How can you convert Hi 8 digital tapes to DVDs?

Answer 1

Send your tapes to a video transfer service. They will have a Hi8 player and be able to convert your tapes to DVD. Some, even have the option for you to edit online or get digital files back on a portable hard drive. StashSpace.Com can do this for $7 a tape. http://www.stashspace.com/video-transfer/hi8-dvd-transfer.stm

Another option is to borrow or purchase a Hi8 player from a friend. However, in this case you still need a video capture device to convert the analog signal to digital.

If you want to convert a Hi8 or standard 8 tape to DVD, you MUST have a player.

* If you only have one or two tapes, then try to borrow a friends, or purchase a Hi8 camera. * There are plenty of folk willing to do the conversion for you ... for a price. Anywhere from $5 to $10 per tape. * If you have lots and lots of tape, consider purchasing a tape player, not a camera.

I have a lot of Hi8 tape I need to covert, so I'm looking at purchasing a player.

While you're at it, you might want the files converted to MPEG4 or DIVX, as this allows for high quality at a small file size. I plan to convert all files to both MPEG4 (for future editing) and MPEG2 (which is used to create standard DVDs).

Answer 2

Hi 8 video tapes were a high quality version of 8mm tapes released in the 1990s. They were quickly replaced by DV formats and never gained a lot of popularity.

There were a few semi-professional editing systems that provided a digital interface to disc based storage media but none are manufactured now and they are likely to be a challenge to track down. All Hi8 models pre-date HDMI so there is no Hi8 with HDMI interfaces.

The straightforward alternatives are to use the analog output of a player or camcorder. Use the component output if it is available, S-video or composite if no others are present. Using a component interface will deliver quality that is almost identical to the digital format.

To produce DVDs, the output can be fed into a DVD recorder or into a computer for editing and mastering before writing to a DVD.

If you don't have Hi8 equipment or DVD recorders, there are local video services companies who may well have the equipment to be able to transfer the content for you. It may prove far easier than putting together your own system.