Scratches on Hi8 video

[Alex-Kid]

Hi folks. I've been capturing from a Hi8 footage filmed on a Sony Handycam (2 years ago) and I see this scratches on the screen. I looked closer (through avisynth) and realized that they can only be seen on the even fields (I used a DV codec) so the odd ones are fine. I assume the solution go on that way, but can't imagine what it is. I leave a screenshot from an unprocessed frame.

http://es.geocities.com/alexkidch/Image1.png

Help me (and give me some solutions) please.

Saludos

By ALEX-KID

[LoRd_MuldeR]

I looked closer (through avisynth) and realized that they can only be seen on the even fields (I used a DV codec) so the odd ones are fine.

The quick and dirty solution: Use a deinterlacer that only keeps the odd filed and interpolates the even field.

[juhok]

Looks like picture drum problem to me (tearing). Solutions; clean the heads / adjust the mechanics / try another unit.

[Blue_MiSfit]

Yeah, clean the VTR and re-capture, or use a half-rate deinterlacer. Kiss your motion fluidity goodbye though :(

~MiSfit

[Alex-Kid]

Thanks for your advices, gentlemen. I thought it could be the heads, but it only happens with Hi8 tape. I also have Video8 tapes even older than the Hi8 one and they look fine (both fields). Neither TBC and DNR built-in on the camcorder solved the problem. Anyway I'll give a try to heads cleaning. Don't want to lose the even field!

Any other solution (or explaination) is still welcome

Saludos

By ALEX-KID

PS: sorry about my english, I don't exercise enough here in Chile :)

[2Bdecided]

It looks like worn heads.

Are you playing back on the same machine you recorded on?

Are more recent tapes from a given machine worse than older ones?

Cheers,
David.

[Alex-Kid]

Are you playing back on the same machine you recorded on?Yes
Are more recent tapes from a given machine worse than older ones?
No. All the tapes I have are recorded in Video8, except this one, because I wanted to test Hi8 against Video8 quality.

I'll clean the heads on weekend and post results. Saludos

By ALEX-KID

[2Bdecided]

Silly question, but is it a Hi8 machine? I ask because the picture doesn't look very good for Hi8. That could be the capture though. Clipped, with horrible halos.

I don't know if recording onto a Hi8 tape with a standard 8 camcorder would cause any problems or not.

Cheers,
David.

[Alex-Kid]

Yes, it is a Hi8 Handycam, at least the logo is present on the camcorder deck and in the display when tape is played. My capture card is a Pixelview PlayTV MPEG2 PV-M4900 and I'm capturing through S-Video.

Is it possible that Hi8 mechanism could be damaged? I'll try to get another Hi8 machine to check this.

Saludos

By ALEX-KID

[Alex-Kid]

After head cleaning and some recordings made on this weekend, my conclusion is that the camcorder has some kind of damage in Hi8 mechanism. Now I'll learn to live with this and will take the dirty solution.

Thanks all.

Saludos

By ALEX-KID