[John Sykes]

On the archiving aspect: I have burnt 200 plus Hi8 mm to DVD and know there is a compression hit in transferring to DVD through a first-generation Philips DVD recorder.

By transferring Hi8 mm tape through the Digital8 Sony desk via Firewire and capturing in FCP at 100 percent quality, I would burn each captured section to a DVD (data formatted) as a Quicktime movie. Transferring to DVCAM would be direct as to the overscan issue and I will additionally plan for that route. Future tape life and tape/equipment obsolescence (as formats change) has become an issue.

Since 1987, I have been through 8mm, Hi8mm, Super VHS, Beta: tape, decks and cameras are harder to access. Already my Sony prosumer miniDV camera is outdated by HD. I have been through four Hi8 decks and recently purchased two Digital8s to get me through the final phase-out of Hi8. Having a digital archive would be looking ahead as I believe tape’s days may be numbered.

I am hoping a digital archive is a valid option.

If there is a forum for archiving, please direct me. Thanks for your help_John Sykes.

[John Sykes]

Dubbing to DVCAM would be the best solution with direct DV sequence settings in FCP.

As After Effects 4:3 composition presets are 640×480 (and the optimal setting for the DC30+ card), I had forgotten over the past fifteen years that the actual frame size is 4:3 560×480.

As to the overscan, it has been explained elsewhere these frame lines do not appear on the Monitor, but they do appear in FCP, and where past captures with the DC30+ do not (Motion Jpeg A codex).

For future projects, I will work with DVCAM dubs. To finish a current project, I will still be looking for a temporary solution as to mixing new captures (overscan) with the DC30+ captures (no visible overscan) in FCP 640×480 project sequences. Maybe I will have to get the old Mac 8500 running with the DC30+ card and settle this.

Thanks! John Sykes

560×480 (420 lines): LaserDisc, Super VHS, Hi8
720×480 (520 lines): D-VHS, DVD, miniDV, Digital8, Digital Betacam (pro)