Audio problems with VHS to DVD conversion

[heikki]

I use a Canopus AVDC-100 device to capture VHS tapes on computer. The VHS camcorder that I use for playing the tapes back has just a mono audio, therefore I connect the camera’s single audio cable into one of the two audio channels of the Canopus unit and leave the other one unplugged. The Canopus unit connects into the computer via Firewire.

The properties of the captured video are 29.97 fps, DV Type 1, 24 bits, 720 x 480, 4:3, DV Audio – NTSC, 32 kHz 12 bit stereo. I do my editing using VS X2. Due to the mono sound I duplicate one of the audio channels to another. After editing the video I author a DVD using the following settings: 24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps, LFF, 8000 kbps, LPCM Audio, 48 kHz Stereo. The DVD will play just fine on the computer that I used for burning it and on my cheap 3-year-old Philips player. The trouble starts when I try to play it back anywhere else: It does play on my 10-year-old Toshiba DVD player but the audio volume is so low that you have to turn the volume on TV all the way up. It doesn’t play at all on my two other computers.

The above process works fine when I author DVDs from HV-20 DV footage. The discs play in all above mentioned equipment and the audio works fine too. I have even tried mixing footage from HV-20 and Canopus and when I play the disk back in my Toshiba the audio is okay with the HV-20 footage but with Canopus footage it is extremely low. I’m out of ideas so any tips or tribal knowledge will be greatly appreciated.

[skier-hughes]

As the dvd works well in one computer and in one dvd player the disc has been authored correctly.
Normally computers will play anything, so it's odd one plays it and two don't.
Compatibility issues with dvd playes is not rare.
It is odd though that a disc with two files in, one from one source and one from the conversion plays differently.

Please pop a captured vhs file on the time line adn r/click select properties and post here.
Do you make a file from your edit, which you use to make your dvd (recommended) or do you just make your dvd direct from the VS timeline. (not recommended).
If you do make a file, again give us it's properties.

[heikki]

I redid the whole thing again to be sure that I didn't miss something earlier. I started off by creating a new project: NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps), MPEG files, 24 bits 720 x 480, LFF, DVD-NTSC 4:3, Variable Max 8000 kbps, LPCM Audio, 48 kHz Stereo. This time I left the HV-20 DV footage out though. I put VHS footage on the timeline and duplicated the audio channel. File properties are: 29.97 fps, DV Type 1, 24 bits 720 x 480 4:3, DV Audio, 32 kHz, 12 bit Stereo. Then I created an MPEG file using the settings: NTSC DVD, MPEG-2, LFF, 24 bits 720 x 480 4:3, 29.97 fps, Variable Max 8000 kbps, LPCM 48 kHz, 16 bit Stereo. Finally I started a new project to clear the timeline and authored a DVD using the settings: MPEG, 24 bits 720x480 29.97 fps, LFF, DVD NTSC 4:3, Variable max 8000 kbps, LPCM 48 kHz Stereo "Do not convert compliant MPEG files".

Outcome: This time the sound is there when played back in my Toshiba DVD player. However, the movie plays only for about 1 sec at the time and then it freezes for about 2-3 seconds. It doesn't play on my other laptop at all - in fact it made the Windows Mediaplayer to crash. The DVD plays without issues on the computer that I used for burning it and it also plays on my Philips DVD player. Very frustrating...

[skier-hughes]

These new errors are often down to compatibility problems with disc/burn/player.

What make of disc are you using?
Is it a +/- or +/-RW?
Do you know the dye type it has?

[heikki]

I was thinking too that it may be related to the discs... I've tried two different discs so far: Sony DVD+R RW 4.7 GB and Verbatim DVD+R Lightscribe 16x 4.7 GB.
I don't know the dye type. Both disc types give the same results.

[skier-hughes]

Try using a -R disc.

[heikki]

I tried with -RW disc... same result. I also tried in someone else's two different DVD players. The disc played just fine and also the audio was as expected. That leaves me only with 1 out or 4 DVD players that wouldn't play the disc and I'm willing to live with that. Therefore I will stop troubleshooting for now and I will go ahead with transferring the rest of my VHS tapes onto DVDs. Thanks for you tips and advices!

[skier-hughes]

Try a -R disc, they are the most compatible, RW are not as compatible as their burn once siblings.