Cyberlink Capture Error message iLINK mode on HDV device

jaymay22

Member Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia. Joined: Aug 27, 2009 07:18 Messages: 143 Offline

Solved by

Nov 11, 2013 05:06

Hi there.
I've had great success with my Canopus advc110 converter capturing on Cyberlink.
I've converted lots of Hi8 video, and have just started on my vhsc.
I have a vcr and a vhsc tape adapter cassette.
My first test was fine, I hooked it all up, vhs played perfectly, and the vhsc tape played quite well through the converter and was recorded to mpeg2 (hq dvd quality).
Half way through I got an error message:

"You cannot use the capture function because the iLINK mode on the HDV device is not indentical to the recorded format on the tape. Check the tape status or make sure the content of the tape is in HDV format then reconnect the iLINK again."

Now, when I saw that message, I saw the tape was still recording, but I stopped the recording to check on the conversion. It was converting and recording just fine!
So I started it again, and finished the cassette tape.
Now I've put the second one in, the same vcr and adapter, with the same canopus settings. Nothing changed.
But I keep getting that error message and can't record now for some reason.
These are all identical little tapes, there should be no reason for it to be any different.
In fact, I even popped my regular vhs tape in that I first used to see if it worked, and now IT won't work either.

I have a Panasonic NV-SJ230 old vcr.
I don't get it, and I don't understand what that error message means.
The Canopus converter keeps swapping signal light from Analog to Digital in, and I have to keep pressing it to swap it back over. That didn't happen before. Also....it's not HDV format, ..is it? I thought it was just DV. Why would the Cyberlink error message be talking about HDV??

Any help would be appreciated. Jenny

Carl312

Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline

Nov 11, 2013 11:39

Is the tape recorded at a different TV Mode, Maybe your mode is PAL and the tape is recorded as NTSC.

If so try switching the TV Mode if that is one of the settings for the Canopus advc110 converter.
I am just guessing here because I do not have one of those devices to test.
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

jaymay22

Member Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia. Joined: Aug 27, 2009 07:18 Messages: 143 Offline

Nov 11, 2013 18:25

Hi Carl,
Unfortunately no, that's not it.
In all my previous conversions, I'd successfully set the canopus converter to Pal, and everything was fine (through the handicam for Hi

Now I'm using a vcr and a cassette adapter for my vhsc.
The first two tapes were fine, and they're all the same, they're all Pal, they both were fine, the third though just has a blank black screen and the error message comes up, the converter light sometimes swaps to dig in, instead of analog in ??? and the message talks about HDV, and although I'm not that knowledgable about video, I think that means High definition video? and my vhsc definitely isn't that! The cyberlink recognises the vcr as a DV device and says vcr on the bottom . So I don't know why the error code says HDV.

I can't understand why it worked before, but not now, and why the error message came up in the middle of the first convert, but it seemed to be working just fine, and kept converting even though the error message was there. I ignored it, and it was fine! But not now. Confusing. Jenny

jaymay22

Member Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia. Joined: Aug 27, 2009 07:18 Messages: 143 Offline

Nov 11, 2013 18:28

Or maybe I pressed a button on this new (old) vcr and it's set it to ntsc when I have pal tapes??? I'll have to look that up.
Would that cause this? Jenny

Carl312

Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline

Nov 11, 2013 18:42

Black video may mean no video. Try fast foward so you have video.

Most video capture devices do not like blank spots in the tape.

That is why I like to have a TV set connected to the output of the VCR so I can see when there is something to playback.
You can use Y connectors to connect both TV set and Capture Device at the same time.
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

BarryTheCrab

Senior Contributor Location: USA Joined: Nov 06, 2008 22:18 Messages: 6240 Offline

Nov 11, 2013 19:17

Do me a favor, try the same setup but use Windows Movie Maker. See if it works. HP Envy Phoenix/4thGen i7-4770(4@3.4GHz~turbo>3.9)
Nvidia GTX 960(4GB)/16GB DDR3/
Canon Vixia HV30/HF-M40/HF-M41/HF-G20/Olympus E-PL5.
Tape capture using 6 VCR, TBC-1000, Elite BVP4+, Sony D8 camcorder with TBC.
https://www.facebook.com/BarryAFTT

jaymay22

Member Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia. Joined: Aug 27, 2009 07:18 Messages: 143 Offline

Nov 11, 2013 23:16

Using all your deductions, I think I may have solved it.
Used another vcr to play same tape, (a vcr that I KNOW works). Worked for a bit then same error code later. Tape did not play.
So tested it on Windows Movie Maker, black screen Barry.
Fiddling with Cyberlink and with canopus to ensure connections,
I thought Carls idea was clever,...maybe no video, but not NO video, dirty video?? these are very old tapes.
Used a head cleaner. No change, but I was getting random screens, some snow, some black. This was a good sign.
I then surprised myself using http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_5_1/diy6vcrcleaning.html I undid the top of my vcr and cleaned the drum head and heads.

I'm not sure why, but I think combination of old tape, dirty heads, the odd tracking problem or blank spot in the tape VERSUS the software of the Canopus converter and Cyberlink...I think they're all fighting.
Somehow they're interpreting the snow/dirt/tape/tracking as a different 'mode' since it's not getting the 'signal' it wants. (I'm so un-technical!!) Hooray, it wasn't me!!

I think I'll clean the heads every half a tape. Then see how I go.
Your suggestions helped me deduce that it's the vcr, not the software. Thankyou so much. This (VHSC) is only part of the massive undertaking I've been at for a year now, and I don't know what I'd do without you guys! - one VHSC down, 12 more to go.

Jenny

Carl312

Senior Contributor Location: Texas, USA Joined: Mar 16, 2010 20:11 Messages: 9090 Offline

Nov 12, 2013 09:57

Dirty heads on a VCR is a very common problem.

I think cleaning only when you have a problem is better.

But if you want to be sure, there are Cleaning Tape Cartridges that work pretty well, not as good as taking the cover off the VCR and cleaning the heads with alcohol and cotton swabs.

Excessive cleaning of the tape machine can be detrimental to the life of the machine. Video tape heads are precision devices and can be harmed with too much abrasion.

Of course with VHS video tape being a thing of the past, it might be hard to find a VHS cleaning tape now.

I am glad you found a solution.
Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.