Video 8 tape transfer to DVD

[Wonky]

My wife wants to transfer all our old video 8 camcorder tapes to DVD, something I want to also do.

However, first problem we ran into is that our old Sony CCD-F555E camcorder seems to have died. The tape mechanism seems to have frozen or something. It has power to it, either AC or battery, but won't play tapes in VCR mode (play, FF or rewind buttons all do nothing) or record in camera mode. Is my best bet to try to just pick up a working video 8 camcorder on eBay or something? :confused:

I bought an EasyCap set up to transfer the content of the tapes from the camera through USB to my computer and was happy enough to see what the quality was like, but now I've started the thread I may as well also ask what people experienced in this area would recommend as the best way to do the process please?

I know there are places you can send tapes to and have them put on DVD for you, but a) we'd prefer to do it ourselves and b) there are some extremely precious memories on these tapes so even if I did end up doing that I would want a copy before I handed them over, especially if posting was involved.

Cheers,
Gary

[VH-COM]

Done quite a few for self and friends .... your wife is wise to do it now.
The longer you leave tape the more trouble you have, I have even seen ants get into tape cassettes.

If you use an up-spec computer for capturing you should have no dramas.
When capturing .... remove internet assess and goto task manager and shutdown all unwanted programs and processes (including anti virus)
If you do this there should be no dropped frames which gives you audio-lag towards the end of the capture.
Software : been a while since I have done one ...used to use Ulead capture and conversion software mostly.

[Wonky]

Thanks for that. :)

[whitels1ss]

I just bought one of those things off evil-bay this week to do my old VHS tapes, still waiting for it to arrive.

[Wonky]

I'll tell you how well it works once I have a working camera. :)

[whitels1ss]

I'll tell you how well it works once I have a working camera. :)
I am hoping mine will arrive in the post tomorrow, ordered it last Sunday, only coming from Sydney.

[Smitty]

cupla years ago ...for Fathers Day my missus bought me a Sony video tape to DVD transfer...thingamejig like this -
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Genuine-Sony-VRD-MC6-External-DVDirect-DVD-Recorder-DV-Camcorder-Camera-tape-/230836042802?pt=AU_DVDRecorders&hash=item35bee67c32

works a treat, plug in camera insert DVD and then hit copy button (my camera is needed ..it works once I charge the battery)

maybe grab an old camera off evilbay like this....

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Sony-Video-Camera-Recorder-8-CCD-V50E-handycam-/330780160867?pt=AU_Video_Cameras&hash=item4d0408b363

if you want to copy them straight off the camera to the PC..best program I have found is - PINNACLE STUDIO ( ihave Version 12 but the latest is Ver14 I believe)
its CAPTURE Facilty is a doddle and resolution stays pretty good given you are going from Analogue to digital...

oh and plus its cheap at estore... http://www.estore.com.au/Pinnacle_Studio_14_HD_PIN0210.aspx#.UDGHHZGXnys

[Wonky]

Thanks Smitty! I did see that videocam on eBay when I was searching last night but it says local pickup only. :( However, I will contact the seller and see if he's prepared to post it if none of my friends has a video 8 camera to loan me for a while.

Like you I also have Pinnacle Studio 12 (Ultimate) which has some very fancy stuff in it, plus recently got Ver 14 which I haven't installed yet.

[Smitty]

Thanks Smitty! I did see that videocam on eBay when I was searching last night but it says local pickup only. :( However, I will contact the seller and see if he's prepared to post it if none of my friends has a video 8 camera to loan me for a while.

