Hi8 capture using DV analog passthru - No s-vhs on Hi8 but RCA. Look for another camera/player to bo

I have a Sony Video 8 Hi8 camcorder and numerous tapes I'd like to
digitize. The Sony Hi8 has only RCA outputs. I also have a Sony
TRV22 miniDV with analog passthru which I can use to "capture" the
hi8. The first pass doesn't look bad but I now wonder if before I get
started on the grand process whether I would be better off finding a
Digital8 or Hi8 camera which has s-vhs out to borrow for the project.
I'm getting some sense that finding a Digital8 may be the best
solution as it can read hi8 tapes and will produce the best output.
Is this the way to go?

When I am done with those I then have another batch of VHS tapes to
digitize which I assume just a decent deck will do.

Thanks for the help!!!

Steve

 

Steve,

Yes, the Hi8 tapes play in the digital8 camcorders. No need to connect with
cables, and the transfer is via firewire. I still shoot mostly with Hi8 and
borrow a digital8 occasionally for a capture session.

PapaJohn

 

I was considering this approach too, then decided on the Datavideo
DAC 100. $179 from harmony computers.
Not only converts the old Hi8 to DV but seems to enhance
them, some of the Hi8 tapes were ten years old and the colors
were looking gritty.

 

Not all Digital8 model can play analog 8mm/Hi8 tapes.

Each year fewer of the Digital8 models are able to play 8mm/Hi8 tapes.
I think that of this year's models only one (the top of the range?) is
able to do this, so beware if you go down this route.

 

Based on my personal expereince, D-8 camcoder playingback Video-8
tapes yielded poorer DV quality when compared to playing the original
Video-8v camera playing the tape and using Analog passthrough on the
D-8 to generate DV.


V-8 Tape in D-8 Camera -> DV out
worse than
V-8 Tape in V-8 Camera -> Analog passthrough -> D-8 Camera -> DV-out.

 

How odd. My (limited) experience has been just the opposite!