need a new camcorder that is compatible with video 8 and Hi-8 as well as digital 8

music · 23-01-2008, 10:32 PM

Hi,

my Sony DCR-TRV460 seems to have given up the ghost. Picture is terrible - with analogue tapes is like very dirty heads. With digital tapes there are big gray or digital bands across the picture.

Head cleaning tape didn't help - and apparently you can't use them more than 4 times in a row?????

Trouble is that my model could play digital 8 and was backwards compatible with Hi-8 and video 8 which is what I need. Does anyone know any new models that have this compatability? I need to get all my tapes onto the computer!!!

glesgaguyav · 23-01-2008, 11:46 PM

E/bay is your best option, I had a similar requirement a few months back, just be sure to ask the seller that the model is backward compatible not all of the older models are, the one I managed to find was the Sony TRV120E

redsox_mark · 24-01-2008, 7:40 AM

I agree... there is only one current model of Digital 8, and that one (TRV270) doesn't play analogue tapes.

music · 24-01-2008, 9:42 AM

Do you think I could get my curent camcorder fixed?

The advantage of it is is that it digitises analogue tapes onboard and outputs them as DV down the firewire.

How much would it cost if it needs new head? I don't want to incur exploration fees to find out it's too much too fix!

Thanks again.

MarkE19 · 24-01-2008, 2:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by music

How much would it cost if it needs new head?

Probably more than you paid for the camcorder brand new! The amount of time & effort required to replace and align new heads will make it a very expensive repair. I think a replacement D8 cam via eBay etc would be far cheaper.

Mark.

music · 24-01-2008, 6:46 PM

Hey - guess what I fixed it by a fluke. I rang a guy and he was a STAR

and he told me what the problem was.

THANKS A LOT IF YOUR READING THIS

Anyway - it's not a head problem at all. It's a small connector which has come loose. So I push down on the top of the camcorder and that fixed the problem. I did actually open the camcorder up, but it looked pretty scary inside and I couldn't see the connector anyway because it was covered by small ribbon cables. But the pushing on the case worked.

HURRAY.

Anyhow, now to digitise all my tapes, and then get a brand new camcorder - so I'll be looking for more advice soon!

Thanks for your help.

glesgaguyav · 24-01-2008, 7:23 PM

Great result

It's a bit like the old trick of giving a wonky telly a good bang!!

Anyway Iam putting it in my notebook for possible repairs

**senu** · 24-01-2008, 9:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by music

Hey - guess what I fixed it by a fluke. I rang a guy and he was a STAR

and he told me what the problem was.

THANKS A LOT IF YOUR READING THIS

Anyway - it's not a head problem at all. It's a small connector which has come loose. So I push down on the top of the camcorder and that fixed the problem. I did actually open the camcorder up, but it looked pretty scary inside and I couldn't see the connector anyway because it was covered by small ribbon cables. But the pushing on the case worked.

HURRAY.

Anyhow, now to digitise all my tapes, and then get a brand new camcorder - so I'll be looking for more advice soon!

Thanks for your help.

Well good on you

I have a D8 TRV 620E which with av in S video in and out , External Mike and a host of videographer friendly goodies is great. Its low light abilty is good too and it is backwards compatible with analogue
It would give many of today's entry level MiniDV camcorders a complex TBH

For a while I had an error with power code which asked me to reset( to no avail) which annoyed me and I simple let it stay on the study shelf.One day 6 months later... it just started working and since then no problem
I know Sony have to go with the market trends but one of the reasons I got a MiniDV model early was a premonition that Sony wouldn't support the D8 format for long and Mini DV was not proprietary to Sony only.. and I was right

Anyone who has tapes recorder in that format D8 ( and analogue) is best off converting them now.
The time will come when the camcorders will dissappear completely and even if you wanted to you might not be able to repair them

music · 28-01-2008, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Anyone who has tapes recorder in that format D8 ( and analogue) is best off converting them now.
The time will come when the camcorders will dissappear completely and even if you wanted to you might not be able to repair them
24-01-2008 7:23 PM

Too right. I am converting one a day!