Like you I also have Pinnacle Studio 12 (Ultimate) which has some very fancy stuff in it, plus recently got Ver 14 which I haven't installed yet.

no probs...
if you really get stuck I can dig out my camera (its in the roof storage) and see if it still works... if so, you can borrow it if you want to come
and collect it ( I am in bayside)

[whitels1ss]

I am hoping mine will arrive in the post tomorrow, ordered it last Sunday, only coming from Sydney.
Got mine today, works a treat:goodjob:

[Clubby 156]

What is the best way to transfer tv shows/VHS that have been recorded on dvd onto your computer?
Thanks

[Wonky]

Update: turns out the EasyCap USB I bought to do the transfer from video 8 to PC (i.e. analogue/digital conversion) doesn't work on Vista/Win 7. A few people have got it to work apparently but I've downloaded the drivers they linked to and still no success. :mad: My daughter has brought around my wife's old school laptop she bought from the Education Ministry to double check on as it still runs XP, but even if I prove that works it will be far too slow to do a successful conversion for such important tapes.

However, further investigation has found two Pinnacle products which will apparently do the trick and work on Win 7, even 64 bit like I have. I don't mind Pinnacle products as have been using their Pinnacle Studio 12 Ultimate as my video editor for a while now and like it, especially all the extras in the Ultimate version. :goodjob:

The first is Dazzle (see http://www.estore.com.au/Pinnacle_Dazzle_DVD_Recorder_Plus_PIN0212.aspx# $44 on special) and the second is Moviebox which is more expensive but more powerful. Given the importance of these old tapes to me I'll probably bite the bullet and go the Moviebox route.

[Wonky]

What is the best way to transfer tv shows/VHS that have been recorded on dvd onto your computer?
Thanks

If they're already on DVD can't you just copy them to pc, or are they in a strange format? :confused:

[VH-COM]

What is the best way to transfer tv shows/VHS that have been recorded on dvd onto your computer?
Thanks
If it is from a DVD/hard drive recorder there is a chance that it recorded in MPEG2 format and you can just copy and paste.

If there are 2 folders on the DVD called

AUDIO_TS
VIDEO_TS

then you will need a DVD Ripper.

This one is Freeware ,although I have not tried it .
If it doesn't do the job search for DVD ripper.

http://www.brothersoft.com/full-dvd-ripper-free-440781.html

[Clubby 156]

I will try using the dvd ripper, the dvd recorder is about 4-5 years old, I have tried putting on computer before, but cant use the format they are recorded in. I will have another try and check what format it is.

[macca_779]

I will try using the dvd ripper, the dvd recorder is about 4-5 years old, I have tried putting on computer before, but cant use the format they are recorded in. I will have another try and check what format it is.

Freemake is what I use. Works really well for any video type. Google it


Sent from my iPad 2 using Tapatalk HD

[chevypower]

DVD is good for distribution and playback but hopeless for archival. (Overly compressed and vulnerable to damage). I recommend getting a Digital-8 camcorder or VCR and using firewire for capture with a direct-to-DV codec conversion (same codec as DVCAM and MiniDV). These cameras have a built-in TBC and DNR, and it is the best method I have used for transfer. DV codec can be encoded into a DV, MOV, AVI, or MXF file format, depending on the software (but they are all the same quality). Once you have captured your videos, you can sell the Digital 8 hardware for the same price you bought it for. Seriously, forget DVD!

[Wonky]

DVD is good for distribution and playback but hopeless for archival. (Overly compressed and vulnerable to damage). I recommend getting a Digital-8 camcorder or VCR and using firewire for capture with a direct-to-DV codec conversion (same codec as DVCAM and MiniDV). These cameras have a built-in TBC and DNR, and it is the best method I have used for transfer. DV codec can be encoded into a DV, MOV, AVI, or MXF file format, depending on the software (but they are all the same quality). Once you have captured your videos, you can sell the Digital 8 hardware for the same price you bought it for. Seriously, forget DVD!

Thanks for that info - gives me another alternative to consider :goodjob: and given what I've read of problems with TBC with other methods that may indeed be the best method.

I was aiming to only use DVD for storage in lossless format once I'd converted and edited the files i.e. save in whatever format gives me best quality and then back up as data onto DVD. Or through my inexperience am I thinking about this all wrong? Once you'd converted as above how would you store the files? Every electronic format has its problems eg hard drives can crash, memory cards can fail etc..

