Capturing Hi8 Camcorder with USB cable?

[DM3MD#231]

Is there a way to capture the video off of my camera using the USB cable provided? Any help is appreciated.

[Luis Neves]

It depends on the result you want. If you want to keep the quality of the original, no way to use USB. This connection is too slow for the data rate you need. Maybe is suitable just to produce small videos to put on the net.

[DM3MD#231]

So would I need a special capturing card or would my video card do this? What kind of connections would I need?

[Luis Neves]

That depends on the type of camera. If you have a digital camera you will need a firewire card, they are quite unexpensive (and a firewire cable, of course).

If you have an analog camera, things will be a little more difficult. Check if your video card has a video in plug. If so, maybe you can use it, depending on the capture resolution it achieves. If not, the most unexpensive solution is to buy a TV card, most have video inputs also. If money is not a problem, you can buy a dedicated analog capture card. Sound can be captured through the computer sound card.

[DM3MD#231]

Thanks for all your help!

Even if I have USB 2.0 I can't capture video off my camera? From what I understand USB 2.0 is just as fast as Firewire. Any additional help would be appreciated.

[ptmurphy]

I believe there are capture card made that use USB out to the "breakout" box, which would have L/R audio and SVideo/Composite.

When I was looking, I remeber seeing a few, but can't remember brands.

[Luis Neves]

Well, USB 2 is really as fast as firewire, but is your camera compatible with USB 2? You will need both camera and computer compatible with USB 2.

I bought a firewire card to use with my digital camera; cost was 35€ (around 25£), and Ulead videostudio 5 was included, as well as a firewire cable.