Casmcorder audio capture problems.

[MKD64]

Hi
I am trying to capture some old Video8, Hi8 and DV home movie tapes to my laptop.
I can capture everything but when the audio plays through the capture program on the laptop it starts ok but after a couple of seconds it drops off ans there is a lot of back ground noise and it sounds like everything is being recorded in a tin can. It all sounds OK when watched on the camcorder.
I am using a Packard Bell Easynote TK laptop with Intel Core i3-370M along with Cyberlink KWorld DVDMaker plug in device.
The only audio input I have on the laptop is the 3.5mm microphone jack on the side.

[Richard_G]

Beg, borrow or steal a Sony Digital 8 camcorder. It will play back Video8 and Hi8 tapes and output them as DV-AVI over Firewire. For the DV tapes, just use the camcorder that shot them.

[MKD64]

Thankyou for replying Richard.
I can't play the DV tapes on the camera that recorded them as it is kaput lol. Also I tried the firewire option in my old PC but it isn't having any of it. I just get a blue screen in the preview window.
I thought I was making progress with the Cyberlink thing.

[Richard_G]

Progress but not quality. A transfer over Firewire is just that, a bit for bit transfer of the data stored on the tape to your hard drive. Any sort of external capture device means with the DV you are playing a digital source as an analogue signal, passing that to the device which then converts it back to digital again. With the Video8 and Hi8, it is analogue until it gets to the computer but even then you aren't going to be doing it any favours. Where in the country are you, I could do the transfer for you if you haven't got too many tapes.

[MKD64]

Richard I am in Broadstairs in East Kent so not to near Peterborough. I have 13 tapes altogether so was trying to avoid the cost of a commercial company as they charge about £10 a tape.