8mm transfer to digtal video via DV?

[bjk20]

First post here, thanks for reading!

I've got a Sony DCR-TRV120 Digital Handycam that has been in storage for many years. It's in pristine condition and 100% functional. It has an "i.Link" DV connector that appears to be 4-pin. I need to convert a number of 8mm tapes to digital and I need some help/guidance to get it right.

I've got Win10 i7 laptop with a Thunderbolt 3 connector and an older PC desktop also running Win10 for the conversion work.

Doing some research, I've learned that I want to use that DV connector on the Sony Cam, but I am not clear on the best way to connect that to either my laptop or desktop, and what affordable software I can use for light editing when I want to push short clips to the web to share.

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
-bjk

[msgohan]

8mm tape refers to a family of formats that all used the same size carrier: Video8, Hi8, Digital8.

Unless all of your tapes are Digital8, you should seek to capture lossless instead of DV-compressed.

[latreche34]

Capture analog tapes from analog output using vdub, and transfer digital tapes to computer using iLink with ScenalyzerLive, There is a device that can do both even if your computer doesn't have firewire (iLink) port, Pinnacle 500-USB or the same family of other devices, You can even control your camcorder's basic functions from ScenalyzerLive:

[bjk20]

Quote:

Originally Posted by msgohan

8mm tape refers to a family of formats that all used the same size carrier: Video8, Hi8, Digital8.

Unless all of your tapes are Digital8, you should seek to capture lossless instead of DV-compressed.

Thanks msgohan!
I will need to look at what formats I have. But, since the camera outputs DV via 4-pin Firewire, wouldn't I want to use the A/D converter in the camera?

[bjk20]

Quote:

Originally Posted by latreche34

Capture analog tapes from analog output using vdub, and transfer digital tapes to computer using iLink with ScenalyzerLive, There is a device that can do both even if your computer doesn't have firewire (iLink) port, Pinnacle 500-USB or the same family of other devices, You can even control your camcorder's basic functions from ScenalyzerLive:

latreche34:
Is ScenalyzerLive limited to WinXP? I need to look into vdub software. Also need to look into Pinnacle devices. Do I need to have a cable that accepts 4 pin to 9 pin, or can I go from 4 pin to TB3?

[msgohan]

I've used ScenalyzerLive on Win7 64-bit to both capture DV from camcorder and export it from hard drive to camcorder. Haven't tried it with Win10 personally, but I believe others have had success. The trouble with Win10 is that updates randomly break things that were previously working, so you can't take a post that "it worked for me!" as gospel that your current version will work.

What is your laptop model #? The Pinnacle devices output USB 2.0.

[dpalomaki]

Quote:

... wouldn't I want to use the A/D converter in the camera?

It would depend on your overall objective and the gear you have, and how much you want to invest in the process; time, learning curve, and additional equipment and software.

Converting analog Video8/Hi8 to a DV stream is sub-optimal if you intend to do restoration of the video. You will get better end results using one of the recommended capture cards and workflows detailed in other threads here and saving to a lossless format. (DV is a lossy format.)

However, the in-camera A/D to DV via firewire may give better results than using a crapola capture card, and it migth be adequate for your end purposes if image restoration and other processing beyond conversion to distribution format (e.g., DVD, MP4, or filesharing upload) are not planned.

[lordsmurf]

The conversion of "to DV, or not to DV" change based on NTSC vs. PAL.

NTSC DV compresses/crushes color quality down to 25% of original, using 4:1:1 colorspace. You noticeably lose lots of color, even when viewed in a tiny preview window. But when the video is played on your standard HDTV, it's extremely obvious.

PAL DV uses 4:2:0, essentially the same as DVD, using alternative halving of the color. The results are much better, and what you're used to seeing on DVD, BD, TV, etc.

DV was a compromise in quality, made for computers in the 1990s. DV is literally technology from the Pentium II era (with minimum specs on a Pentium II). It smashed video into tiny (then-huge) 13gb/hour files.

Lossless was what we had in the 2000s until now, and gives full 4:2:2 color use, and that can be retain into 4:2:2 H.264 (MP4/MKV) or MPEG (non-DVD/BD).

Using DV compression is like using a rotary phone or butter churn, in technological timeline terms.

[latreche34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjk20

Is ScenalyzerLive limited to WinXP? I need to look into vdub software. Also need to look into Pinnacle devices. Do I need to have a cable that accepts 4 pin to 9 pin, or can I go from 4 pin to TB3?

