16:9 - XL-2 - PC
Editing Software: Sony Vegas 6

(a) Several DV tapes shot 1 month ago captures/previews perfectly; Tape Type - Sony DV Premium

60/LP90, ME-DVM60; Gold wrapper.

(b) Several DV Tapes shot 1 week ago have noticeable vertical lines (most noticeable in oranges and highlights) in both preview and capture; Tape Type = Same, except newer version in blue wrapper (same

specs/model, etc.). The vertical lines appear to be either a compression or aspect ratio issue, however removing the (b) tapes and immediately inserting the (a) tapes shows none of the line artifacts found with (b).

(c) All tapes play perfectly directly from camera into a Panasonic Monitor, with no hint of vertical lines, as well in realtime playback from Sony Vegas through Datavideo DAC-100 AD/DA convertor box, into the Panasonic.

Likely not a capture setting issue, due to (c) above, i.e. remove one tape that plays with no lines, insert (b) tape that plays with the insipid vertical lines.

Likely not a tape issue, as both A & B tapes play beautifully when connected directly to Panasonic via S-Video.

Likely not a cable issue, as both DV & AV (S-Video) captures yield the same line issue with the differing tapes.

The AVI files were Rendered / Encoded to M2V and burned to DVD. The DVD plays fine on stand-alone DVD deck through both progressive HD and cheapo interlaced monitors. The Lines reappear when DVD is played back on computer.

Several different capture programs and codecs all show the same problem.

Not a camera issue, as multiple cameras & camera types were used in the shoot a week ago, and all have the same vertical lines when previewing/capturing.

It is not a small, low-res preview window issue, as multiple sources have been checked, and captured AVI files played back in WMP & several other generic players all show the lines.

Bottom line, how can all of the tapes play perfectly in a direct connection to the monitor(s), as well as AVI preview from Vegas into the monitor(s), yet only the tapes/captures from a month ago show no problems, even when attempting to re-capture now?

There is a sample screen-shot image at: http://www.funklogic.com/media/blhscreen.jpg

Lines are most noticeable in ear, eye, cheek, neck.

We are at a total loss as to the cause, and why some do it, some don't... any ideas?

Many thanks!


:)

Craig,
I loooked at the pic you posted and I can't see the lines you are referring to.
I'm wondering if the problem might not be with the video card, driver,driver settings, or cable on your computer. I have seen vertical lines like you describe, but, you have already eliminated the most common causes.

You might also check the playback settings in your editing program. It might have somehow gotten changed to a draft mode.

Robert

Hi Robert...

Thanks for the reply; I am the other editor on this project.

Even though the lines are stationary, when the video is moving they are much more noticeable; in the posted still, you can really see them above the ear, next to the nose, fingertips of left hand/flute, neck area. They run full frame, vertically, but, again, most visible in the lighter areas and while playing. However, if NO ONE can see the lines in this still, that would be comforting, knowing it is a playback issue on this system, but why would it not affect all clips? The still capture looks pretty fuzzy, but the footage is quite crisp and clean (other than the lines).

What is so strange is that, were it the video card, or driver settings, everything would be affected, but it is not. Some stored clips play perfectly in Vegas, WMP, RealPlayer, etc., and the more recent clips have the lines. If we dig out an older DV tape, there are no lines on preview or capture, so that somewhat eliminates a capture/driver issue. We thought it might have been an artifact while filming, but this occurred across 4 cameras, all of which have lines when played into the computer, not direct to monitor. Yet, if it were the computer, one would think everything going in would be affected?

It's the screwyest thing I've ever seen, and just makes zero sense whatsoever. Project is due in a week and we are continuing to edit (since we know we can output to DVD and have it play okay on stand-alone decks), but that same DVD in the PC shows the lines, on the more recent footage.

We tried both DV in (across multiple firewire jacks/cards) plus S-Video in, both have lines, so my hope of a simple bad cable can't be it.

Kooky, and not the most opportune point for a hiccup.

You got me. Might just have to chalk this one up to Gremlins.

Robert

Hi,
I seem to be getting a similar problem on my computer so I was wondering if you found a solution.

Here is what I have written on another board...but haven't gotten much help so far.

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a few days ago I started having a weird problem that seems to affect every dv avi on my hard drive and more so the newly captured ones. There are static vertical lines going through the video about every 50 pixels horizontally. It looks like a pattern overlaying the video. It doesn't move which makes it very obvious when watching the video but not so much when looking at a still frame. So, I have uploaded a small 22mb dv avi video for your viewing. I have sent that video to 2 of my friends. One has a CRT monitor and couldn't see the lines until he played around with the brightness and contrast in Windows media player and put the video in Full Screen. The other one has and LCD(like me) and it was VERY obvious to him. To me, the lines seem to appear mostly in the blue channel.

http://www.decaysystem.com/BTBAM.avi

This video was shot with a Sony VX2100, captured with scenalyzerLive with Type2 DV-avi file(premiere etc) mode on a PC with Windows XP SP2 on it.

I have the panasonic dv codec installed.

Any help or info would be greatly appreciated. I feel like I'm going crazy and really do not feel like formatting my computer...

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Since then, I have uninstalled the Panasonic dv codec, as it was suggested it most likely was the problem... the problem was still exactly the same.

Any suggestions? Thank you.
Patrick