Hi8 to digital

kliker · Post by **kliker** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:21 am

Just checked my settings for when you click on the geared wheel labeled settings.

Click on Video & Audio capture settings

On the Capture Tab
Compression reads: UYVY
Frame reads: 720x576

On the source Tab
Input Source should read: Video Composite NOT Svideo

Check these settings

kliker · Post by **kliker** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:26 am

Also set the Field Order to lower field first

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:49 am

Ormond,
been following this with interest, it is rather strange.
If you connect the Hi8 to the Dgital cam and record onto that cam (I think you said you could do that), and you said you could see the video on the cam's screen, but can you play it back onto another device, say a tv? It seems as if the passthru is a problem, so maybe that would be something to look at. You said that going that route you still could not capture to pc, but this may give you an idea as to what is then on the tape.

(a shot in the dark, but I think you're about ready to try anything!)

Regards,
Greg

Ormond Williams · Post by **Ormond Williams** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:29 pm

Thanks Greg,
Yes I can record onto the GS11 from the Hi8 and I can see what's on the tape as it records from the Hi8 camera so that's not a problem. The computer just doesn't want to know about the footage from the Hi8 camera as a pass through or when its recorded onto DV tape.

I will connect the GS11 to the TV and see if it will display.

Kliker,
Thanks, I will check those setting, but I pretty sure that those are the settings that I had.

Ormond Williams · Post by **Ormond Williams** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:23 am

I have discovered a company who can put my Hi8 video onto DVD's. I think they might be doing it in DVD Movie format which includes VOB files.

Can VOB files be edited in MSPro8?

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 6:39 am

Yes, .vob can be edited in msp, but they are analogue. If you are thinking of going that route, I would rather purchase an analogue capture device, in the long run will probably be the same cost as getting someone to do the capturing, and at least you retain control, as well as always then having the ability to do analogue capturing.

Still, doesn't help with the original problem, which should work, and, I'm sure, you would like to get it to work, I would persevere that route.

Regards,
Greg

Ormond Williams · Post by **Ormond Williams** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:16 am

Greg,
Thanks for your reply.
It's a difficult problem to solve because I don't have much experience with video, but am learning new things from people on this forum.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:53 am

You could lose quite a bit of quality converting Hi-8 to DVD and then editing. I suggest that you ask them to convert the tapes to DV tapes or to DV format on DVD (limited to about 16 minutes on SD discs); there are many companies that will do this.

Ormond Williams · Post by **Ormond Williams** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:15 am

Devil,
I can get the Hi8 video from the Hi8 camera onto the DV tapes myself, but when I try to capture with MSPro8 or VS9 all hell breaks loose and the capture stops after about a minute and the software freezes and nothing transfers in that time. The video does not appear in the capture window of the software either.
I'm a bit stumped at this stage as I have had conflicting reports as to whether its possible to use a Digital 8 camera to play the Hi8 video tapes and capture it that way. Some say it can be done and other say it won't work. I was searching and had located a company that I could hire a Digital 8 camera, but if it will not work theres not much point in spending money on the hire.

What is your opinion on using a Digital 8 camera in this way?

My last resort will be to try to get the video onto some DVD's using a DVD recorder. I guess that will get me mpegs, which might be acceptable quality. I am unsure if this is possible either.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:44 am

AH! You have hit on one of the Sony scams. When they introduced D8 on the market, their only real selling point, compared to mini-DV, was compatibility with Hi-8 tapes. They covered their backsides by also making mini-DV cams. Comparative tests showed D8 was slightly poorer in quality, even though D8 streams from the cam followed the DV25 standard. Initially, they sold quite a number of D8 cams, but sales dropped in time. Then they realised that the only way they could keep the prices competitive with mini-DV was to drop the Hi-8 compatibility. Today, I think they still market about 4 D8 cams but only their top model will accept Hi-8 tapes, all the others will not work. If you do hire, make sure, beforehand, that it is a model that does accept Hi-8 tapes.

I believe that your hardware has the problem. If you cannot pass through nor accept a stream from a DV tape made from a Hi-8 tape, it would seem that your set-up is not working correctly. It could be the converter in the DV cam or it could be that the analogue signal from your Hi-8 cam has problems, such as a frame rate which is outside the DV tolerances. If I were you, I would try sending one Hi-8 tape to be converted professionally to DV; any decent conversion house would use a time-base corrector and the result should play in your cam. The cost of one trial conversion should not be prohibitive and, if it worked as I anticipate, would offer you a MUCH better choice than the DVD route.

Ormond Williams · Post by **Ormond Williams** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:12 am

Devil,
Thanks for your answer. It will not be easy to find a business in Australia that converts Hi8 to DV, but I will certainly try to find one somewhere!

I think the D8 route seems to be too uncertain!

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:40 am

I have a sony trv 340, and have used it to capture DV from a Hi8 tape without any problems, if that helps any.

Regards,
Greg

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:04 pm

Of course, there is another solution, http://www.streetwise.com.au/product_in ... ts_id=2098

Obviously, the purchase of such a unit would be justified only if the number of tapes is high. I use marvellously the much cheaper ADVC-100 for my VHS-C tapes, some of which are really aged, but the -300 also contains a time-base corrector, should the quality of the tapes be starting to suffer. The -100 has now been replaced by the -110 http://www.streetwise.com.au/product_in ... ts_id=2979

There is even the -55 which is A>D only and is cheaper still, but the D>A feature is extremely useful when editing and if, at any time, you may wish to make a VHS tape from DV.

tyamada · Post by **tyamada** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 5:34 pm

You might consider buying one of these:
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductP ... _Id=144533

Not that expensive and will capture analoge video from your Hi8 Camcorder.

Comes in NTSC and PAL.

tv_news_guy · Post by **tv_news_guy** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:32 pm

Sounds like a capture problem.. before I can help.. I need some more info.
If you use a tape in the GS11 that you shot as dv from the get go.. can you capture long files? If it works for this but not for the tapes you made from analog I would be more suspect of the analog to digital portion of the process. If your comp is having capture problems with dv that was shot as native dv to begin with... we can begin to figure this out.
Also.. if you have the time.. fill in your profile in as much depth as you can.. it really helps in narrowing down any hardware conflicts etc.
Keep on smiling.. SOme one here will have the magic answer once we get enough facts to work with.
Bill tv_news_guy
non-linear editing...half art/half brain disease

Alludo USER to USER Web Board

Hi8 to digital

Hi8 to digital

Hi8 to digital

Hi8 to digital

Hi8 to digital

Hi8 to digital

re: Capture woes after converting analog signal to digital