Playing back analog Hi8 tapes on a Sony/converting analog Hi8 tapesto digital for digital output

I did a lot of research on the net about 3/4 years looking for a
digital camcorder which would both play my old analog video tapes
(recorded on a Samsung camcorder) and also convert them to digital
info to be inputted to my laptop (in my case a Mac Powerbook using
iMovie, tho it could well have been a Windows XP PC using Moviemaker).
My 'research' also included asking my local Sony store (which aren't,
in fact, owned or run by Sony) which Sony digital 8 camcorders would
do that task.

I was told that only the TRGV460E and the TRV480E models (plus a third
model whose number I can't recall) would do what I wanted - they were
billed as being "backwards compatible" - and I bought a TRV460E. It is
fine, although it has recently been playing up.

Because of that I decided to scout around (on eBay and the net
generally) for another PAL (I live in the UK) TRV460E or,
alternatively, a TRV480E. Scouting around also included looking
through various Google groups and I was astonished to find that -
appatently - a whole range of Sony camcorders, including (this from
the rec.video.desktop newsgroup) these models. DCR-TRV240, DCR-TRV340,
DCR-TRV740, DCR-TRV840, DCR-TRV320, DCR-TRV520, DCR-TRV720, DCR-
TRV820, DCR-TRV350, DCR-TRV360.

Apparently they all have a "signal convert function" which does
exactly what I want: play my old analop tapes and input them digitally
into a computer. So the range I might have chosen from is a lot bigger
than I realised.

But have I misunderstood something? Can anyone set me straight? Once
again: all I need is a digital camcorder with Firewire (i.e. iLink)
which will play ANALOG Hi8 tapes and let me input them into iMovie/
Moviemaker for editing. Your views and advice are very welcome as I am
looking to replace my TRV460E but I want to be damn sure I don't get
something I don't want or need. Thanks.

 

Think you're going about this the wrong way... rather than buy a camera to play your tapes... if you got the means already to play them, then just get a video card or device for you computer that will allow you to bring in analog video directly. Can't reccoemnd one becuase that depend on the computer, software, and hardware you got. I've seen cheap firewire solutions that have a samll box with RCA input/outputs... all the way to top of the line Blackmagic/ AJA KONA cards.