Getting Hi-8 into my computer for editing

January 24, 2006

Anyone know how I can take my friends Hi-8 footage and get it into my computer for editing (FCP)? I don't have a hi-8 camera just a a mini-DV Cam.

I'm sure there is a place that can do some kind of conversion for me here in LA. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

David Mullen ASC · January 25, 2006

Hi-8 is an analog tape format so you'd just have to run the signal out of the camera (as deck) through an A/D converter box, and then into your computer. You can read about a Canopus product that does that here:

http://www.simplydv.co.uk/Reviews/canopus_advc55.html

My DSR-11 DVCAM deck would also act as an A/D converter I guess.

Brian Wells · January 25, 2006

David - Never knew you had a DSR-11 deck! Those are nice bits of kit! Adding to your excellent suggestion...

I seem to recall that Sony's Digital8 camcorders have a built-in A/D converter in them so you can play Hi-8 tapes in the camera and output through the Firewire port in the same manner as if it was a digital tape. This kind of camera could probably be found on (I know, I know...) eBay for a little over a hundred dollars.

Hope this helps.

January 28, 2006

My friends running it into a mini-dv cam. Problem solved. Thanks. :)

Jack Kelly · January 28, 2006

My friends running it into a mini-dv cam. Problem solved. Thanks. :)

Yeah, that's probably your best bet.

Good luck.

Thanks,

Jack

Robert Hughes · January 28, 2006

The Sony Digital 8 cameras will play back Hi 8 tapes; you can use the IEEE488 output to send directly to your NLE.

Phil Rhodes · January 28, 2006

Hi,

> IEEE488

I'm sure it's just a slip of the fingers, but I'm pretty sure you mean IEEE1394. 488 is Hewlett Packard's "Standard Digital Interface for Programmable Instrumentation", a format for connecting test equipment, and has a maximum data transfer rate of about a megabyte a second so you couldn't fit 25-megabit DV down it even if you had sufficient time on your hands to try.

Phil

Robert Hughes · January 28, 2006

Uh, yeah, that's the one :unsure:

Maybe use a MIDI connector? It's bigger around, so should handle more data, right?

Jamie Metzger · January 28, 2006

Uh, yeah, that's the one :unsure:

Maybe use a MIDI connector? It's bigger around, so should handle more data, right?

^^ what? That's crazy. Use MIDI for MIDI, and firewire for transfering huge data.

Alessandro Machi · June 4, 2006

When transferring HI-8 using a digital-8 camcorder check the menu to see if the Time Base Stabilizer is on. (It's mistakenly called a TBC, time base corrector but it's actually a TBS, time base stabilizer).

Also keep in mind that in the early 90's Sony and JVC engaged in format wars and Sony kind of sort of cheated by cramming IRE levels from zero IRE to 125 IRE into their Hi-8 video cameras even though their HI-8 tape couldn't handle the dynamic range.

If your require best quality from your footage, you may get a slightly better result using an actual analog set-up such as a Panasonic MX-50 with built in clip and set-up adjustent capabilities as this would allow you to "massage" the levels back to a reasonable 7.5 IRE to 100 IRE. You would actually route the signal via the S-Video connector through an MX-50 and if done correctly, one may actually be able to bring up more facial tones in shots in which the autoexposure and the gamma of the camera was excessively darkened because of a bright window in the background. Output the MX-50 signal route the signal into an S-Video input (and also use the separate audio connectors via the three ring pin connector for your audio) onto your digital input device.

I actually have an MX-50 analog set-up and I think it produces great results but I have actually switched to direct firewire output from the digital-8 camcorder to the firewire input of my DVD burner. It looks pretty darn good but if you find your footage has areas that just look slightly too dark you may find that the analog option can "save" facial features from ultra contrast.