[mbself]

Try to find a time base corrector (TBC) or a VCR with a TBC built in. Older VHS tapes can have a seriously weakened Time Base pulse which is what causes that "warping" effect at the perimeter of the picture (especially the top).

This can also cause more dropped frames during capture and as a byproduct, cause audio/video sync issues.

I had videos that were almost unplayable until I bought a TBC off of ebay and it helped me rescue a lot of home movies from the early eighties.

Of course, some of the canopus cards have a TBC built in, but most pros recommend an outboard processor.....i think.