dropped frames on VCR captures

DavidN5011 wrote on 3/1/2004, 10:32 AM
I have no problem capturing from my Sony PC 110 digital camcorder. I use a direct connection with a firewire. However, everytime I try to capture a a VHS tape through my ADS Pyrolink Pro I experience lots of dropped frames. What is even stranger is that when I use the ADS to capture pass through analog tv it works fine. Does anyone know why a VHS tape would cause this. Also, I seem to be dropping 32 frames at a time. Any help would be appreciated.

Comments

johnmeyer wrote on 3/1/2004, 11:14 AM
everytime I try to capture a a VHS tape through my ADS Pyrolink Pro I experience lots of dropped frames

I have the same experience. If you watch the dropped frame counter, you should find that it mostly happens at scene transitions. I assume that a TBC would help enormously, but I don't have one.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/1/2004, 5:11 PM
This is a known defect in the ADS A/V Link and ADS Tech is aware of the problem and has their best people working on it. ;-) I get the same 32 frames dropped at exactly the same place on various VHS tapes but I can capture from my DVD player flawlessly. My Pinnacle Deluxe card will also capture the same tapes flawlessly. I believe it’s a signal boost problem since the Pinnacle Deluxe card has no problem with the same tapes. (unless the PD has TBC?).

I’ve been in touch with them since Christmas and they have tried a number of things but haven’t corrected it yet. I was told by Mike that they feel they are very close to a solution. They’re working directly with the chip manufacturer to debug this. He said they should have a solution to the problem soon. I asked if I should call back in a month and he said it wouldn’t take that long. Let’s hope he’s right.

I would call them at 800-888-5244 and ask for Boukee. (pronounced: Bow-Key) She has been working with me. (Tell her you spoke to John Rofrano). Spot sent me to her initially. The solution will involve sending your unit back for new firmware but get on her list of people that need a replacement. You can contact me at john_rofrano at hotmail dot com if you need to.

~jr
donp wrote on 3/1/2004, 5:27 PM
The Canopus ADVC=1394 card has done every VHS I have captured perfectly. Didn't drop any frame unless there was a serious glitch on the tape.
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/1/2004, 6:41 PM
> The Canopus ADVC=1394 card has done every VHS I have captured perfectly.

...and so has my $299 Pinnacle Deluxe capture card. This is a clear case of “you get what you pay for”. The ADVC1394 cost more than the A/V Link ($249 vs $199) and does less (i.e., it doesn’t output to analog) but what it does do, it does better.

I got my ADS A/V Link for $111 just before Christmas when Circuit City was running a sale. That’s significantly cheaper (i.e., almost 3x cheaper) that the $299 that the ADVC-100 goes for. So I agree that everyone who spent more money on the ADVC-100 got a better solution, but the ADS A/V Link should not be performing as poorly as it does and ADS tech agrees and said they would fix it.

When I first spoke to them, I explained that I had 15 days to return it to the store and if they weren’t going to take it back and fix it to tell me now. They told me not to return it to the store and that they’d fix it for me. I’m just hoping they do.

~jr
DavidN5011 wrote on 3/2/2004, 5:22 AM
Thank you Johnny, I am going to call ADS today and see what they tell me.