Look at this video

Bars unsync'd? on Vimeo

This was recorded from a recording of color bars from my editing suite to my beta deck.

Hi
My first reaction would be to clean the video heads.

Sync.
I need 10 characters so Sync, again.

Are you feeding the deck any Genlock signal? In a pinch I have been known to feed the deck the video output in composite and loop thru the Genlock out to the video input in if recording a composite feed (turning off 75 ohm termination). As well, if your I/O device has composite and component out, feed the composite to the Genlock in (termination ON) and the component to the component in on the deck (if it is equipped - UVW 1800's aren't) and it SHOULD sync. Try plugging and unplugging the composite line a couple of times if it doesn't sync right away.

What deck are you using?

I will attempt that idea here today. FWIW I have a PVW-2800. If it doesn't work, then I will record a longer segment. Also, when I have that video in adobe, if I go frame by frame there is no distortion but as soon as I hit play it goes all jumbly.

Ok, So I had the chance to look it over again. I think that I am already doing what you had said to do. Since I am unfamiliar with this beta deck stuff, I drew up a diagram. Am I doing anything wrong?

First, to see if there is another problem, try using the composite input on the deck to see if you are actually sync'ing.

As well, the jog/shuttle panel lifts up and you SHOULD have some switches underneath on the VTR itself governing Genlock - it's been a while since I've been in front of a 2800 so my apologies, I'm doing this from memory. It should be Internal or External if memory serves. Try each. And try unplugging and replugging the reference BNC each time to see if it "snaps" into sync.