Question Where to even begin? Digitising old video tapes...

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My dad recently handed me a box with 20+ old VHS and VHS-C tapes, around 15 8mm tapes and 33 Mini DV which he wants me to digitise and keep safe.

Where do I even begin? He has a Toshiba VHS player with dvd writer I think I need to check its not just dvd player.

I was thinking first play the vhs and record to dvd then rip it to PC and run it through handbrake? However the player also has hdmi out so I could get a USB hdmi capture card (something like what gamers use?)

But then what do I do with the 8mm and mini DV tapes? Is there a 8mm to vhs adapter?

The mini DV tapes I remember having to connect the old Sony camera to pc using firewire and capturing it in windows movie maker on XP but the camera is dead.

Any advice would be appreciated!
 
Cut your losses and send them to a professional copying service.
 
Well i have used this company Cine Film transfer in HD or 4K UHD | Alive Studios for cini transfer they do a good job,they do tapes and everything,the amount you want done will cost a fair bit but they would give you a quote,personaly i would have the Tapes tranfered to an external hard drive the content could be edited to discs later if you want.
 
I agree with the others, get it done by a company.

You do have the right equipment to do the VHS and VHS-C (with an adapter) tapes. However No other tape formats can be put into a VHS player as they are recorded in the wrong format.

The 8mm tapes will require a video8 or Hi8 camcorder - video8 tapes will play in a Hi8 player but not the reverse

mini~DV tapes can only be played back in a miniDV camcorder/player.

So to do all the different tapes will require purchasing a few bits of second hand equipment - with the risk that they may not be in perfect working order. But of course with the number of tapes you have you may need to take out a mortgage to pay for them all to be transferred :eek:

Mark.
 
Found our old Sony PC9R so decided will attempt to do the mini dv on my pc using a firewire card. Then what ever is left will send off.

Found one vhs tape with eastenders on so saved some money there lol
 

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