Help deciding on Hi8mm VCR or Digital 8 Camcorder

[k2skier]

I have a Sony TR81 Hi8 camcorder that decided its life span was over. Now I need a player to transfer my Hi8 tapes to the computer's HDD, about 36 120 minute tapes. I was planning on getting a VCR, IE Sony S5000 or S7000, but I don't need all the editing features since I will be editing on the PC. Then I found this site and read that a digital 8 camcorder will turn the analog tape's output to a digital format when transferring to the PC. I want some thing relatively cheap, under $500, but I would like to get some reasonable high quality transfer also. I have been looking at mainly Sony but am whiling to look at most major brands. What I have my eye on is Sony DCR TRV-260, 280, 460, & 480, mainly because they're newer.
Am I correct in my findings that a Digital 8 camcorder will transfer in better quality than a Hi8 VRC?
Will the Sony 400's do more or a better job than a 200 series for transferring to the PC?
Which models are the newest?
Did anyone else still make Digital 8's at recently as Sony?
Any advantages to a Sony GV-D200?

When I'm done transferring my tapes I need to replace my camcorder, I have been looking at flash HD camcorders; are there any down sides to a HD flash camcorder compared to other recording formatts?

[gadgetguy]

As far as I know Digital8 was an exclusive Sony format. Most D8 camcorders can play back Standard8 and Hi8 tapes and transfer via firewire (they call it i-link) to DV-AVI. This is an excellent editing format, but whether this is better than the output if a Hi8 VCR or not I can't say. I can say that all of the Hi8 tapes that I have transferred via my DCR TRV-230 have turned out excellent (IMHO).

[edDV]

I have a Sony TR81 Hi8 camcorder that decided its life span was over. Now I need a player to transfer my Hi8 tapes to the computer's HDD, about 36 120 minute tapes. I was planning on getting a VCR, IE Sony S5000 or S7000, but I don't need all the editing features since I will be editing on the PC. Then I found this site and read that a digital 8 camcorder will turn the analog tape's output to a digital format when transferring to the PC. I want some thing relatively cheap, under $500, but I would like to get some reasonable high quality transfer also. I have been looking at mainly Sony but am whiling to look at most major brands. What I have my eye on is Sony DCR TRV-260, 280, 460, & 480, mainly because they're newer.
Am I correct in my findings that a Digital 8 camcorder will transfer in better quality than a Hi8 VRC?
Will the Sony 400's do more or a better job than a 200 series for transferring to the PC?
Which models are the newest?
Did anyone else still make Digital 8's at recently as Sony?
Any advantages to a Sony GV-D200?

When I'm done transferring my tapes I need to replace my camcorder, I have been looking at flash HD camcorders; are there any down sides to a HD flash camcorder compared to other recording formatts?

The only limitation with Digital8 for Hi8 playback is it doesn't typically play the PCM audio tracks from high end Hi8 cams. The D200/D800 will play the PCM tracks.

Best Digital 8 cams aren't the newer ones bit the early 2000's 700/800 models. Find one with low mileage. The D200 was based on this generation. Cost cutting hurt later models. Features were reduced. Nobody else made higher end Digital8.

are there any down sides to a HD flash camcorder compared to other recording formatts?

Yes many. It is highly compressed H.264. Consider HDV or XDCAM-HD or XDCAM-EX or DVCProHD or AVCUltra.

[k2skier]

I have a Sony TR81 Hi8 camcorder that decided its life span was over. Now I need a player to transfer my Hi8 tapes to the computer's HDD, about 36 120 minute tapes. I was planning on getting a VCR, IE Sony S5000 or S7000, but I don't need all the editing features since I will be editing on the PC. Then I found this site and read that a digital 8 camcorder will turn the analog tape's output to a digital format when transferring to the PC. I want some thing relatively cheap, under $500, but I would like to get some reasonable high quality transfer also. I have been looking at mainly Sony but am whiling to look at most major brands. What I have my eye on is Sony DCR TRV-260, 280, 460, & 480, mainly because they're newer.
Am I correct in my findings that a Digital 8 camcorder will transfer in better quality than a Hi8 VRC?
Will the Sony 400's do more or a better job than a 200 series for transferring to the PC?
Which models are the newest?
Did anyone else still make Digital 8's at recently as Sony?
Any advantages to a Sony GV-D200?

When I'm done transferring my tapes I need to replace my camcorder, I have been looking at flash HD camcorders; are there any down sides to a HD flash camcorder compared to other recording formatts?

The only limitation with Digital8 for Hi8 playback is it doesn't typically play the PCM audio tracks from high end Hi8 cams. The D200/D800 will play the PCM tracks.

Is my TR81 recording audio in PCM?

Best Digital 8 cams aren't the newer ones bit the early 2000's 700/800 models. Find one with low mileage. The D200 was based on this generation. Cost cutting hurt later models. Features were reduced. Nobody else made higher end Digital8.

I don't need any recording features, just a good output to transfer to the PC; will a 260/280 do as good a job transfering as a 460/480? I won't be recording with 8mm tapes any more.

are there any down sides to a HD flash camcorder compared to other recording formatts?

