I have to import 40 tapes in mini DV and HI8 tapes from Sony HDR-HC3 and TRV350 cameras. I need digital formats. Both cameras have 4 pin IEEE 1394 firewire output ports. Unfortunately, I got rid of all my old laptops with firewire and don't feel like buying another old laptop with windows 7. So I thought to buy a 4 pin to 9 pin firewire adapter or wire. Then connect to an apple thunderbolt 2 adapter turning the 9 pin firewire into a thunderbolt 2 connection. Then connecting the previous to a thunderbolt 2 to thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) connection. Then plugging this into my windows 10 USB-C. Anyone have experience if this will work?
Importing old tapes into windows 10
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I don't have any experience in that but it could work, thats just a LOT of point of failure, but there may be no way to avoid it. Although there may be services that will do the import for you.
JVC NZ9 | Sony 760ES | ST130 G4 135" | AVM-60 | MC303 &152 | 7.2.4: B&W 2x802D3/803D3/805D3| 4x15 IB
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Why make this so complicated? Just buy a $18 PCI Express firewire card which works on windows 10
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753H8GTY
Another option that probably works for you is a pinnacle studio moviebox. This is no longer made, but you can find several on ebay for $40-100.
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DOn't know if you need to do extensive editing or what your target media format will be, but it sounds like the sources are 480i video, so going direct to a DVD via a standard set top DVD recorder may be an option.
I've picked up several perfect/very good condition set top DVD recorders (Samsung, Pioneer, Philips, Go Video, etc) at thrift stores and yard sales in recent years, many with Firewire inputs meant for DV tapes.
Can't get any simpler- insert a blank known quality branded DVD+R or RW, connect camera via Firewire and play/record- should be controlled via camera transport.
Then edit the resulting DVD on any PC with known DVD ripping & MPEG2 tools/apps and burn your edited/finished video to another DVD+/-R or RW
I've picked up several perfect/very good condition set top DVD recorders (Samsung, Pioneer, Philips, Go Video, etc) at thrift stores and yard sales in recent years, many with Firewire inputs meant for DV tapes.
Can't get any simpler- insert a blank known quality branded DVD+R or RW, connect camera via Firewire and play/record- should be controlled via camera transport.
Then edit the resulting DVD on any PC with known DVD ripping & MPEG2 tools/apps and burn your edited/finished video to another DVD+/-R or RW
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IOW, get computers out of the loop for video capture.
I've futzed with (EDIT: meant analog 480i only) video capture on computers for more than 20 years (90's ATI All in Wonder days), even earlier if you count Amiga/Atari ST video capture devices
Biggest lesson learned- they suck for realtime (480i analog) video capture. A lot of that had to do with growing pains in the early years with mass market targeted solutions- underpowered CPUs/GPUs, hard drives too slow and too small, very buggy capture hardware and video software.
Yes, PC's are now multi-core beasts with a lot more power and no issues with storage any longer, but now it's DRM, and affordable video capture software is still bug prone.
Take the PC out of the loop for (480i analog) video capture. (Use a capture device with hardware MPEG encoder chip)
Editing from a burned/ripped DVD is far more reliable.
I've futzed with (EDIT: meant analog 480i only) video capture on computers for more than 20 years (90's ATI All in Wonder days), even earlier if you count Amiga/Atari ST video capture devices
Biggest lesson learned- they suck for realtime (480i analog) video capture. A lot of that had to do with growing pains in the early years with mass market targeted solutions- underpowered CPUs/GPUs, hard drives too slow and too small, very buggy capture hardware and video software.
Yes, PC's are now multi-core beasts with a lot more power and no issues with storage any longer, but now it's DRM, and affordable video capture software is still bug prone.
Take the PC out of the loop for (480i analog) video capture. (Use a capture device with hardware MPEG encoder chip)
Editing from a burned/ripped DVD is far more reliable.
It is working !
I am a bit surprised to say it is working. First, last night I had a bunch of lenovo updates for my thinkpad T570 including a USB-C thunderbolt 3 update. Today I received the adapters, connected the Sony HDR-HC3, turned it on in VCR mode, and launched Cyberlink PowerDirector. Viola. It is importing. I ran several small tests on which format to use. I selected MPEG-4 as it looked the best. I will post more results on all of the tapes and using the other camera also. I hope the rest works. I am happy with adapter approach vs. buying yet another old computer. I could have shopped around or borrowed and found used adapters to cut the price.
Parts used:
4pin-2-9pin firewire 800
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AAZQM2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
apple adapters
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SQ2CJUS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQ26QIY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
video software (2018 version)
https://www.cyberlink.com/products/...K_vowqJu5yWRirWbiNK6wag3Qx1kOyzhoC2dsQAvD_BwE
I am a bit surprised to say it is working. First, last night I had a bunch of lenovo updates for my thinkpad T570 including a USB-C thunderbolt 3 update. Today I received the adapters, connected the Sony HDR-HC3, turned it on in VCR mode, and launched Cyberlink PowerDirector. Viola. It is importing. I ran several small tests on which format to use. I selected MPEG-4 as it looked the best. I will post more results on all of the tapes and using the other camera also. I hope the rest works. I am happy with adapter approach vs. buying yet another old computer. I could have shopped around or borrowed and found used adapters to cut the price.
