Analog to DV?? How?? Family tapes need to be digitized!

[Nikos]

How do you go from analog or VHS to DV, I have a DVC with a DV link, but i dont have a vcr with a dv output...

if i buy the dazzle Dv bridge can I go from analog VCR tape to DV tape without using my computer....and if so how close is the quality??

[ktnwin]

Does your DVC has an analog audio/video IN (RCA), if yes just connect your VCR audio/video OUT to it.

[Dragonsf]

I'm using the DV bridge and it works as standalone VHS to DV converter. Quality on DV tapes is superb, but the tapes are quite expensive. That's why I'm coverting the VHS-tapes via DV Bridge to SVCD.

[Tommy]

DVC= dv camcorder?

If your camcorder has analog ports then hook them up to the vhs. If you camcorder doesn't ......Sorry.

[Nikos]

I have a DV port and analog ports but im not sure if my DV Port can be used as an an import............how do i go from VHS tape to DV tape itself, in other words archive my vhs tape digitally on a DV tape...do most digital cameras when having a dv port have it as input and output???

Or do I need to buy the dazzle bridge to go from VHS to DV??

[ktnwin]

No, you do not need a DV bridge to go from VHS to DV.
You could use your DVC (DV camcorder) for that purpose..
If your DVC is simply a Dazzle DVC (1 as opposed to 2) then you really need a true Digital camcorder.

[jtor]

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On 2001-10-02 11:36:40, Nikos wrote:
I have a DV port and analog ports but im not sure if my DV Port can be used as an an import............how do i go from VHS tape to DV tape itself, in other words archive my vhs tape digitally on a DV tape...do most digital cameras when having a dv port have it as input and output???
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Nikos,
you should check if your dv camcorder has analog inputs. That way, just connect your VCR's video/audio out to the dv camcorder's analog input.

Although you're sure that your dv camcorder has analog ports, it could be that these are analog 'output' ports, so you can watch your dv home videos on TV.

The dv camcorder's DV port is for DV-to-DV transfer, or DV-to-PC, or DV-to-whatever 1394 device you might have.

hope this helps.

[Nikos]

Actually the exact model I have is the SONY DCR-TRV320 at http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/ss5/home/digitalvideo/digital8camcorders/dcr-trv320.shtml

I was wondering how I could go from a VHS tape (old family or movie tapes) and hi8 or 8mm analog tapes into my digital camera DV tape??

In other words how do I make my old analog tapes (VHS, 8mm) into digital format onto a DV tape?? Using my
dcr-trv320 and my VCR?? Can I?? Or do I have to get a DAZZLE capture bridge??

thanks someone please help!

[Nikos]

Just wanted to bump this topic up....

Actually the exact model I have is the SONY DCR-TRV320 at http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/ss5/home/digitalvideo/digital8camcorders/dcr-trv320.shtml

I was wondering how I could go from a VHS tape (old family or movie tapes) and hi8 or 8mm analog tapes into my digital camera DV tape??

In other words how do I make my old analog tapes (VHS, 8mm) into digital format onto a DV tape?? Using my
dcr-trv320 and my VCR?? Can I?? Or do I have to get a DAZZLE capture bridge??

thanks someone please help!

[jtor]

Looking at the specs, this Digital8 camcorder has Analog A/V Inputs (with pass-thru). That means you can feed analog video into it, through these ports.

For VHS to Digital8, as I've said in my previous reply, connect the audio/video out of your VHS to the analog A/V in of your camcorder. I'm assuming your camcorder came with analog A/V cables. Set the digital8 camcorder to VTR, put a blank tape in, put the VHS tape you want to copy to the VHS player, play it, press the record button (or whatever button combination required) in the digital8 camcorder, and let her rip....

Now my question, when you say DV, are you referring to miniDV? If so, I'm hoping you already have a miniDV camcorder or a miniDV deck. With that, you should be able to connect the TRV320 and miniDV device with firewire cable. That will allow you to make a copy of your 8mm/Hi8 tapes to miniDV.

If what you wanted to do is just convert your 8mm/Hi8 tapes to digital format using Digital8, you might want to transfer them first to a PC by using the firewire port (which I hope you already have). Once you get that done, play the video 'back' to your camcorder thru firewire, using a different tape. It is now in digital format. There might be some other ways, that I'm not aware of.

if the latter is the case, quite frankly, I just don't understand why you want to go thru the conversion of your 8mm/Hi8 tapes, as your camcorder can already transfer them as digital format to your PC (if you have a firewire port).

hope this helps.

[Nikos]

JTOR....I didnt mean to say I have a DV or mini DV player.....the model I have as actually (as you said) is for Digital 8 format...

In that case the reason I want to go from 8mm or vhs to Digital 8 is for archiving purposes of old family tapes/videos.....

So my question becomes...is digital 8 a good format for archiving....because I know VHS loses quality when played...will a Hi8 Digital 8 Tape lose quality if I play it????

Basically my goal is to archive old family tapes into a digital format so they can last for years to come and be in the best quality as possible (depending on the quality of the original.....

What do you think??

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Nikos on 2001-10-03 16:21:51 ]</font>

[videoz]

I am backing up VHS to mini dv with a Sony TRV17. It sure beats using a capture card and the quality is excellent! Then import the footage into Premiere and make a svcd. If your cam is like mine, input your source into av in, select VCR, and then push the rec button and the unlabeled button right next to it connected with a line. Start you VHS and it will record to your minidv.
The av in jack is also the av out jack, depending on which function you are performing.

[jtor]

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On 2001-10-03 16:21:13, Nikos wrote:
So my question becomes...is digital 8 a good format for archiving....because I know VHS loses quality when played...will a Hi8 Digital 8 Tape lose quality if I play it????
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Here's my understanding (and the others are free to correct me on this)...

Video is converted (analog to digital) internally in the camcorder. What's stored on the tape is in digital format already. Play this tape to your hearts content, the digital information will stay the same. BUT...we'll have to accept the fact that the tapes won't last forever. The only problem that you need to worry about is tape degradation.

So if you're worried about loss of quality everytime you play a VHS (or analog) tape, then that should not an issue with digital8/miniDV tapes. But then, you must also consider that every time you play digital tapes, you subject the tapes to wear and tear...basically a fact of life.

make sense? I don't know if that answered your question.

Like I said, others are free to say otherwise, as I am not a guru here...

hope this helps.

[Nikos]

Why is it that analog recordings on Hi8 tapes can degrade when played and a digital recording on the same tape cannot?

Is there a way I can archive with the best possible quality without the tape being subject to degrading in quality after a few years or so or everytime I play it??

Basically I want as much quality and long lasting tape/quality as possible....

[zeppage2]

I have the same model camera.

1. Set the POWER switch to VTR

2. Set A/V->DV OUT in the menu settings

3. Connect the firewire from your cam to the computer and likewise connect the A/V connecting cable (supplied) from your cam audio/video id-2 jack to the output of your VCR

4. Use a 'y' adapter if your VCR is monaural

5. Start your capture program

6. Roll tape-capture-done!

IMHO why not archive to VCD or SVCD?

Lastly, listen for a low frequency hum during your capture...if nothing, good...if it exists, first capture to the cam and then to the computer...good luck!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: zeppage2 on 2001-10-03 20:52:02 ]</font>