So here's my problem, I've got some hi8 tapes I want to transfer over to my pc.

I found by reading through some adobe premier sites that you can "on-the-fly" it by connecting your hi8 to your DV and then plugging in your DV and capturing it that way.

The first two steps work great. My mini DV can see the footage from the Hi8. However my computer can't see anything form the DV unless something is physically playing on the camcorder. So how in the world do I get around that?

It seems my only option is to record the Hi8 onto my DV so I can then play it for the various capturing programs I have. However I have 2 issues with that. First off will I lose any quality on the transfer as well as on the DV if I use the same tape over and over again. Second, DV tapes are 60 mins (at least mine) Hi8 are typically 2 hours. Sigh... that means it won't be seamless on all the footage.

Maybe I'm being picky here but it's frustrating that I can't get something so simple to work. After all if I put the DV cam in record mode with no tape I can capture on the PC fine. However when I put it in the VCR mode the capture programs can't see anything. I honestly can't figure out what to do next.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by ryanv

So here's my problem, I've got some hi8 tapes I want to transfer over to my pc.

I found by reading through some adobe premier sites that you can "on-the-fly" it by connecting your hi8 to your DV and then plugging in your DV and capturing it that way.

The first two steps work great. My mini DV can see the footage from the Hi8. However my computer can't see anything form the DV unless something is physically playing on the camcorder. So how in the world do I get around that?

It seems my only option is to record the Hi8 onto my DV so I can then play it for the various capturing programs I have. However I have 2 issues with that. First off will I lose any quality on the transfer as well as on the DV if I use the same tape over and over again. Second, DV tapes are 60 mins (at least mine) Hi8 are typically 2 hours. Sigh... that means it won't be seamless on all the footage.

Maybe I'm being picky here but it's frustrating that I can't get something so simple to work. After all if I put the DV cam in record mode with no tape I can capture on the PC fine. However when I put it in the VCR mode the capture programs can't see anything. I honestly can't figure out what to do next.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

i dont know how many hours of hi8 footage you have but if it was me i would copy it to dv and keep it,i have all my tapes recordings [vhs 8mm etc] on dv tape its a good safe storage that can then be edited,you must have a cam that can copy or it would not let you see what is going through from the hi8,its a lot of work but worth it in my opinion.

I have prolly 8 to 10 120min Hi8 tapes, which would be a real pain to transfer to 60min miniDV tapes.

Any way around that or should I just do my best to separate them up? I still wish I could find a way around the whole "must press play" in order for the capture feature to work. I've tried everything from premier to windows movie maker. Everything makes you press record in order to transfer it over to the PC.

It just seems like my only choice is to go from Hi8 to MiniDV tapes and then DV to PC. sigh... lol

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by ryanv

I have prolly 8 to 10 120min Hi8 tapes, which would be a real pain to transfer to 60min miniDV tapes.

Any way around that or should I just do my best to separate them up? I still wish I could find a way around the whole "must press play" in order for the capture feature to work. I've tried everything from premier to windows movie maker. Everything makes you press record in order to transfer it over to the PC.

It just seems like my only choice is to go from Hi8 to MiniDV tapes and then DV to PC. sigh... lol

your choice but if that is all the tapes i would put them on mini dv and edit the min idv tapes,disc is not a safe long term storage.once edited the films can be put on dv tape and dvd if you want.

[alpine101]

Originally Posted by chrishull3

disc is not a safe long term storage

100 years not good enough!?
http://www.jvcpro.co.uk/getResource2...me.pdf?id=4835

[MarkE19]

A few things:

Not all miniDV cams with AV-in can do 'on-the-fly' conversion. With these cams you need to record to tape.
Some cams need the menu setting changed to do on-the-fly conversion
All capture software will try to control the camcorder, so you need to disable device control in the capture settings

Mark.

[chrishull3]

Originally Posted by alpine101

100 years not good enough!?
http://www.jvcpro.co.uk/getResource2...me.pdf?id=4835

i said that when senu etc said disc dvd[ home made]is not a safe storage medium now the recordings have just vanised from 2 of mine that link is one big load of rubbish.

[senu]

Originally Posted by alpine101

100 years not good enough!?
http://www.jvcpro.co.uk/getResource2...me.pdf?id=4835

The following conditions need to be applied to ensure the projected lifetime:
- A writer with normal performance records data.
- There is no corrosive gas in the air.
- There are no scratches or finger prints on the media surface.
- Temperature is controlled within 25 +/- 2 degrees.
- Humidity is controlled within 55 +/- 5 RH%.
- Media is stored in the jewel case.
- Media is not exposed to direct sunlight or any other source of UV light.

I have no doubt that Verbatim DVD-Rs are made to high Standards, indeed I use them fairly extensively
but
The onus is on the owner of the footage to believe ( or not) just how "safe" and dependable Recordable DVD-R discs are.. I dont ....and I don't expect anyone can hold the writer of such articles quoted above responsible when one loses precious video whose only copy is on disc which then refuses to play

To the OP, It is true that not all camcorders which have AV in can do "pass through" which is DV conversion "on the fly"

If you think your Hi 8 footage is precious , I cant see any big disadvantage in having digital permanent copies on DV tape instead of reusing the tapes over and over again ( apart from the hassle of initially copying them...)

Another method if you have that many tapes is to find a SonyDigital8
camcorder which can play Hi8 tapes. They will typically have a Dv output and will digitise the Hi8 footage " on the fly " and you can then capture your Hi8 footage to PC via firewire as if it were natively DV

[redsox_mark]

The Sony cams which have pass thru generally have an option in the menu (called something like AV-DV out) which needs to be turned on to work.

Originally Posted by redsox_mark

The Sony cams which have pass thru generally have an option in the menu (called something like AV-DV out) which needs to be turned on to work.

I have a sharp WD450 and sadly it doesn't seem to have that option for me. The options in the menu are very basic and not related in anyway to out puting any sort of data.

Originally Posted by MarkE19

A few things:

Not all miniDV cams with AV-in can do 'on-the-fly' conversion. With these cams you need to record to tape.
Some cams need the menu setting changed to do on-the-fly conversion
All capture software will try to control the camcorder, so you need to disable device control in the capture settings

Mark.

I tried to disable the device control in Premier but the programs still aren't seeing the footage from the DV camcorder. I did try just putting the Hi8 into my media center computer (since it has audio video capture abilties). Sadly the only program that works is windows movie maker as Priemer needs a DV source in order for it to work. Unfortunately the capture program would only reconginze the video and not the audio. I tried many different combinations but I just couldn't get the sound to come up.

Looks like again it's back to option 1, transfer to minidv.. blah... sounds like fun! hehe

Thanks for your replies mark. I really do appreciate them.

[senu]

There is the option of recording to a DVD recorder with hard drive, then Making a 2 hr DVDs which you can then copy to the PC ( directly) bearing in mind that the VOBs on DVD are really just Mpeg2 files
That will however leave you with the "problem " of mpeg2 editing.

You may have glossed over my post regarding Digital8 camcorders.. You may have a friend who has one ..it is an option you know,