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wrote:

> I have a video tape, about 20 years old, that when I converted to .wmv format,
> was dark and the audio was slightly out of synch with the video. Does anyone
> know of a program that would allow me to brighten it up some and also
> synchronize the audio? Thanks.

You'll need to get one of those inline filters between VCR and TV (or
computer inputs) to get rid of the old copyguard protection (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyguard). These copyguard filters are
also called clarifiers, video enhancers, or video stabilizers.

I had a Sima CT-200 (http://www.smarthome.com/images/77739side3big.jpg).
There was something about heat or auto-shutoff that you had to made sure
you have the 2nd model. This let me convert my commercial movies on VHS
tapes to DVD discs. I didn't want to wear out the tapes. I played the
tapes on the VCR through the Sima to both my TV (to monitor) and to DVD
recorder machine where I used DVD-RAM discs. My computer's DVD-+R drive
can read DVD-RAM discs where I used DVDshrink to edit out the fluff
(menu, alt languages, previews/trailers) and compress the movie to fit
on a DVD-R (not always needed after removing the fluff). Only the main
movie got recorded onto the DVD-R disc so it immediately started playing
when inserted into the DVD player. No interruption by a menu waiting for
me to hit the Play button, no stupid previews or trailers, and no
copyguard artifacts when played on a VCR player.

I've kept the old VHS tapes around as backups in case I have to do the
conversion. US copyright law allows me to create backups but it doesn't
require that the movie distributor make it easy. Mine were some pretty
old movies so I don't know if protection other than copyguard was later
employed on VHS tapes to make them non-recordable or poorly recordable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyguard