Video Cassette to DVD?

thatlemming

Hi. Was wondering if anyone could help, i've been looking on google and either they use millions of words I can't understand, or they tell me to connect my camcorder up, which I can't do.

I've got lots of cassettes, no idea what they're called (say fuji p5-90 on them which when googled reveals them as 8mm tape), look like an old music cassette type thing, much smaller than VHS. They've got old home movie type stuff on, holidays, me and my bro growing up etc... and I'm pretty sure my mum and dad would like to see them.

Unfortunately we don't have the camcorder used to make them anymore, this seems the way everyone on the net is told to do this.

Is there any software etc that could convert these to either dvd or memory card so that I can either put them on the pc, or just watch them? Or should I buy/rent a camcorder that takes cassettes (is this even possible??) and connect it up that way?

Thank you for any help!

(btw got ~£200 could possibly spend if need be, I have a fair few cassettes to do!)

TakeThis

Without a Hi-8 machine, you are stuck.

HoofeHearted

You have limited options open to you:-
o Borrow/hire an 8mm camcorder, play the tapes whilst connected to PC. Then convert to DVD

o Use one of the many companies on the web to convert them for you (won't be cheap).

Hope that gets you into the right frame of thought. :beer:

TakeThis

A suitable machine, if you can find a working model.

Also, be careful if you do decide to buy a Video8/Hi8/Digital8 machine/camcorder, that it uses the PAL(UK) system. Many of the machines for sale are NTSC(USA). They will not play your tapes.

Isaac_Dunne

An alternative option is to play your tapes through your t.v whilst using a capture card, conected to a laptop or pc which can record the recoreded footage :P

TakeThis

Isaac_Dunne wrote: »

An alternative option is to play your tapes through your t.v whilst using a capture card, conected to a laptop or pc which can record the recoreded footage :P

Play them with what?

-TangleFoot-

Aren't there VHS adapters for this sort of thing?

TakeThis

-TangleFoot- wrote: »

Aren't there VHS adapters for this sort of thing?

No. Clearly too much time on your hands.

-TangleFoot-

Got it - was thinking of VHS-C.

googler

HoofeHearted wrote: »

You have limited options open to you:-
o Borrow/hire an 8mm camcorder, play the tapes whilst connected to PC. Then convert to DVD

o Use one of the many companies on the web to convert them for you (won't be cheap).

Another option being

Borrow/buy/hire a Hi8 / 8mm / whatever machine to play the tapes from, and

Borrow/buy/hire a DVD recorder. Connect the 8mm machine directly to the DVD recorder, and record straight to DVD.

There's a selection of Hi8 machines on eBay UK at various prices below £50 or so, leaving £150 budget for a DVD recorder, which should be achievable easily - plenty on eBay

I'd probably allocate more of the budget to the Hi8 player than the DVD recorder