Analog Hi8 camcorder to digital mpeg conversion

[AlanCake]

Greets

I have an 'old' analog Hi8 Canon camcorder and I want to convert the footage into a digital mpeg format.

I've read around the forum a bit and sussed that I need something called a firewire (presumably some kind of analog/digital converter). Where could I buy something like this in the UK. Is it a generic bit of kit or would there be a specific one for my Canon.

So once I get my firewire is it a case of, as it were, plugging it into some kind of capture card on my PC?

I notice that it is possible to buy a RGB converter for my camcorder is that some kind of digital converter.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Kind regards

Alan

[matt-man]

You need an "old" analogue capture card
to go with your "old" camcorder. Firewire
is not an option.

Try and find a Matrox product with the Rainbow
Runner capture H/W. It has MJPEG H/W compression
for reasonable file sizes as you transfer from 8mm.
I use AVI_I/O for capture (in the tools section). You
can then create VCD or SCVD MPEG files with TMPGEnc.

[ktnwin]

Sony does have an analog to DV box costing around 300$ (I believe the model is DVMC-DA2 Media Converter

Another option is simply buy the cheapest Sony Digital camcorder (around 500$ today). It will play old Hi8 tape like a champ. For an extra 200$ you get a new Digital Camcorder.

This solves all kind of headache with video capturing.

And don't forget, you still need a Firewire card for your PC (about 50$ or less).

[Tommy]

I have a canon hi-8 and I used to just use an analog capture card for it ATI AIM 128. The capture came out fine almost as good as when I use my DV camcorder as a passthough (for use with a firewire card). You do have to use a the SVHS input/output so make sure if if you do go with a capture card that it will take a SVHS cable.