CubeAce, there's an image link is my post, the captured video also blinks. On the screen its obviously small but hopefully the image is a guide

https://www.magix.info/us/proxy/e8110c9cb44890e8a387/?link=https%3A//ibb.co/RY6w1Xx

Setup is not fixed but generally 1 metre from the VCR, thick leads not p***y ones, USB to Laptop 30 cm with Choke (already) on lead from device, no transmitting devices near leads, usually box right phones left that kind of thing, no large towers, not in suburbia. Windows 10 driver installed.

But as you can tell my trick swap made it disappear and only it occurs when the Vidbox is connected first USB then RCA or other way round.

Even OBS Studio has issue with box but haven't thoroughly test all of above.

Used to come with a Honestech Vhs to DVD program older laptop but that finally died last year but i generally use it as a capture device

@mark-perry

Hi Mark. You can upload directly to here using the circular button above with the upward pointing arrow.

Just so it's easier for anyone else to see and chip in.

You are making me think back a long time to try to remember about UHF signal problems. 😆

It could be anything from a dry joint oxidizing over time on the circuit board of the box to a connection being the same in the signal path or poor shielding or signal bounce back. The fact you can get rid of it sometimes means there is a possible cure but will probably mean an amount of experimentation. At the moment it appears to be either oxidization of the lead connectors and pins or of the boxes sockets. You could try cleaning them. A new lead may not cure the problem if it's the box sockets that have oxidized. I do think this is more hardware than software related at this point though.

I was serious about trying aluminium foil around the box.

Ray.

@mark-perry

Hi

. . . . the captured video also blinks . . . .

That is called dropped frames, old VHS tapes that are worn or old are prone to this, the colour banding you also see in the image is either an indication of a worn tape or video heads in the VCR, or you have used a smartphone to take an image of the monitor.

I think you have conclusively proved the Vidbox is at fault, so why not use the Kaiserbaas device as it is OK - assuming it is not distorting the audio?

High level volume can be fixed in MEP using the Mixer track volume control/faders or directly on the recording itself - right click the audio and select Set volume and set it to -6dB as a starting point.

HTH

John EB

TV signal was OK, small FM outdoor just below hill 40 km East from Hobart just get rid of a hill 1km and it's direct line of sight so that's why the picture grab probably looks grubby to your eyes.

https://www.theantennacompany.com.au/shop/antennas/fm-antennas/vhf-tv-fm-antenna-ch-6-12-4-hdtv-outdoor-digital-matchmaster-quality-03mm-dr3004/

Tape TDK TV-150, ABC mono 1992 original taping used a fair but still very strong & no stretcing always stored properly. VCR heads still near new.

Audio input, Kaiser was way into it red with no medium or low levels at all which made me think am I going to normalise such captured loud levels whereas the Vidbox was much better levels. Even tried a Hi-fi tape which made no difference so makes me think that could be a weakness of the Kaiser

@mark-perry

Hi Mark.

You say 'Tape TDK TV-150, ABC mono 1992 original taping used a fair but still very strong & no stretching always stored properly. VCR heads still near new.

So stored wound tail out? i.e. you have to rewind it after storage before you can play it.

Magnetic tape when stored, tends to leave the recorded layer against the top backing layer of the tape if peeled away slowly as in playback. Rewinding at high speed before playing helps prevent that from happening whereas fast-forward winding is in the same direction as playback and does not help. The tape does not have to exhibit signs of wear to be warped or stretched in any way. Because of the nature of helical scan recording heads, tolerances are much narrower than say for an audio cassette player.

If you can't make one yourself, it is possible to buy in line attenuators to drop audio levels into a bit of kit.

Link.

Ray.

@mark-perry

Hi

. . . . Audio input, Kaiser was way into it red with no medium or low levels at all . . . .

In that case, and with issue with the Vidbox, I would suggest buying a new USB video converter - Terratecs are a good brand.

John EB

Tape was always wound back to start. In tape drawers and not stacked on each other. Neutral climate but stored away from direct light and heat etc...

I'd rate the Kaiser a candidate for crimes of promotng the Loudness war it was just unworkable. The only thing its useful for is killing my green problem

 so here's a comparison between the audio capture levels.

also you can see the green line issue

 and a video with no green line... after i changed the leads. (i did start with the Kaiser but the phone timed out but this video is after the leads were changed over)

@mark-perry

Hi

From your previous statement

. . . . Kaiser was way into it red with no medium or low levels at all . . . .

The Kaiserbaas audio levels look fine - they are just peaking into the the red and appear to be just getting to 0dB this is normal.

The Vidbox audio is too quite, the audio level peak should be at least near or going into the yellow on the loud peaks.

As your video shows that the Kaiserbaas audio is OK then as I said before - high level volume can be fixed in MEP using the Mixer track volume control/faders or directly on the recording itself - right click the audio and select Set volume and set it to -6dB as a starting point.

John EB

Its the trailer for Virtuosity 1995 so the sound would be shoot em up levels. I've got another VCR with vu meters so i'll break it out and compare the levels tomorrow to see if it's loud or quiet. I've heard many Pre recorded loud soundtracks so I'll be able to tell if the Kaiser by its design is unnecessarily cranking up the volume.

@mark-perry@mark-perry

Hi Mark.

I totally agree with John.

The Kasierbaas is behaving normally and the peak level that I found in the video didn't reach 0dB. It was just under, showing left at just -1db and right at -2db.

You didn't say whether the Kasierbaas was an internal card or another external USB device. Kasierbaas apparently made both types.

The Vid Box on the other hand is giving out too low an output. This would mean that after transferring your files the new volume level, if turned up, would raise the noise floor in the recordings on the quieter parts.

If the volume in MEP is too loud on playback this can be fixed using the Windows mixer volume controls where you can set individual levels for each program you use but the volume sliders will only appear when the program is active. Set your relative listening volume there and Windows should remember the volume the next time the program is run. You can get to the Windows mixer by right clicking the Windows' volume icon and selecting 'Open Volume Mixer'.

If you are really fussy about the audio chain you can use the Windows Settings \ Sound section to individually set each part of the audio chain up. That will, when set up properly, ensure that all paths are set to the desired bit depth and sample rate.

Above is a part example of what to find. There are possible other setting to sort through. One in particular is the microphone input where Windows by default seems to have added a noise reduction to remove low frequency noises such as fans from a pc and an additional phase cancelling system of some kind that can make a good sounding mike terrible but is there to prevent feedback if next to speakers. That needs to be switched off if you want to get the best from your microphone.

If you don't want these settings all the time just save it as a different desktop user to log into.

Ray.

External. Computer is in bed so play tomorrow.