Convert Hi8 tapes recorder in mono sound?
 

I have about 14 of them and would like to convert them to digital. My question is I recorded all of the tapes on a Sony CCD-TRV308 which had only mono audio. If I were to buy another Sony camcorder that outputs stereo sound would everything work fine and would it convert the mono to stereo or at least put it to left and right channels? Or would problems arise and would I need a Y-adaptor to split the mono audio into two? And final question, is there a big difference between a Hi8-XR camcorder and just a regular one, would regular tapes work on it and would it improve the image? Even though the TRV308 is from the early 2000s and I'm looking to buy a late 90s sony camcorder maybe with XR (a CCD-TRV615, CCD-TRV87, CCD-TRV85, CCD-TRV82, CCD-TRV72, CCD-TRV67, CCD-TRV66, CCD-TRV65) are they better or is newer better and should I just by my original 308?

Thanks.

Even "stereo" Hi8 recording were really just mono quality, single mic in same spot.

If the camera outputs a single RCA audio, just do Y-split. Those cost just a couple dollars on eBay and Amazon.

I'll leave the Hi8-XR question to NJRoadfan, that's more his area. PM him, ask for his input in this thread, if he doesn't show up soon. As far as I remember off-hand, XR cameras for XR tapes, but non-XR tape in XR camera doesn't really do anything. Not much different from Video8 in Hi8, or Hi8 in Digital8.

Thanks for the reply, what do you make of this from Wikipedia - "The final upgrade to the Video8 format came in 1998, when Sony introduced XR capability (extended resolution). Video8-XR and Hi8-XR offers a modest 10% improvement in luminance detail. XR equipment replays non-XR recordings well, and XR recordings are fully playable on non-XR equipment, though without the benefits of XR." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8_mm_video_format#Hi8

It says that it does offer an improvement even if the tapes weren't recorded in XR.

The 308s set up was one black input for audio and one yellow for video. I plan on using S-Video. So would a stereo camcorder give me two channels without me having to buy a y-split which I'd have to with a mono one?

Read it again. It does not statee "improvement even if the tapes weren't recorded in XR". It reads "XR equipment replays non-XR recordings well", not the same.

Ok, I see, it can just play them not necessarily improve on them in any major way.

A stereo camera simply plays the same in both channels if the tape is mono, so you won't need an y splitter.

The CCD-TRV308 is decent camera from playback from the generation that has TBC/DNR. I getting a different Sony camera would give any noticeable improvement in video quality if you already have it (wasn't entirely clear if you had the original one or not.). The only drawback of that camera for digitization is that it's, but that doesn't matter here since your tapes are mono anyhow. Otherwise there is as far as I know barely any difference in quality between any of the late 90s and newer Sony Hi8, and Hi8 Capable D8 cameras with TBC/DNR.

Only thing I've noted personally is that my Hi8 XR cameras have a bit better dropout compensation than the CCD-TRV218 I got, as they seem to be able to repeat previous lines infinitely if there are large dropouts or damage on the tape. which the newer but lower end TRV218 can't.

Also, the last lineup Sony made, the DCR-TRVx80 D8 cameras and the CCD-TRV238(Also just mono) Hi8 one only had composite out and no S-Video so they're not ideal.

Speaking of, we really need to get a 8mm videotape camera/vcr buying guide going.

Awesome, thanks for the info. I'll be getting a stereo camcorder in that case.

Which one is the best of these? -

Hi8 stereo with TBC:
CCD-TRV62
CCD-TRV65
CCD-TRV66
CCD-TRV67
CCD-TRV72
CCD-TRV82
CCD-TRV85
CCD-TRV87
CCD-TRV93
CCD-TRV99
CCD-TRV101
CCD-TRV615

Read more: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/5825-capturing-8mm-tapes.html#ixzz5wQwJRoPU

Just use your original camera. Quality will be the same as Digital 8 and other Hi-8 models from that era and you don't need stereo if your tapes are mono anyway. XR isn't needed unless you know for a fact your tapes were recorded with a Hi-8 XR camcorder. By 2002 Hi-8 models were Sony's low end/budget offering as D8 and MiniDV were well established by that time.

Ok, thanks. I'll just get my original CCD-TRV308, sadly I didn't know about XR back in the day.

I transferred some Video8 tapes using a camera with Mono output only. I use Virtualdub, so all I had to do was change the setting in Virtualdub to select 48000Hz Mono capture instead of stereo. As you will see in the audio preview meters in Virtualdub, it now captures the audio channel identically to both left and right.