I'd appreciate anybodus thoughts on this:
In short - Hi8 tapes played on my Canon Hi8 Cam out via S Video + Photo audio out to Canopus ADVC 100 into my PC captured as a single large DV (*.avi) file. Disc space is not an issue since I can now transfer the file back to my Canon MV700i DV cam as a copy back up of the original Hi8 tape.
I find the easiest way is to dump the whole Hi8 film into the pc as a single file (circa 16GB 45 mins with only 2 dropped frames!) and then edit it down by using Adobe Premier 6.5.
Each edited part of the whole dumped file is saved as a seperate file.
These are then converted to .JPG files and then used to make chapters for the DVD writing software.
Then I transfer to my Canon MV700i the whole dumped Hi8 file (film) and, on a seperate tape, each of the chapters. This way all of my work is saved. Then my HDD can be cleared and the next Hi8 tape transfered.
I'm open to any ideas you might have about improving this worklflow. Im not making a hollywood film just simple DVD's with chapters for family consumption

[MarkE19]

I think that what you are doing is just about the best way for long term archiving. However I would not convert anything to .JPG (and don't you mean DVD compliant MPEG-2?) as a lot of quality will be lost with the compression. Personally I keep my origional DV tape and also backup the AVI files after all the editing back to another DV tape. If I need to make another DVD I just capture the edited footage and author the files and burn the new disc.

Mark.

Thanks, a question.
I now transfer Hi8 to DV tape in this way: Canon Hi8 Camcorder plays Hi8 tape - output S Video, audio via phono into Canpous ADVC100 (a wonderfull piece of kit) dv out to my DV Camorder Canon MV700i. No need for the PC.
So my question -
If the Hi8 tape is recorded in LP mode when I transfer to DV in the way described is there a difference if I record onto DV tape in SP or LP mode? (since the source is LP can DV LP be OK or is there some loss in not using DV SP?)
Thanks,
Simon

[MarkE19]

Thats not really an easy question to answer!
In theory there should be no difference in quality between SP & LPon a DV cam, but in practice LP is more likely to show up any errors due to the slower tape movement. If there are any problems with the tape then LP will be more likely to show them, where as sP will do a better job at covering them up.

Mark.

ps, agree the ADVC devices are a brilliant piece of kit!!!!

Can you explain why " In theory there should be no difference in quality between SP & LPon a DV cam"? a bit more?

To anyone reading these comments the ADVC devices are the best way to convert analog to digital

[MarkE19]

Well a DV cam is recording a digital data stream. Regardless of the speed the tape is travelling, it is still the same data. But when the tape is moving slower more data is being recorded to each section of tape and therefore any errors on the tape will be more noticeable. Therefore any error correction has more work to do and therefore quality drops 'can' be more noticeable.

Mark.