I have many analog 8mm /VHS tapes (and 5-6 y.o. analog video camera).
I want to convert those videos to digital format, so I can burn it to DVD.
What is the easiest way to do it?

I found on the Web that miniDV Canon Elura 100 and Canon ZR 700 can convert A-to-D. , however Canon doesn't produce it anymore and even though I'd like to purchase new degital camcorder, I read that miniDV already in the past....

Any other suggestions?

P.S. I'm amateur :confused:, so please explain......

there are any number of less-expensive products for that. Walmart carries a sub $100 standalone dvd recorder that only lacks a firewire port (but you said your tapes are analog). Lite On also sells a standalone for under $100.

There's the cheap products out there, such as DAZZLE, a converter box with audio/video connections, that uses your computer's USB 2 port, to stream a dvd-compatible file, that can be dumped on your pc's dvd burner. I bought one of these years ago, for around $50 that worked flawlessly. I had more trouble with the dvd burner that I did with the capture box / software.

whatever you choose, good luck.

Find someone with a Digital-8 camcorder with firewire. This will output Video8, Hi-8 and D-8 through firewire. Or you could use an analog capture device for your computer. The external ones tend to convert to MPEG 4 on importing. It looks fine, but sucks if you are trying to do editing, and other things that require frame accuracy. So you want uncompressed.

I have a Sony DRC-TRV39 Camcorder It has S-Video in, and a 3-way mini plug input that can carry A/V. Use either of these to get the source into the camcorder and use the Firewire port to transfer the content to your computer.

Some notes:
1) You might be able to find this camcorder on Ebay, but it is not HD and is 4x3 not 16x9 aspect ratio
2) do not have a DV tape in the camcorder when you do this
3) Windows movie import software is almost useless. The best and easiest is Pinnacle Studio. Get a used v10, v11, or new v12 to transfer the content to an AVI file on your computer.

All Digital8 camcorders produced have IEEE-1394 Firewire. In fact the same is true for all MiniDV camcorders except one model came with IEEE-1394 Firewire.

Not all Digital8 camcorders will convert or play 8mm and Hi8 (analog) videos.



Rich



Rich

I have many analog 8mm /VHS tapes (and 5-6 y.o. analog video camera).

Any other suggestions?

You never said if you have a camcorder to play your 8mm tapes? If not, you must get a unit to play those 8mm tapes.

You never said how many hours of 8mm tapes you have. There are places which will digitize them. It depends on how many you have.



Rich