Unrecoverable Error message after uploading raw footage

[TaiChi]

Hi, everyone. I'm working with an Avio with SmartEdit 2.3 from about ten years ago. It's been in storage for a while. After uploading raw footage from an 8mm or VHS source, I nearly always get the red-border "unrecoverable error" message and re-start. I've also noticed a blue screen that blinks on and off in between transitions or titles, I don't know if that's related or not. I have reinstalled the original 2.3 software once already, but that has not corrected the problem.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time.

[BobFoster]

If the 8 mm or VHS footage that you are loading has any blank sections between scenes on the original tape, this will cause corrupt files in your editor and show up as periodic blue screens. You can use your editor to scan thru the video footage and "split" out any footage that contains blue/corrupt footage. You can also use a TBC (time base corrector) to eliminate any corrupt files at momentary blank spots on the original tape while uploading. With the TBC, even footage of just video snow or blue screen will not affect your editor. That would be the most typical problem with 8mm and VHS tapes and a solution. There may be other factors causing the problem. Perhaps an ex-Avio user will have more specific answers.

[TaiChi]

Thank you for the response! If it *wasn't* corrupt raw footage, any other ideas? The frequency of the error is such that I don't think it can only be corrupt tape, plus I don't think the tapes I've been using are corrupt.
Thanks again!

[Martyn]

Is the Avio DV? Have you tried importing any other footage from a different source?

[TaiChi]

It is the Avio DV, yes. The only source I've been using has been the 8mm digital tapes from a Sony videocamera, using the RCA input on the Avio. I suppose I could burn the 8mm to a DVD and try importing from that...?
And thank you for the help!

[CKNewman]

You could try burning a DVD from your 8MM tape and importing from that. I would burn the highest quality DVD you could and play it back from the recorder you burned it in.

You said you have a digital 8MM Sony camcorder. If it has firewire out you could try using that. Remember that firewire is not hot-swappable like a USB interface. Your editor and camcorder should both be off when you connect the firewire cable - you can blow out the firewire interface circuits if they are both on when you connect them.

Try importing the video in smaller sections than an entire tape. Start playing the tape in the camcorder a little earlier than the segment you want to import and don't hit record on the Avio until there's good video. Hit stop on the Avio record screen as soon as (or even a tiny bit before) the video segment ends. After you import each segment go to a different project and then back to the project you're working on.

If the video on the 8MM tape was copied from another tape then the blue sections you see may come from the deck that played the original source tape. It may have gone to a blue screen when it sensed that the tape it was playing went from a recorded section to a section of tape with nothing recorded on it. My vcrs do that.

Of course if the 8MM tape was copied from a VHS tape with copyguard then all bets are off.

[TaiChi]

Thanks for all the information, Craig. I didn't know about the hot-swap issue, maybe that's it. Learn something every day! Thanks a lot for the suggestions, I will give them a shot.