Video to dvd..How to

February 24, 2011 6:28 PM

I have several Hi8 video tapes from years ago. My camera is broken so how do I watch them? I want to watch them to decide which ones to transfer to dvd.

So my question is ...how do I watch them and how do I get them transferred to dvds? Thanks!

posted by mikedelic to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (4 answers total)

Not sure if this is the sort of answer you're after but there are companies who will do this for you for a fee.

If however you want to see the Hi8's before deciding which ones to transfer I think you're pretty much stuck with getting hold a Hi8 camera/deck to view them on (it's not like it's interoperable with any more contemporary tape format).

On the other hand if you find a small enough conversion outfit they might let you sit in their office and take a look through the tapes ? I know some of the people who do this where I live are very small and so quite flexible about how they do things.
posted by southof40 at 6:44 PM on February 24, 2011

Just buy a used Sony Digital8 on ebay. Any model will do. It will output the Hi8 tape to DV via firewire. Viola. Much better for long-term archiving than a dvd.
posted by mmdei at 8:32 PM on February 24, 2011 [2 favorites]

At the brick and mortar shop where I went to have my 8mm film transferred to DVD, they had stacks and stacks of old cameras, projectors and reels of film laying around. It was a hobby for them. I'm sure they would have let me use (or rent) a projector for a few days to watch my films, but I already had one. So, if your city has one of these shops, just go there and ask them.
posted by CathyG at 7:22 AM on February 25, 2011

Or ask around in your family. Whoever made the films probably had the projector, too. Maybe a different relative got possession of that.
posted by CathyG at 7:23 AM on February 25, 2011