Do all digital 8 camcorders have built-in TBC and DNR and are they all the same quality, or do they get better quality typically as you go for higher specced cameras? Two I've found for sale so far are both Sony, one is a DCR-TRV45E and the other is a DCR-TRV120E. Do you know anything about them? The DCR-TRV120E can apparently take input from a VHS video player and either record to digital tape or pass through the firewire port straight to PC in digitised format. I suspect the other can probably do that too but I need to investigate further.

[chevypower]

As far as I know, all Sony D8s have TBC and DNR with analog playback through DV. But best Google specific models to make sure. I do not believe they all have Analog-DV passthrough, but I think most do. it's a nice feature to have to capture your VHS tapes. As long as the camera has TBC and DNR (and they are switched on in the menu), there is no other advantage in playback with a higher-spec camera in terms of the quality of playback/capture.

[Wonky]

Thanks chevypower! :thumbsup:

[Wonky]

Have just bit the bullet and bought a Sony digital 8 camcorder which will also play standard video 8 and Hi 8 tapes. It can then output them in digital format via a built-in analogue/digital converter and Firewire connection. When I'm finished I'll just sell it on again to someone else who wants to do the same thing for (hopefully) little or no loss. Or I'll make my fortune charging people $5 - $10 per tape (+ DVD) to do it for their tapes. :lol:

[Wonky]

'New' used Sony DCR-TRV230E camera arrived today so put a tape in, plugged cable from new Firewire card I installed a day or two ago into the camera and card, fired up Pinnacle Studio and started capturing!! Easy as that! Nothing else needed and quality is spot on compared to original (may be even better - will check later). :woohoo: Was afraid I'd have to install/reinstall drivers and muck around, but no such problem.

[VH-COM]

'New' used Sony DCR-TRV230E camera arrived today so put a tape in, plugged cable from new Firewire card I installed a day or two ago into the camera and card, fired up Pinnacle Studio and started capturing!! Easy as that! Nothing else needed and quality is spot on compared to original (may be even better - will check later). :woohoo: Was afraid I'd have to install/reinstall drivers and muck around, but no such problem.

I would check the end of a lengthy capture for audio lag .... was a curse for me - although it was less sophisticated tech at the time.

[Smitty]

'New' used Sony DCR-TRV230E camera arrived today so put a tape in, plugged cable from new Firewire card I installed a day or two ago into the camera and card, fired up Pinnacle Studio and started capturing!! Easy as that! Nothing else needed and quality is spot on compared to original (may be even better - will check later). :woohoo: Was afraid I'd have to install/reinstall drivers and muck around, but no such problem.


good stuff mate...thats basically what I do with my Sony
plus the Pinnacle product is an easy peasy thing to use for editing (cutting, moving scenes etc) as well as the capture
the quality is good using Firewire....

[Wonky]

I would check the end of a lengthy capture for audio lag .... was a curse for me - although it was less sophisticated tech at the time.

No problems so far but most of my captures will be fairly short as most of them are my daughters riding at equestrian one day events, so I'm deliberately splitting into dressage, cross country and showjumping for easier collating later. According to Pinnacle Studio no frames are being dropped.

[VH-COM]

No problems so far but most of my captures will be fairly short as most of them are my daughters riding at equestrian one day events, so I'm deliberately splitting into dressage, cross country and showjumping for easier collating later. According to Pinnacle Studio no frames are being dropped.

Sounds like you have it sorted .... Wonky Video Productions is in business !!! :goodjob:

[Wonky]

:lol: Getting there. Still trying to figure out the best format to save in to have the least losses. I'm not worried about the amount of space it takes as if required I'll just get more DVDs to transfer to. My main aim at the moment is for minimum compression so that in the future as technology improves the bulk of the original data is still there after I've edited out the crap.

