These companies will carefully handle the film and turn it into a digital video file for you to view and share. You can choose to go with a local option or use a mail-in service, such as ScanCafe and DigMyPics.
If you can add a firewire card to your computer desktop or laptop then by all means please do, you’ll get the best results this way because you can transfer pure digital video. Your family’s legacy isn’t just at risk of natural disasters, like fires or floods. Every day videotapes and photos are slowly fading away, decaying, neglected in closets and attics. Digitizing your old media stops the fading and preserves your recordings so they’re safe forever. Pack your Legacybox kit with tapes, film, photos, and audio recordings. Mix and match analog media types from VHS tapes to Super8 film.
The cost includes two DVDs and online access to digital files. That would be the best option to play Hi-8 tapes without a camcorder. Once you get your Hi-8 tape content in a digital format, you’ll have no use for a Hi-8 camcorder. This means if you send a line out to a video capture device, you can use any of the other two to a TV and watch the Hi-8 footage while the capture process is being done. You can connect an analog source, in this case my old camcorder, and then launch the companion software.
How to Upload Videos From an Old Camcorder to a PC
In most cases, the original Super 8 films will be returned to you in their original state, along with the completed digital conversion. However, it is important to double-check with the service as some may have different policies or additional charges for the return of originals. Depending on the video converter device, you are going to need a mini/micro USB cable or Micro SD card to be able to transfer footage to a PC/Laptop. If you don’t know what you are doing, please don’t start transferring on your own because you will probably damage or destroy the tape, which will lead to a permanent loss of footage.
You can send your MiniDV tapes to a digitization service without having the hassle of converting and editing audio/video quality. Instead, professional technicians do all the work for you. Besides videotapes, services also accept other types of media such as photos, slides, negatives, old films, and many more, depending on the service. If you have a 8mm or Hi8 camcorder, you can copy your films to a PC by connecting the two devices together with an analog-to-digital video converter that connects to the PC via a USB port. If you don’t have a camcorder, there are services that can transfer film to digital for you. Given these limitations, using a film projector as a last-resort DIY method may not provide the best outcome for preserving and digitizing your Super 8 films.
Safeguard Your Home Movies and Photos
Hire a service.This is the more costly option, but you’re paying for convenience. Costco and Walgreens offer transfer services for a number of video formats, including VHS, VHS-C, and the long-departed Betamax. Hire a service.Costco, Walgreens, and local photo shops have services for converting photo prints—and, in some cases, negatives—to digital. Costco, for example, charges $20 for the first 62 images, then 32 cents per image.
Read more about 8mm camcorder tapes to digital here.
With the computer, you must have a video editing software installed. This software will be used to capture video from the Hi-8 tape. The Hi8 videocassette format was an upgrade from Sony’s standard 8mm cassette and offered an increase in picture detail. The third and final 8mm variation, Digital8, was released in 1999 and utilized the industry-standard DV codex to further improve picture quality and functionality. Though slightly more durable than older formats such as VHS or VHS-C tapes, 8mm tapes are still magnetic and will deteriorate over time. Send us your old Hi8 camcorder tapes, and our Hi8 to digital service will convert them into crisp new digital home movies for you and others to enjoy. Those old camcorder tapes, VHS tapes, and reel-to-reel film of all sizes and formats aren’t doing you any good in the closet.
Can I Convert or Play 8mm Tapes Without A Camcorder?
We specialize in converting 8mm tape to digital formats so you can share it with your friends online. Professional services also provide the benefit of process tracking, keeping you informed about each step your films go through. This transparency and the assurance of the return of your originals can be significant factors to consider. Ultimately, you will receive your Super 8 films in a digital format, allowing you to view, share, and preserve them for the future.
Generally these USB capture devices can range anywhere from $15 for bare-bones device that you may need to find some free software that works with it, to more complete systems costing more. Every Digital 8 and Mini DV camcorder comes with a firewire port, you also need a firewire port on your computer in order transfer video without quality loss. Also don’t be afraid to ask friends or family if they may have a Digital8 camcorder tucked away in their attic that you can borrow, or even help them transfer some of their tapes. I have 26 8mm cassettes that I want to convert to digital.
