Super video films on reels - how to convert to mpeg?
 

Hi Does anyone remember how to convert those reels I think were used before vhs was invented. THe ones you needed a projecotr screen or a white wall to see? Can anyone suggest a method without losing any quality?

Ta

8mm or Super 8 :lol:
You need to project those into a small screen, designed for this purpose, and then record with a digital camera. Then do a conversion to your prefered format.

-kwag

Hi gents:

Sometime ago I remember seeing a crude way to do this via a tool shaped as a cube. On one side you would project your movies, and then on one of the other sides of the cube you would place your camcorder and tape the film.
My question, is anyone familiar with such tools?

Thanks Totonho03

I have one of those, there's two openings, one of which might have a lens (it's buried under a pile of junk right now so I can't check). The projector points into one end and the video camera into the other, and a mirror or two reflects the projected image at the camera lens.

I was able to get a fairly bright image several years ago using an analogue video camera, but there was a lot of annoying flicker (probably due to the projector running at 24fps while the camera ran at 60). I have another set of old home movies converted to VHS that were done professionally, and I suspect the projector they used was modified to run at 30fps since there's no flicker but people seem to move a little faster than normal.

If I'm able to convince my cousin that he should put his films onto DVD I'll borrow his projector and try it again with a digital camera. I'll try to get the camera and projector to run at the same speed (or at least get one to be a multiple of the other), and if I can't I think there's an antiflicker filter for Virtualdub and/or Avisynth...

Thank you BobNet:

I will be great if you would post your results, if you are able to convince your cousin and/or find your tool cube. I have read somewhere in the net the same fps isue that you are talking about, and am sure that there is a solution for it, other than to change the frame rate of the camcorder or projector (As you suggested, perhaps virtual dub or avysinth...). It may be just a matter of findng it..................

Regards

Otto

P.S.- If I am ot mistaken, I saw this cube in an airlines magazine, as I was travelling somewhere sometime ago

Look on Ebay for "video transfer". Several inexpensive film to camera units are for sale. If you can't use Ebay, at least you can see what's available.

Okay, it might not be for a few months but I'll be sure to report back here when I get it done.

Antiflicker Filter for VirtualDub by Donald Graft. I haven't tried it but it should be possible to use LoadVirtualDubPlugin in avisynth...

EDIT: I should have looked at this first: http://www.avisynth.org/~warpenterprises/, there's a version for Avisynth 2.5... 8-)

Hi Guys.

Some articles about 8mm and Super8 video transfer:

http://www.bealecorner.com/trv900/filmtrans.html

http://www.brienposey.com/kb/film_to_dvd.asp

LaBomba

its called AMBICO you'll find heaps of stuff super 8 in there

Here's a great 8mm film site :)
http://www.filmshooting.com/

-kwag

Hello all:

Thanks labomba and Bobnet. The articles you sent are adressing the flicker issues when transefering 8mm to video. Great sites.

@ nicksteel and WOWIEGURL: Ambico is one of the products being sold at e-bay. They are sold for less than 50 dollars. I also saw a unit made by Argus, that appear to be good as well. I was not able to find the AMBICO store in the net. Will keep on trying to locate them.

Maestro kwag: That site is great. The equipment that they are selling for film to dvd transfer appears to be very good, and it corrects the flickering issue. But it is somewhat exspensive.............about 1000 dolores :cry: (mispelled on purpose)

Thank you all for the great advise

Totonho03