Audio sync problems during capture...

Jenimac wrote on 6/24/2008, 10:56 PM
I'm trying to get 15 minutes worth of video off of my handycam. I'm running Vegas Movie Studio platinum 6.0. When I do the video capture and then play the clip back, I am finding that as the clip goes on, the audio starts to lag behind and gets out of sync with the video. By the end of the 15 minutes, the audio is way off. When I capture short 1-2 minute clips I don't notice the lag. Any ideas?

I'm running Windows XP service pack 2 with a 3 GHz processor and a gig of ram.

Comments

Eugenia wrote on 6/24/2008, 11:03 PM
Which handycam model is this?

Also, download the VMS 8.0d trial and install it and capture with it. If version 8 has the same bug, then the problem might be with your camera or a setting in your camera. If not, then the bug is in VMS 6, in which case you need to upgrade.
Jenimac wrote on 6/24/2008, 11:13 PM
It's the handycam DCR-PC105. I purchased it back in '04 so it's a little older. I'll try the trial and see if that fixes the issue. Thanks!
Jenimac wrote on 6/24/2008, 11:40 PM
The VMS 8.0d trial has the same issue. Any other ideas?
Eugenia wrote on 6/25/2008, 12:15 AM
I assume you re-captured from tape using VMS8 btw, NOT used the old AVI file that VMS6 had captured. You need to recapture anew to make sure that it's not a VMS6 capture bug. If you did that, then do the following:

Reset your camera, there should be a way to use the factory settings. Then, make sure you set the time/date. Then, record on a NEW tape a 15 minute video, occasionally going in front of the camera talking to it, just to check later audio-sync. Then, capture again with VMS-8. Make sure you set the right project properties in the project properties dialog (use the yellow icon to "match media" to the AVI file that Vegas has captured). Then, put the video to the timeline and check if the A/V is still out of sync.

If no, then you are set.

If yes, use Windows Movie Maker to re-capture that 15 minute of video. Check if WMM has the same issue. If not, then it's a Vegas issue. If not, then it's your camera to blame, in which case you will have to get a new one.
Eugenia wrote on 6/25/2008, 12:30 AM
It's possible that the clock battery of your handycam is dead or near dead, which is why you might be getting these problems. If your camera allows you to replace the clock battery, do so. If not, and if that's indeed the problem (after you try the above), then you really need to get a new camera.
Jenimac wrote on 6/25/2008, 9:49 AM
Thanks for all of your help so far! WMM captures from my camera just fine - no audio sync problems. I haven't tried resetting the camera yet, so I will try that next. I'm also capturing via USB. I'm going to try and pickup a firewire card & cable today and see if that makes a difference.
Tim L wrote on 6/25/2008, 1:57 PM
I'm also capturing via USB.

USB capture is generally problematic. Try firewire and hopefully all of your problems will magically vanish. Good luck.

Tim L
roxylee wrote on 7/5/2008, 11:33 AM
I've had similiar problems in the past. It was suggested to me to purchase the ADVC-110 device by Canapus, which I didn't want to do, couple hundred dollars. After manually syncing my audio, which is quite time consuming as the out of sync problem gets worse as the capture gets longer, there was no consistent method of syncing.

I finally broke down and made the purchase and the sync problem dissappeared! So, at least for me, the right solution. I've captured up to 2 hours of VHS video, editied and burned to a DVD and the audio is sync'd perfectly.
roxylee wrote on 7/5/2008, 11:34 AM
I've had similiar problems in the past. It was suggested to me to purchase the ADVC-110 device by Canapus, which I didn't want to do, couple hundred dollars. After manually syncing my audio, which is quite time consuming as the out of sync problem gets worse as the capture gets longer, there was no consistent method of syncing.

I finally broke down and made the purchase and the sync problem dissappeared! So, at least for me, the right solution. I've captured up to 2 hours of VHS video, editied and burned to a DVD and the audio is sync'd perfectly.