Yes ScenalyzerLive works perfectly with Win10, I even tried my 500-USB with Vdub using S-Video out and I was able to capture analog video, you will need the crossbar thingy to switch over to S-Video, Vdub is not sophisticated to have such controls.

There are 4pin to 6pin firewire cables, no adapters needed, I noticed that firewire cables supply is drying up, last time I needed an angle 4 pin to 4 pin cable but was nowhere near to be found, I had to custom order it for $18 from a company I found online.

[Fadel Matrook]

u need to buy dv IEEE card for your pc capture by your digital8 camera after that you need software to capture and edit and porn to dvd.

connect the dv cable from your pc(desktop computer)and camera(do not connect it when the camera is on it will burn or the camera have issue).

[latreche34]

Porn to DVD? Yeah my friend use to do that a lot, he saved tons of pirated online porn to DVD, Pervert!

[dpalomaki]

Quote:

...pirated online porn to DVD...

Off topic: And other stuff. In the 1990s motels often offered pay-to-view stuff in addition to the regular TV fare that amounted to 30 or so "free" channels. Turns out the pay-to-view was distributed on higher number channels that the room TV's tuner could not normally reach except on a pay-for basis. But a VCR set to cable RF input could if inserted between the wall outlet and the TV. One could surf the higher numbered channels and see what others were paying to watch at the time - mostly adult entertainment but an occasional good movie.

[bjk20]

Coming back here to provide an update.

I purchased a FireWire adapter for my Win10 desktop and got a 4 to 6 pin FireWire cable. I connected to the camcorder's DV port and got results on the first try.

I first used VLC. I was a PIA, I was able to capture, but I questioned the quality. Tried Premiere and couldn't connect at all. Tried VideoStudio and it worked on first try! Plus the user interface is orders of magnitude better than VLC.
So now I may run with VideoStudio, but I am working on learning the settings to get the best results. Any advice on this would be appreciated.

Thanks for the ongoing support!

[latreche34]

What kind of adapter you bought? I would recommend ScenalyzerLive over anything else even if you choose to pass-through analog tapes over DV if you are using a PC platform. I never dealt with Mac and I never will.

[Eric-Jan]

@bjk20: the intra frame compression through (Firewire) DV will not hurt your Video8 material, if your tv systen is NTSC, your black levels will be off, you can correct this in post, adjusting contrast, color and brightness,(there's enough room for that in the color range that is left) DV is made for eas of use for transfer, and to have a better go with editing like the ProRes format for professionals, if DV/Firewire works for you, and gives a rock-steady picture, go for it, i recently tried this with a Firewire dongle on my MAC, but my system does not like it, l wanted to do this for a better workflow, but i have other options that will do better.... is my luck....

btw. check which resolution VideoStudio uses for your files, this should be near 720x480/486 for NTSC, or 720x576 for PAL, i = interlaced p=progressive

[latreche34]

With half of the chroma is lost in DV compression 4:1:1 it is not recommended for NTSC and it is not recommend period if lossless capture is the main goal.

[bjk20]

Quote:

Originally Posted by latreche34

What kind of adapter you bought? I would recommend ScenalyzerLive over anything else even if you choose to pass-through analog tapes over DV if you are using a PC platform. I never dealt with Mac and I never will.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006B8EQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Worked perfectly on first try!

[ehbowen]

I would recommend analog over DV transfers...IF you have the right equipment (i.e., a full-frame TBC plus a VCR/camcorder with line TBC plus one of the recommended capture cards). But while you will lose color information with the digital transfer, I could see using it if the only other alternative at the moment is a crappy analog capture.

That said, if I am going to capture transfer (nod to @sanlyn) digital either because analog is not a good option or is not an option at all (i.e., MiniDV tapes...digital from the start), I do agree that VideoStudio's capture transfer interface is head and shoulders above the other alternatives I have tried, especially on current (i.e., Windows 10) operating systems.

[latreche34]

I tried many many software for transferring DV signal and so far ScenelyzerLive is the best in terms of keeping the stream in its native state, WinDV is a second choice (buggy at times), NLE software such as premiere and the likes capture based on the project settings and you could end up with an AVI file that can't be played on other DV devices, Had to re transfer 10 tapes by using the wrong software for the job. Anyway you will change your mind when you get to tapes with dropouts, then you would know how bad NLE software is.

[MikeS]

SO, it seems that the 500-USB isn't available new anymore... except maybe germany.... As I want the files on teh computer to be AVI, suggestion on what other middle device to use?

cheers!