Yes many. It is highly compressed H.264. Consider HDV or XDCAM-HD or XDCAM-EX or DVCProHD or AVCUltra.

I will be video taping for consumer/recreational use so I wont need professional quality recording. The XD formats you mention above, are they recording to tape or HDD, and who makes them?

[edDV]

I have a Sony TR81 Hi8 camcorder that decided its life span was over. Now I need a player to transfer my Hi8 tapes to the computer's HDD, about 36 120 minute tapes. I was planning on getting a VCR, IE Sony S5000 or S7000, but I don't need all the editing features since I will be editing on the PC. Then I found this site and read that a digital 8 camcorder will turn the analog tape's output to a digital format when transferring to the PC. I want some thing relatively cheap, under $500, but I would like to get some reasonable high quality transfer also. I have been looking at mainly Sony but am whiling to look at most major brands. What I have my eye on is Sony DCR TRV-260, 280, 460, & 480, mainly because they're newer.
Am I correct in my findings that a Digital 8 camcorder will transfer in better quality than a Hi8 VRC?
Will the Sony 400's do more or a better job than a 200 series for transferring to the PC?
Which models are the newest?
Did anyone else still make Digital 8's at recently as Sony?
Any advantages to a Sony GV-D200?

When I'm done transferring my tapes I need to replace my camcorder, I have been looking at flash HD camcorders; are there any down sides to a HD flash camcorder compared to other recording formatts?

The only limitation with Digital8 for Hi8 playback is it doesn't typically play the PCM audio tracks from high end Hi8 cams. The D200/D800 will play the PCM tracks.

Is my TR81 recording audio in PCM?

Best Digital 8 cams aren't the newer ones bit the early 2000's 700/800 models. Find one with low mileage. The D200 was based on this generation. Cost cutting hurt later models. Features were reduced. Nobody else made higher end Digital8.

I don't need any recording features, just a good output to transfer to the PC; will a 260/280 do as good a job transfering as a 460/480? I won't be recording with 8mm tapes any more.

are there any down sides to a HD flash camcorder compared to other recording formatts?

Yes many. It is highly compressed H.264. Consider HDV or XDCAM-HD or XDCAM-EX or DVCProHD or AVCUltra.

I will be video taping for consumer/recreational use so I wont need professional quality recording. The XD formats you mention above, are they recording to tape or HDD, and who makes them?

They are for prosumer and news/reality type pro work.

The serious digital production format hierarchy is something like this.

Sony
DV -> HDV (MPeg2) -> XDCAM (MPeg2) -> HDCAM -> HDCAM-SR
XDCAM is replacing Digital Betacam for field broadcast production.

Panasonic
DV -> DVCPro -> AVCIntra (Intraframe h.264)

Both companies market interframe h.264 AVCHD to consumers. Panasonic is experimemting with a prosumer AVCHD version.

Any format above can be recorded to flash media*. AVCHD is popular with consumers because it is most compressed. The flip side of that is AVCHD is the most difficult to edit and results in less post edit image quality.


*XDCAM/XDCAM-EX record to flash or BluRay Disc.

[k2skier]

Thanks for the info, very informative. I wish I could afford a high end camcorder, but will most likely have to settle for a consumer model.

I did have 2 other questions I need to figure out before I purchase an 8MM player.

The only limitation with Digital8 for Hi8 playback is it doesn't typically play the PCM audio tracks from high end Hi8 cams. The D200/D800 will play the PCM tracks.

Is my TR81 recording audio in PCM?

Best Digital 8 cams aren't the newer ones bit the early 2000's 700/800 models. Find one with low mileage. The D200 was based on this generation. Cost cutting hurt later models. Features were reduced. Nobody else made higher end Digital8.

I don't need any recording features, just a good output to transfer to the PC; will a 260/280 do as good a job transfering as a 460/480? I won't be recording with 8mm tapes any more.

[edDV]

Thanks for the info, very informative. I wish I could afford a high end camcorder, but will most likely have to settle for a consumer model.

I did have 2 other questions I need to figure out before I purchase an 8MM player.

The only limitation with Digital8 for Hi8 playback is it doesn't typically play the PCM audio tracks from high end Hi8 cams. The D200/D800 will play the PCM tracks.

Is my TR81 recording audio in PCM?

Best Digital 8 cams aren't the newer ones bit the early 2000's 700/800 models. Find one with low mileage. The D200 was based on this generation. Cost cutting hurt later models. Features were reduced. Nobody else made higher end Digital8.

I don't need any recording features, just a good output to transfer to the PC; will a 260/280 do as good a job transfering as a 460/480? I won't be recording with 8mm tapes any more.

I can't find specs for the TR81. PCM models had a switch near audio out for PCM or AFM tracks.

As I recall, the 260/280 lacked 8mm/Hi8 analog playback. So no. They won't work at all.

Check the specs on the 460/480. Older models will probably be cheaper.

[k2skier]

Thanks, I'm looking at a SONY DCR-TRV820; is it one to stay away from? I thought with a built in printer they may have too much going on internally and it could possibly hurt reliability. I'm probably going with the 700/800 series for a quality unit and 100% audio playback.

[k2skier]

The 820 got away. Any recommendations between the 720 sand 730?