What's the best way to convert from DVD or an old Sharp Hi8 viewcam without big expense? I understand that I could use a Sony or Formac system to link up with my MacBook Pro but will I be OK working with something cheaper like Pinnacle Video Capture?
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VHS to DVD conversion
- Thread starter GToy
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Honestly the most dollarwise methods (with a high quality result) is to let a professional transfer service do it for you with quality equipment. It is really not that expensive in the end, particularly if you don't have a bunch of tapes to transfer as you do not have to buy anything at all- and can count on high quality (something that is often lost in transferring through consumer quality video equipment- note the Pinnacle Systems max 720x576 resolution and even that is interlaced).
I have no ties to the company that I would recommend other than the fact that I am a very satisfied customer of their slide scanning services, but they do video tape transfers of all kinds of videotape to DVD transfers too. It is a company called DigMyPics in Arizona, and you can check them out at http://www.digmypics.com/Default.aspx
Their page on tape transfers is at http://www.digmypics.com/VideoTapeTransfer.aspx and I just noticed that the pricing is $14.95 per tape at up to 2 hours, then $9.95 per additional hour's worth.
When it comes to video transfer, I just use the passthrough digitizing function on my old (5 years or so) camcorder like you mentioned, so I don't have any experience with their video transfers, but I have little doubt that they would be anything but top notch.
Just wanted to suggest an alternative (particularly after reading some reviews of the Pinnacle system you mentioned).
Good luck!
I have no ties to the company that I would recommend other than the fact that I am a very satisfied customer of their slide scanning services, but they do video tape transfers of all kinds of videotape to DVD transfers too. It is a company called DigMyPics in Arizona, and you can check them out at http://www.digmypics.com/Default.aspx
Their page on tape transfers is at http://www.digmypics.com/VideoTapeTransfer.aspx and I just noticed that the pricing is $14.95 per tape at up to 2 hours, then $9.95 per additional hour's worth.
When it comes to video transfer, I just use the passthrough digitizing function on my old (5 years or so) camcorder like you mentioned, so I don't have any experience with their video transfers, but I have little doubt that they would be anything but top notch.
Just wanted to suggest an alternative (particularly after reading some reviews of the Pinnacle system you mentioned).
Good luck!
My mom lets technology pass her by. I swear I will pry a vcr out of her cold dead hands one day.
Anyway, she went and bought a vhs/dvd combo machine, as her vcr went out, and this was the only one she could find. There arent many places still selling vcrs anymore solo. So anyway, she doesnt use the dvd portion what so ever. So I knew she had some old home videos on vhs from when I was younger, and wanted to keep it. I simply just used this new machine to copy from vhs to dvd. Worked perfectly....I took the dvds with me, and then put them on my imac, and am now working on editing them so they look a bit more professional.
Granted the quaility isnt there, but what can you expect from 15 year old vhs tapes and camcorders?
Anyway, she went and bought a vhs/dvd combo machine, as her vcr went out, and this was the only one she could find. There arent many places still selling vcrs anymore solo. So anyway, she doesnt use the dvd portion what so ever. So I knew she had some old home videos on vhs from when I was younger, and wanted to keep it. I simply just used this new machine to copy from vhs to dvd. Worked perfectly....I took the dvds with me, and then put them on my imac, and am now working on editing them so they look a bit more professional.
Granted the quaility isnt there, but what can you expect from 15 year old vhs tapes and camcorders?
Yep, that is indeed a pretty cost effective way to do VHS transfers to DVD indeed- my GF has one of those too, but in this particular case it wouldn't work since the OP mentioned tranferring Hi8 format tapes rather than VHS. Unfortunately, there are no adapters to use Hi8 tapes in a VHS deck, unlike the adapters that allow a VHS-C cartridge to play in a VHS deck! 
http://hometheater.about.com/cs/vcrs/a/aa8mmtovhsa.htm (I looked that up hoping that there was one! )
http://hometheater.about.com/cs/vcrs/a/aa8mmtovhsa.htm (I looked that up hoping that there was one! )