Problems with VHS Tapes

[papcom]

I am rather experienced in capturing VHS Cassettes. I work with different (S)VHS Machines (e.g. AG7350, BRS611, NVHS1000, HRS9500 etc.) and with Capturing Devices from BMD and TBC's from For-A, CYP or Kramer.

I sometimes have old (probably damaged) VHS tapes which I can watch on a TV Monitor but I cannot capture them. The picture on the TV Monitor is bad but stable. (no vertical jumping).

But as soon as I try to capture these tapes the picture jumps and is not at all stable anymore. I cannot eliminate the sync and color problems. No combination of my equipment is capable of refreshing the damaged sync of these tapes. Obviously the timebase of a TV Monitor can display the damaged tapes fairly stable.

Does anyone have an idea how to capture such damaged VHS tapes?

[ChiDragon]

Have you considered picking up an old DVD recorder for use as a TBC? Some models accept and correct surprisingly bad signals. This topic is all over the German forum (http://forum.gleitz.info/showthread.php?46740-AUFRUF-Welche-Ger%E4te-stabilisieren-effektiv-VHS-Jitter-bei-der-Digitalisierung-TBC&highlight=dmr-es10) lately so you should be right at home. :p

[Ghitulescu]

I am not sure I understand completely the situation.
Have you or have you not a stable image AFTER the TBC?

The last two machines have already a TBC on board. That means they should output a stable image no matter what - I mean here a signal that is technically perfect (since it's fully recreated) that may however contain a sub-par quality video :) .

For.A and Kramer are professional TBCs. Depending on the model they may need additional signals in order to work correctly, eg external synch or drum pulses. Set the synch on each TBC as internal, first, if possible. I believe both first decks can be externally synched - try this second. Thirdly, use only the internal TBC of any of the two decks.