VHS/Hi8 to digital on Mac (via HDMI ‘capture cards’)?
Please help a Mac user wanting to transfer VHS/Hi8 and 8mm tapes to computer. I realise these basic, oft-repeated questions ‘releases the Kraken’ but here goes…
I’ve about 50 tapes I want to transfer to digital. Most are VHS (both NTSC and PAL), a few Hi8 (NTSC) and a few 8mm (PAL). Reasonable quality is the goal not archive grade. (They will not be ‘inherited’.)
I have the following kit: DCR TRV-320 (NTSC), TRV-730E (PAL), Panasonic NV-HS950EG (S-VHS PAL [and NTSC playback?] deck with S-video SCART out, s-video out, composite out), Canopus ADVC-300. Macbook Air and MacMini (and old intel MacMini). This project has been on hold for years, though five years ago I did do a couple of friends’ wedding tapes with the ADVC-300. They were ok-ish.
It seems options might have changed. I have read critical reviews of the ADVC-300. Also, I have seen a number of S-video/composite to HDMI out one-box solutions (ie, conversion ‘upscalers’) on
Amazon. These plus an HDMI ‘capture card’ (aimed at gamers) to USB imply to me that I can indeed drop the ADVC-300, avoid DV and go tape to MPEG.
I am confused as to whether to use DV out or go S-vhs (for sd-vhs tapes) out (to ADVC-300 or to try S-vhs to hdmi box/capture card) whether to try pass through (into what, with what?).
Basically, if you had my kit, what combination will give the best transfer result? (I do have Adobe Premiere but have never used it…). If possible I do not wish to purchase anything more than the s-vhs to hdmi upscaler and hdmi capture card (up to $100 in total on
Amazon).
Thanks for your time reading this!
Steve