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Problem Digitizing Video8 Tapes with Decklink HD Extreme 2
Hey all,
I am having a lot of trouble digitizing some Video8 tapes. Firstly, I am using a Sony CCD-TR400 Hi8 Camera to playback the Video8 tapes through composite out. They look great on the composite input of my Marshall monitor. However, when I try to go to the “Y IN” on my Decklink HD Extreme 2 card and capture using Media Express, the video drops to black about every other second.
I was concerned about damage to the card or possibly the breakout cable, but a composite signal from my VCR in Media Express looks great. (There are some drops to black, maybe 1-4 a minute – much less frequent. I can get over a few drops from the VCR, but the video from the camera is really unwatchable.)
It there something about the way these older cameras play out that don’t play nice with Blackmagic Cards? Is there a piece of hardware anyone would recommend that might be able to help me?
Thanks in advance for all your helpful suggestions!
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7 Replies
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Using non-timebased connection could be your problem.
What I do is use a Sony Digital8 TRV-340E which also plays Hi8 but its advantage is that it has Firewire out which makes for rock steady performance AND a much better signal path (read DIGITAL).
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Hi everyone,
Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I’m getting the same problem right now as I’m trying to digitize my hi8 tapes.
I’m trying to go out of my Sony Hi8 EV-C100 player via analog RCA video/audio into my Blackmagic Decklink’s breakout cable (Y-In, using a BNC adapter). Input under System preferences for the Blackmagic Card are set to “Composite Video (Y-In)/Analog XLR”, and FCP capture settings as DV NTSC. I’m getting very frequent black frames every half-second..
Right now I’d rather not buy the original camcorder, but I may have access to a Canopus ADVC 110 box. Anyone know what may be causing this problem and/or have a solution, or know if canopus box work better?
Thanks!
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OP: The only way I was eventually able to get this to work was with a Sony VRDMC6 (it was only $200-$300 when it was available, it looks like the new model is the Sony VRDMC5 – $306.99 on Amazon).
It puts a goofy menu at the top of the DVD, but it was the only thing I was really able to get to work.
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Thanks Phil. Hoping that’s not going to be the only option, and going to try a canopus advc 110 today, but we’ll see.
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Does the EV-C100 have a built-in Time Base Corrector? If not, you need to get one. Tape is notorious for having unstable “sync” due to the aging of tape and the nature of analog technology of the time.
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Hi there,
I’m having this same problem – were you able to fix it?
Cheers,
Lulu -
Lulu,
I was able to digitize my tapes by buying an ADVC-100 firewire capture card. Works wonders.
And, since I’ve completed digitizing all of my tapes now, I’m actually selling the ADVC-100 that I bought, on ebay right now. (Shameless plug below)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/261877119997
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