Flickering 8mm video?
 

Hello

I have recently transferred videos from my Samsung VP-D10 to my computer with satisfying results.

Now I try to transfer videos from a Sony Handicam Vision Hi8 to my computer, but there is a lot of flickering.
I am using a GV-USB2 capture card and S-Video output. Software used is AmarecTV

You can see it in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrZPAa9W1Do

I have tried different S-Video cables without success.

What could be the issue?

It is probably a problem with the camera. What does it look like in the camera's viewfinder or screen?

Yikes! I'd say that looks like dirty heads to me. Dirty heads tend to have streaking that tends to originate off of high-contrast areas and go to the left. Look at the fluorescent lights in the video as an example of how the streaks like to start there. when you see that extreme horizontal shaking, that's probably the tape partially sticking to the heads.

Your camera is interesting in that it'll even display that picture at all, many prefer to just go to blue screen when the video is that unstable.

Also, what type of tape (brand and tape type) is that? I've heard Sony HMPX tapes in particular were extremely bad. There were certain Hi8 tapes that degraded terribly and liked to clog heads, so I wonder if that is one of those.

See this video for an example of a tape that clogs the machine every few minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qJJyxwxly8

If cleaning the heads doesn't work, it's also possible that the heads are worn out

Also make sure the Sony camcorder is indeed Hi8 and not just Video8 camcorder.

It seems to be the camera and not the capture device or software, because playback on it by itself creates the same crappy image. The tapes are analog Hi8.

I guess I just have to trash it and get a decent one from a reliable seller. Hopefully the takes tested weren't affected negatively.

Whatever camera you buy will be used. They havent been made for many years and new parts are now scarce or unavailable. This is the real issue. We cant just a buy a new one under factory warranty. Even new old stock will not necessarily work as certain key internal component parts deteriorate over time even when stored well.

But as mentioned the mechanism may just need a good clean. A good tech would first fully clean the tape path (manually, not with a cleaning tape) and see what difference that made. You might find a cooperative tech in your area who can competently do this.

In fact it may seem a Hi8 tape play-backed by a regular Video8 camera.

yes, there might be some issue with the software, but before that was the video recorded correctly and right format? If it was not recorded properly then there is no such issue with the system or software.