Video8 playback looks okay only briefly after unpause

[shae]

I'm trying to play back Video8 on a camcorder. It's fine on the camcorder screen, but not through the analog composite out.

The video looks okay briefly when it starts playing, after unpausing, and constantly during pause (besides the usual pause artifacts).
But after a second or so of playback it becomes "wrong". The colors are inverse, there's shadowing, and some shape distortion.

I'm getting the same behavior on two TVs, one a modern LCD, the other an old CRT, so I'm guessing it's the camcorder. Forcing PAL/NTSC/etc. on the TV doesn't help.

I don't know if related, but the audio rattles/buzzes, on both left and right output channels.

Any idea what's wrong here?

OK when paused and a bit after unpause:
http://i.imgur.com/sMIRkif.jpg

Wrong after playback is in full swing:
http://i.imgur.com/LunXWHg.jpg

[Mick]

Hi Shae,
well, looks like the Video Heads are dirty or worn out. Did you try other Cables ? What Camera (Model/Make) are we talking about here ? Do you get the same Picture when you connect the Camera to your Computer ?

Cheers

Mick

[shae]

Hi Mick.

The picture looks fine on the camcorder screen, so it can't be the heads.
I've tried another cable (though a cable wouldn't behave the differently depending on the pause state).
I don't yet have analog capture hardware on the computer.
The camera is some Sony Digital8. I don't have it right now, so I'd have to check the exact model.

But my plans have shifted. I'll get Firewire input hardware to check if that camera output mode works properly.
Still, if you have any guesses it would be interesting to hear.

[Mick]

Hi Shae,
the Picture always looks good on the Camcorder screen, i would not rely on that. The Symptoms are obvious according to your Screenshots that the Heads need a cleaning or the Camcorder has a defect on the analogue output. For Firewire your Camcorder has a DV-Out, means, you could try that if you want to transfer the Footage to your PC, the easiest Method ;)

Question: Is it Video 8 or Hi8 Footage you are trying to play with your Camcorder ? You have a Digital 8 Camcorder and some Models don't play back analogue Formats so check the Manual, okay ?

Cheers

Mick

[shae]

In the end, firewire/DV output works fine.

[Ghitulescu]

It may be a tracking issue.
But in the end good that you solved it.

[shae]

Both on-camera playback and DV-out are okay.
I think it's likely that just the composite out is bad, or incompatible somehow?

But anyway doesn't matter now. DV output is likely higher quality than anything I might achieve with composite.