Analogue hi8 tape to dvd? How?

Check out this thread .... we've all posted some advice here ....

It looks just like its the same thing you are trying to acheive

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=108750

Good Luck

Ok ... the very basics (forgive me if they are too basic, and if I mention somthing to Techie ... please ask) ....

1. Your Laptop will need to have a DVD burner (that writes and creates disks) - not just a DVD-ROM
2. Your laptop will need plenty of Hard disk space (to save the captured video to), and memory to process the Video. Are you able to confirm how much Hard disk space you have availaible? the processor on your laptop? and memory? (use Explorer to check your availaible Hard disk space and System to see the memory and processor type.
3. There are various ways of getting the camcorder output into the PC, but probably one of the simplist is via your USB port - Does your PC have one of these? (look in the manual if you're not sure what you're looking for - and is it USB 1.1 or 2?)
4. For this suggestion I would use somthing like a Video capture Box or Dazzel video Port convertor (look at this link for a typical unit that would work via USB - http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=62010 (although I'm a great advocat of using a high-res unit, I beleive this should work pretty well)) * Make sure any unit you purchase matches the required PC/Laptop Spec as discussed in number 2.
5. Before Purchase you will need to make sure your camcorder output analogue video and audio (when using the above unit). Sometimes you might find the camcorder has all the appropriate leads, otherwise Maplin is pretty good for helping with the leads you require.
6. The rest involves following the instructions and using the software that comes with the capture device you purchase ..... with practice you can get some good results.

Normally the steps involved in capturing/editing/burning are as follows:-
a. Connect everything (hardware) up (that you've purchased above) correctly
b. Start the capture software and start recording/capturing to your PC harddrive
c. Press play on the camcorder.
d. When you've finished - stop capturing (dependant upon the s/ware you have - it may break it into 'sceans'
e. Now take the captured file(s) into a video editing package (that came with the device) and follow the insutructions to 'cut' and edit the files, add titles and then 'render' or create a new video file that contains all the work/editing you've just completed. (always try to render and maintain the highest quality video as possible all the way through to creating the DVD).
f. Now you're almost ready to create your DVD. If you want to just 'burn' the one file - do that - otherwise if you have loads of diffrent 'video's' you can create a menu at this point (so when you put the disk in a DVD player - you get options like 1, 2 3 etc....

** I may have summarised the steps above, but the steps are basically the same for most caputure/editing packages - Software does vary so you'll need to refer to the options and instructions that come with the software/device you purchase **

(Pls - forgive spelling mistakes - typed rather quickly)

Hope this helps a little. :cool:

No Problem ... from all your replies it looks like the item I put the link for would do just what you want .... they are easy to connect and straight forward to use.

Personally - if you follow all the steps and the insturctions that come with the unit, you will be ok doing it yourself. (I don't think you will need to visit a shop - unless things really go wrong !!)

If you get stuck - just PM or post messages on here - we will all do our best to help ....

Let us know what you are thinking of doing?

:cool:

PS - to find your hard disk space - do START, RUN type EXPLORER (press return) then my computer and on c:\ drive click on right mouse and properties - you will then see how much total / used and free space you have. Make sure your free space matches that required by the software and space to capture .... if you post the result here - we can give some guidance.

Going to do some pornographic home dvd's - make some money - Not really

LOL - Very good ... does that count as a "moneysavingexpert Tip" on how to pay for your IT Hardware ?

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

PS - See how many offers you get to 'Edit' your home Vids you get ? :rotfl:

PPS - 24gb Free should surfice :cool:

Much easier solution that I did to convert Hi8 to DVD was to buy a DVD recorder (the ones that live underneath the TV) and plug them together. Press 'play' on the camcorder and 'record' on the DVD recorder.

Dead easy and no faffing around required.

Might not be popular with some as it's not very techie.