RE: Hi8 to DVD
 

I have some Hi8 type camcorder tape (Sony Camcorder) of first flight plus build that I would like to convert to DVD. Net gives me alternatives in how to get this done ....... but

Anyone out there accomplished this and can pass along some real world solutions......

Been there done that
 

I have done this in two ways. First way, I bought a DVD recorder that has an S-video input. I just play the video while the DVD is in record mode. Second method is to use a PC computer with S-video input card. The software is the "Click to DVD" that sony has. There is other software out there. This was several years ago. The trick today is finding the S-video input to either the DVD recorder or the computer. But most computers still have the standard video input jacks. I would be curious what others say. Maybe someone nows how to do it with a Mac?Good Luck

RE: Details
 

The devil is always in the details. I have a Lenovo Lap Top running 7. It has a fire wire port, 3 USB ports, and a female serial port..... no S-video????

I may have to send them off to a company that does this sort of thing, but if I can do it in house I would much prefer that as to losing them in the mail.

Hi8
 

Frank:

Can you go from the camera to the laptop via the firewire? After you've downloaded the tape to the hard drive, then you can burn a dvd.

Player to DVD...
 

I assume you still have an Hi8 playback device?

Roxio makes an easy VHS to DVD hardware/software pack

Uses USB port and you can use composite video out or S-video (what ever is on your player).

Quality is OK.

About $60. I used this on my laptop to digitize VHS tapes.

Check here:

http://www.roxio.com/enu/products/ea.../overview.html


Dkb

I had the same requirement except my Hi8 tapes were recorded in the UK PAL format and I now live in the states.

Managed to buy an old PAL camcorder on eBay for $40 and using my Hauppauge WINTV card in the computer, accept the PAL signal and save it to disk as the US standard NTSC.

The software with the Hauppage card is basic but does the job of converting between the 2 different formats.

Use VideoRedo TVSuite for any editing work.

Only 30 more hours of tape to go :)

Same here. Roxio for PC and Final Cut for Mac.
 

As others have also said, if you can play the film in your Hi 8 camera, it then depends on which output connectors are on the camera or other playing device. I have done mine using fire wire from camera to PC, and then use a DVD editing/burning program to convert to DVD format and burn the disk. I am also a long time user of Roxio products. On a Mac, it depends on the same things - it's all about the connectors. Use their Final Cut software to convert the HI 8 film to digital file on the Mac, you can then create a DVD.

So really it depends on how savvy or willing you are to take the time to learn the video editing software. If yo don't want to take the time for that, then take it to a good camera store that provides conversion services.