Also have to work out how to write it to DVD with menus so you can just go straight to a particular clip (I assume that's possible). Google here I come. :D

[Scud]

Wonky, I have a draw full of Sony Hi8 tapes that I want to backup and the camera is long gone. I'd be keen to either buy or borrow this camera off you once you are done.

[Scud]

Hmm, if this is the one recently sold on ebay, then maybe I could "hire it" for the weekend :)
I've been meaning to do this for the last few years and had intended to buy a compatible model from NZ as they seem to sell over there anywhere from $100 - $300. That's Kiwi $$s so 20% less.
Your efforts have fired me up to do something once and for all before the tapes pas their use by date.

[VH-COM]

Also have to work out how to write it to DVD with menus so you can just go straight to a particular clip (I assume that's possible). Google here I come. :D

Does Pinnacle Studio not have all that DVD creator software too?
I used Roxio Easy Media Creator as it had most creation tools I wanted.

A good one also - and is great for menu building is - MediaChance DVD-lab PRO .

[Smitty]

:.............

Also have to work out how to write it to DVD with menus so you can just go straight to a particular clip (I assume that's possible). Google here I come. :D

Wonky

write it out to DVD ..with chapters
Pinnacle allows that and YOU set where the chapters are
so later you can go straight to a chapter (aka a clip or scene) :)

[Wonky]

Ah, OK. Thanks Smitty. I've only used Pinnacle for basic editing and titling so far and have never created a DVD.

Unfortunately I'm going to have to return the camera I bought because I started noticing a problem with it putting a greenish tinge down the right hand edge of some sections of film and occasionally fluorescing/flaring quite badly when particular bright colours were on that edge. Once I noticed it then became increasingly frustrating seeing it happen again and again.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o274/gcovo/Misc/DV_conversion_1.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o274/gcovo/Misc/DV_conversion_3.jpg

That's a Hawthorn footy jumper - gold and brown but the gold has caused flaring on the brown. The seller I bought it from seems to specialise in such cameras and has over 1750 feedbacks with a 100% perfect record, so I can't see him refusing to take it back and refund my money. It's definitely the camera because I played the tape direct to a TV and the green tinge was still there, then played it on a borrowed Sanyo camera :) and all was good.

[chevypower]

Actually Wonky, this is not unusual. The problem with analog media is it was made for TV and not for computers. TVs were not designed to show 100% of the picture (remember the vertical hold, which had about 50x720 pixels of black if you scrolled up?) Also, that is why NLE software has "title safe guides" to remind the editor to allow enough space for a TV crop. Anyway, you will see stuff on the edges on your computer that were not visible when you saw it on TV. Analog vids don't have the sharp edges in the signal that digital does. I have captured video that looks similar to yours. Dressage videos too! :)

[wags59]

Hi

I myself transfer straight to dvd via a Dvd recorder ( using top Bitrate setting 1Hr per dvd) and then transfer to the Computer.

I then edit the video using TMpeg Dvd authour which allows you to do Bluray or Dvd with Full menus and chapter selection ect
and if needed demux the Audio and use Goldwave to fix Audio problems.

Also I read in the post you should forget Dvd well not true as I have had Hard Drives Ect Died on me and lost a lot more than just a few precious videos.
so I have Dvd ( now on Archival quailty Dvds - Tyo Yaidens and Hdd backups also)
W59

[chevypower]

Also I read in the post you should forget Dvd well not true as I have had Hard Drives Ect Died on me and lost a lot more than just a few precious videos.
so I have Dvd ( now on Archival quailty Dvds - Tyo Yaidens and Hdd backups also)
W59
That's why you back it up on more than one hard drive. DVD-video (the format which can play in any DVD player) is too compressed for accurate editing, it's not a good format for archival. If you choose to ignore my suggestion, that is up to you. If you use a broadcast-quality DV, AVI, MOV, or MXF file and back that up on a DVD, that's another story (still back it up on more than one). However, you won't fit much video in that format on a DVD. About 30 minutes if you use the DV codec.