Converting Hi8 to MP4 or DVD?

[wadtaylor]

I am new to your forum.

Need help converting Hi8 to DVD or MP4.
Where do I start?
Thanks

[lordsmurf]

Welcome.

Well, let's start here:
- What gear do you currently have?
- Are you willing/able to upgrade gear if needed?

[wadtaylor]

I have a Sony CCD-TRV36 and a Sony CCD-TRV65.

I have a PC with 3 Terabytes of storage and a EasyCAP.

I have no plans to upgrade and a limited budget.

I noticed when I tried to create MP4s all the colors were dull.
The colors were bright on the Sony LCD, but dull on my monitor and the files created.

I would like to convert 20 or 30 cassettes.

Thanks

[lordsmurf]

Easycap is the problem. It earned the nickname "Easycrap". That thing literally costs less than $1 to make in a Chinese sweat shop, and uses reverse engineered parts. Imagine the cheapest thing that you'd never want, and the Easycap is that for video.

Lack of frame TBC will be a problem with Hi8. You need something. There are some narrow choices for low budgets, and we discuss that more.

The dull colors are vastly caused by the Easycap, but were you also converting directly to "MP4" (likely H.264 in the MP4 wrapper). If so, that explains it as well.

What capture software were you using? Odds are it incurred more damage, and not just to color.

Sony CCD-TRV65 should be excellent, has line TBC, assuming good condition.
The TRV36 is not, do not use.

For DIY, remember: buy it, use it, resell it, it holds value. Whatever you spend doesn't have to be lost funds (unless you stick it in your closet), and in the end is essentially a rental.

[dpalomaki]

A few additional questions that can drive suggestions and in any case you should consider as you go forward into the project. Knowing the answers up front can help avoid false starts and blind alleys:
- Do you intend to do any editing, now or in the future?
- Do you want to archive the video for possible future use by others?
- Do you intend to do any editing, "sweetening" or restoration of the video; e.g., color correction, noise reduction, etc?
- What is the ultimate distribution planned, DVD and/or Blu-ray, MP4 for download or thumb drive, distribution, streaming services such as youtube, etc?
- Who will the ultimate consumer be; family and friends, or general public?
- Do you have any target completion date(s)?
- How much time and energy are you willing to devote to the project including learning curve?
- Is the PC WIN 7, 8, 10, 11, MAC, etc?
- How is the 3 TB of storage configured: SSD, C & D drive, etc?
- Limited budget means different things to different people; and can involve both one time sunk costs (money gone forever) and short term costs that can be recovered (e.g., resell gear you bought). What are your thresholds of real pain?
- How do the tapes look when played directly to a TV?

30 Hi8 tapes represent potentially about 60 hours of video give or take, assuming SP speed and use of 120 tapes.