Digitizing Old Video8 and Hi8 tapes

[Isaac Brillant]

It worked! (“Using non controllable device”)

[Isaac Brillant]

Hi,

What resolution and codec would you you digitize the Video8 as? I was able to capture it as DV, but maybe – since Video8 only has 240 lines of resolution – capturing it at 720×480 is a waste of space?

BTW, when i post this reply, will other people on the thread see it as well, or do I need to repost?

thanks

[Isaac Brillant]

what should I capture Video8 as? Also DV at 720×480, or is that also taking up more space than necessary, since Video8 is less 240 x something?

thanks

[Rafael Amador]

[Isaac Brillant] “What resolution and codec would you you digitize the Video8 as? I was able to capture it as DV, but maybe – since Video8 only has 240 lines of resolution – capturing it at 720×480 is a waste of space?”
Your Video8 puts out (Video OUT) standard Analog NTSC.
Your only option with the DV camera is to digitize and record that as DV NTSC.
If you want any different codec you need an IO card.

You don’t need to record on the DV tape and L&Capture later.
You can capture directly the FW/DV Stream on FC.
Use “Uncontrollable Device” and “capture now”.
With

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Ken Jones]

You will need a firewire cable with a 4-pin connector on both ends. Generally, camcorders have a 4-pin connector while desktop computers have 6-pin connectors.

When I transferred my 10-12, 60 minute 8mm and Hi8 tapes, I knew that I did not want to capture everything. I also had to give the digital8 camcorder back to my friend. MiniDV tapes cost about $3 each, so for an investment of $30-$40 I now had new digital masters I could capture with my own miniDV camcorder at my leisure. I ultimately decided to only capture two of the tapes and the rest of the new minDV tapes have sat on a shelf. These days I don’t have any way of playing an 8mm or Hi8 tape, but I have several options for capturing from a miniDV tape. On top of that, my 8mm and Hi8 tapes were starting to degrade, so I figured it best transfer everything to a new digital tape.

I am a BIG proponent of batch capturing with time code. I hardly ever transfer anything as an uncontrollable device because sometimes I will want to recapture a tape. You can’t do that if you don’t capture it with time code. If I am in a hurry and working on a deadline and the client doesn’t want to pay for the the extra time to transfer the footage that is their decision. But for my own personal projects I will go ahead and transfer everything over to a tape with time code.

[Isaac Brillant]

Great, thanks!

[Isaac Brillant]

good point. I’d go that route, except that right now I dont have a miniDV camera. I may make master miniDV backups later. I dont think I’ll every actually edit this footage into anything – I just dont want my only copy to be these 10 – 15 year old tapes. thanks!

[Ken Jones]

I assumed you had a miniDV camcorder when your original post stated:

“My plan was to dub them onto miniDV, going from my old Digital 8 Handycam to a miniDV camcorder, through the yellow/white/red RCA connectors, and then Log and Capture the miniDV tape. “