Parts used:
4pin-2-9pin firewire 800
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000AAZQM2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
apple adapters
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SQ2CJUS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQ26QIY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
video software (2018 version)
https://www.cyberlink.com/products/...K_vowqJu5yWRirWbiNK6wag3Qx1kOyzhoC2dsQAvD_BwE
JVC NZ9 | Sony 760ES | ST130 G4 135" | AVM-60 | MC303 &152 | 7.2.4: B&W 2x802D3/803D3/805D3| 4x15 IB
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Sorry that you were unable to get your computers working correctly, but this is a super ridiculous statement. I guess for as many years you've experienced frustration I've had nothing but success - all with free software as well. No offense, but it's not the PC that needs to be taken out of the loop here.IOW, get computers out of the loop for video capture.
I've futzed with video capture on computers for more than 20 years (90's ATI All in Wonder days), even earlier if you count Amiga/Atari ST video capture devices
Biggest lesson learned- they suck for realtime video capture. A lot of that had to do with growing pains in the early years with mass market targeted solutions- underpowered CPUs/GPUs, hard drives too slow and too small, very buggy capture hardware and video software.
Yes, PC's are now multi-core beasts with a lot more power and no issues with storage any longer, but now it's DRM, and affordable video capture software is still bug prone.
Take the PC out of the loop for video capture.
Editing from a burned/ripped DVD is far more reliable.
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While I overstated the issue, Win98 was not designed to handle such jobs
Even XP prior to SP2.I was also referrring to capture of analog 480i video + analog audio, not editing video after successful A>D capture, though the Pinnacle Best Buy-grade consumer video editing apps were pretty bad circa 90's/early 2000's.
I too have had great luck with FOSS/free apps like DVD Shrink, AVIdemux, AVI Synth, HDTV .ts editors, etc.
Still stand by my hardware capture recommendation, ie don't use software analog capture devices, like mass market USB composite video stuff.
Wasn't referring to Firewire video transfer on PC's either, which would be a simple digital data transfer (like file copying from a hard drive or data tape drive) and not analog video A-D + encoding in realtime via CPU vs onboard MPEG encoder hardware
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Congrats- you won the Rube Goldberg Video Signal Path award!
Even though the entire path is digital, I am also suprised the Win10 PC "saw" the DV cams originating from Firewire on its USB-C port
Still, the DVD recorder method beats it simplicity-and-cost-wise given the prices of the items you linked. I got a like new never used in box Samsung DVD recorder with Firewire on the front for $5 at a yard sale, and several other makes (most with FW) at Goodwill/SA for $10-$15
THe DVD recorder does transfer, capture and MPEG2 hardware encoding all in one step in realtime.
Transferring DV codec to PC most likely requires a DV>MPEG2 encoding step after editing. Even if your target is MPEG4, a DVD recorder like a Panasonic can be set to use a very high VBR MPEG2 bitrate to retain quality.- 1hr per blank 4.3GB disc! And names like Panasonic use best in class hardware video transcoder/encoder chips.
Murphy's law
Wouldn't you know it? After a few copies with both cameras, both showed the sony blue screen of death, or rather the infamous C31:23 errors. Both cameras. Deja Vu on why I ran away from sony tape cameras. I tried the smacking the camera trick but neither worked. Wonderful. No I need to find cheap players.
Wouldn't you know it? After a few copies with both cameras, both showed the sony blue screen of death, or rather the infamous C31:23 errors. Both cameras. Deja Vu on why I ran away from sony tape cameras. I tried the smacking the camera trick but neither worked. Wonderful. No I need to find cheap players.
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Are the Hi8 tapes digital or analog recorded? If analog, may be able to find a Hi8 player deck then record via RCA/Svideo outs.
I have no experience with Hi8 and am assuming it is the 8mm counterpart to S-VHS (ie higher resolution analog 480i)
I realize now that I have miniDV HDV tapes - not played by all miniDV cameras. The Hi8 tapes are Digital8 tapes recorded digitally.
I orderdered two used and "cheap" cameras on ebay. The first listed miniDV but did not mention that it can't play HDV formats. The Hi8 camers is fully of jitters.
Both heading back to seller. The search continues. I
Canon HV20 cams are less than $100 on eBay. I am not current on Digital8 cam prices.
Rgb, as you can see there is are no analog recordings here: one is HDV or DV, another is DV as well. Even if the Hi8 were analog, I would still prefer using a Digital8 camera for digitizing.
Going via analog conversion ruins video quality. Also, DVD-compatible MPEG-2 at less than 10 Mbit/s may visually look ok, but is interframe, while DV is intraframe - it easier to edit, less generation loss, and no re-encodings at cut points.
Rgb, as you can see there is are no analog recordings here: one is HDV or DV, another is DV as well. Even if the Hi8 were analog, I would still prefer using a Digital8 camera for digitizing.
Going via analog conversion ruins video quality. Also, DVD-compatible MPEG-2 at less than 10 Mbit/s may visually look ok, but is interframe, while DV is intraframe - it easier to edit, less generation loss, and no re-encodings at cut points.
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