Is there an adapter that can read Hi8 cassettes and get them into iMovie?

[rockrat71]

Hi, I'm new here so hope I'm posting in the right section of the forum. I have an older video camera that doesn't seem to have any way to plug into my iMac but I'm wondering if there's some kind of adapter I can buy.

The camera is a Sony CCD-TRV308 Handycam Vision. On the box it says Hi8 for NTSC system. The only port I can see on the camera itself is the thing the battery charger plugs into. It says DC on it. What I want to know is if there is anything I can purchase that will allow me to record on this camera and then copy those recordings from the tapes onto my computer somehow. The camera is about 6-7 years old but is in great shape and takes nice video. I don't really want to buy another camera but I want to be able to edit my videos and well as make clips I can send to family and friends.

My computer is an iMac running OSX 10.4.10 with an intel core 2 duo. I have USB ports and Fire Wire ports and a few other ports I have no idea what they are. Can anyone offer any advice? Or should I just suck it up and buy a digital video camera? The problem is they are so expensive for someone like me who is not a professional and just wants to have a little fun with the video capabilities of my Mac.

Sorry this got so long. Thanks for any help!
Melanie

 

[beige matchbox]

OK, first of all you need to be able to get the video out of the camera, if it has composite, s-video etc. you can use that too hook upto a box that will plug into your Mac converting the analogue video source into digital.

If you camera doesn't have any means of getting the video out, you'll need to buy a tape player that will, or another camera.


I'm sure some of the others can point out some converter boxes, i haven't looked at them for quite some time

 

[radiusdude]

The method I use to get analog Hi8 video into a Mac is by using a Sony Digital8 camcorder with analog to digital pass-through.

I connect my camcorder to my Mac via firewire and iMovie recognizes the camera. I just press "Import" and iMovie imports the video. The analog video doesn't get split into clips (like video shot with the Digital8 camcorder), so it will just import 2 clips of about an hour each. But once it's in iMovie, you can split the clips yourself.

You could find a used Digital8 camcorder on eBay for not too much...

 

[L3X]

Melanie,
You don't need to buy another camera. Since the camera has S video out and mini A/V out as well, you can get the content off, you just need a AD converter box, meaning Analog to Digital. Here's an example:
http://www.canopus.com/products/ADVC55/index.php

This will allow you to go Firewire out of the converter box to your iMac.

There are other brands, these are pretty nice.

Hope this helps.

 

[radiusdude]

You're right - you don't need a new camera, but a used Sony DCR TRV-120 can be had on eBay for probably less than or equal to the cost of the analog to digital converter box.

It would be interesting to have a side-by-side comparison of video imported via firewire directly from the camcorder playing the tape and video played by a camcorder, sent to a converter via S-Video (hopefully not composite), then sent to the Mac via firewire.

 

[rockrat71]

Thank you all so much for your responses! I'm so glad there is a way...now which way shall I choose?

What an amazing forum this place is! I'm a designer and I have had a mac basically since they've first come out and there's just so much great info here!

 

[Royale w/cheese]

Has anybody used the elgato eyetv for something like this? I was thinking about getting one for this and pvr capabilities.

 

[beccybrown]

Sony DCR TRC 120 uploading tape copy into iMoive

Hi,

I have a FireWire lead but when I plug it in from my Sony DCR-TRV 120 camcorder, it doesn't recognise that anything is attached. So if I go to iMovie and try and import the content, the import is greyed out.

Can I clarify if I can transfer straight from an Hi8 tape into my Mac OSX or do I need a digital transformer box? I have desperately trying to get content from a tape into my Mac or on to a DVD so I can show it at a hen do next weekend. You will save my friendship and their future marriage if you can help please.

My Mac is new and the video camera borrowed so I am blind to what to do. I know I need to switch the video tape to VTR mode but what's that mode?

Any guidance would be great.

Thank you
Beccy