’t think it’s a problem with the cables or the breakout box. I just left a message with AJA’s excellent tech support team but thought I’d also see if anyone here might be able to shed some light.
I’m working with Final Cut 7 on a Mac Pro.
Thanks!
-a -
7 Replies
-
Sounds like you need a time base corrector to clean that signal up a bit.
Jeremy
-
3/4″ VTR’s don’t have built in TBC’s. I’ve got a BVT-2000 sitting around which is the matching TBC with 16 lines of memory. uses the multipin connector, 500W…. shipping shouldn’t be too bad on 80lbs or so 🙂
try ebay for a used TBC
Steve Oakley
DP • Editor • VFX Artist
http://www.practicali.com -
do not buy a TBC (and certainly do not buy a Sony BVT-2000 which will not work with a Sony VO-9800).
Go to a catalog company like https://www.markertek.com, and purchase a FRAME SYNCHRONIZER, like a DataVideo TBC-1000, or similar product. This will lock up your horrible 3/4″ VTR, so you don’t get color shifts. You will find that many pieces of old equipment (like old TBC’s from Microtime, For-A, Fortel, Prime Image) are old and broken, and will not work. Bite the bullet, buy a new “inexpensive” frame synchronizer (called a frame sync in the catalogs), and you will be ok.
Bob Zelin
-
Thanks so much everyone! I’ll go to markertek and try the frame sync device.
Best,
Anne -
Bob, can you explain the difference between a tbc and a tbc? I was thinking if the exact same device as you, but datavideo themselves call it a time base corrector (hell they even named it a tbc).
https://www.datavideo.us/products/tbcs-and-audio-delay/tbc-1000-time-base-corrector.html
Please, feel free to use caps for emPHAsis in your answer.
-
a time base corrector was designed to correct time base issues with Quad VTR’s. This was adapted for “newer” products like 3/4″ and 1″ VTR’s that had heterodyned outputs. The time base corrector would use advanced sync, subcarrier, and a drop out compensator pulse to stablize the signal, and create a stable sync signal, instead of the “demodulated” output that would come out of a 1″ machine or 3/4″ machine without a product like this.
But your product had to have the ability to accept advanced sync and subcarrier. Satellite receivers are perfect examples of early products that had to be “sync’ed” to the house, yet you could not run advanced sync and subcarrier signals to them (they were up in the sky). So frame synchronizers were developed by companies like Microtime, (who also made TBCs). These products would “frame grab” the incomming video signal, and completely replace the blanking interval (sync blanking and subcarrier), so your unstable signal, would be nice and stable, and be able to be genlocked to your house facility reference generator. As hetrodyne VTR’s (like 3/4″ VTR’s) became obsolete, the demand for TBC’s went away, but everyone still needed frame syncs because things like satellite dishes, and VHS machines were unstable, and needed to be sync’ed to a facility. This applies to 3/4″ VTR’s, Hi 8 VTR’s, etc.
So why do they call it a “TBC”. For the same reason I call my shared storage system a SAN, even though it is not a shared area network product – it’s a cool name that everyone can identify with, but that’s not what it really is.
Bob Zelin
-
[Bob Zelin] “it’s a cool name that everyone can identify with, but that’s not what it really is.”
I see. A doppleganger of sorts.
Jeremy
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up