Black vertical line has appeared in almost all my video files during playback

[markborga]

Hi. I'm going crazy trying to troubleshoot this.
Recently all my captured video files started to playback somewhat distorted. There is a black vertical line on the right side of the frame. Viewing the video on fullscreen it looks as if the video is slightly shifted to the left. These files can't be corrupted since just a few days ago they played back JUST FINE. Now when I try to capture (using ATI AIW 9800pro) I get this distortion. It doesn't matter what format I'm capturing to or what software I'm using to capture.

Here's what I've tried:
--Reinstalling/updating my ATI drivers (all of them - Cat's, MMC, WDM, etc)
--Playing the video without any ATI drivers installed.
--Using several different file players (WMP, ATI's player, Vidomi, Vdub, etc)
--Reinstalling Windows Media Player 9
--Using Nimo's Codec pack (this caused WMP to stop playing the files altogether)
--Playing the videos under a different user (using XPhome by the way)

Here's the only things I can think it might be connected to (things I've done since it was all working correctly):
--Had some sort of virus (pup.exe) that attacked Window Media player and/or my video files. (BUT, videos I've downloaded still play fine)
--Upgraded to ATI's MMC 9.0
--Messed around with "Geoshell", an alternative for explorer.exe (I've since uninstalled)
--Messed around with "Mobydock" (I've since uninstalled)
--Messed around with "Objectdock" (Still on the computer, but I've tried shutting it down and playing videos with same results)

I'll attach a screenshot example of what this problem looks like. If anyone can help that would be great. I've spent hours upon hours scouring the web with every possible string of words I can think of to describe this problem and found nothing.

Thanks.

[rsquirell]

your screenshot didn't make it...but....if your video came from VHS tapes converted to digital, be advised that VCR heads are angled so that greater time can be recorded on a VHS tape....and the side effect of the angling is a "busy" bar across the bottom of the screen, and black bars on the sides. A busy bar across the top of thescreen comes from closed caption info from TV shows. When viewed on a TV these bars disaapear because they are being overscanned...but will be evident when viewed on your computer. If you really wish to eliminate them use the "clip frame" feature of TMPGenc.

[markborga]

no, not captured from a VCR

Yes, I noticed the screenshot didn't make it. I tried twice. Oh well.

Anyway, no the captured video is not from the vcr. I have a Dish Network box hooked up to my ATI AIW 9800 via S-Video.
The real crux of this problem, for me, is that files that were captured awhile ago and played fine awhile ago now don't play correctly and have this black line down the far right side of the frame. I don't think that the files themselves are corrupted because if I try to capture any new video, regardless of flie type and format, I get the same problem.
It seems as though the problem is in the way my computer is handling video files (it also doesn't matter which media player I'm using). But to confound things more, some video files (i.e. tv show downloaded off file sharing programs) still play just fine.

I'm so confused. Don't want to reinstall Xp if I don't have to.

[rsquirell]

Think....it's not the computer if the downloaded files play fine. It has to be your capture device. Never-the-less....if you burn a disc and watch it on a stand-alone DVD player, the TV should over-scan the bar. The bar should only be visible on your computer...and you can eliminate it with TMPGenc.

[markborga]

But...Why would files that I previously captured and had no problems playing before now have this black line in them?