Convert from Camcorder 8MM to Digital

[Christoc]

Hi

In short, I have an old Sony Camcorder and many 8MM Cassettes that I want to digitise, but I'm not sure how to do it. I have various cables and tech that I thought would enable this, but now i'm struggling.


In long...

-I have a Sony Camcorder CDD-TR50E ( https://www.manualslib.com/manual/949509/Sony-D-Tr50e.html )
-I have a Daewoo DVD + VCR recorder ( DAEWOO DF-4500P/4700P USER MANUAL Pdf Download )
-I have an Easy Cap device ( EasyCap / Easier Cap (usbtv007) Drivers and Installation | ScottDanesi.com )

The problem, as i see it, or as i dont understand it! Is what cables or device to connect to the Sony Camcorder to get this started...

The camcorder connection looks like this i.e. an 'IN hole'. See 'Cam.1' image.

The Easy Cap is also an 'IN hole'. See 'Cam.2 and Cam.3' image.


I do have another cable for the Daewoo device that is 'OUT hols' at both ends. See 'Cam.4' image.
But the Sony camcorder only has one Yellow 'IN hole'... so i dont see how that would work!!?!?!?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Many thanks!!!

[Barrythecrab]

I think right out of the gate most people will state you need a better Hi8 camcorder with stereo audio (optional), S-video, TBC and noise reduction(NR). However NR can sometimes cause a little blurring, sometimes...
Also EZ caps are considered bottom of the barrel.
The good news is you are actually going to do your tapes, you just need some guidance.
The real smarties will post here and get you going.

[Sharc]

If the OP wants to transfer his tapes to DVDs, he could probably simply connect the yellow (composite) of the videocam to the yellow on the front of the DAEWOO, and the black (mono audio) of the videocam to the red or white on the front of the DAEWOO. Play the tape and record it to DVD according to the manual of the DAEWOO. Don't expect quality miracles though.
This may be simpler for newbies than taking the "full fledged" lossless capture route via DVD recorder in passthrough and the (not recommended) EasyCap - or a more recommended digitizer (GV-USB2, USB-live2).

(I don't have this handycam nor the DAEWOO, so it's just my speculation).

[Santiago]

There are many services that will convert your tapes. Check out the prices.

[Alwyn]

Give it a crack, you might be pleasantly surprised. There's a lot to learn but hey, if you don't try, you'll never know.

Your camcorder has only mono audio out using the RCA sockets, so in these instructions, I'm only using the white audio lead.

Cabling:

1. Plug one end of the yellow video/audio combo cable male into the camcorder's yellow socket. Connect the adjacent white plug (that's audio) into the white socket on your camcorder.

2. Connect the other ends of the video/audio combo cable to the female sockets on the ezicap (that's yellow and white); leave the red (audio) unplugged.

3. Set up AmarecTV using my guide here. For the video codec, I suggest you use UT video.

4. Fire up your camcorder and hit Play. Hopefully, you'll have a picture and sound. You can then record/capture away.

Re the audio, the above setup will give you audio on only one channel. More capable camcorders have two channels for audio-out. In your case, in software after capture, you can either copy the audio channel to the other side so it comes in "stereo" (really dual-channel mono). The other alternative is to get a audio splitter cable like one of these. You plug the single end into your camcorder's white socket and plug the other ends into the red and white Easycap sockets. That will give you fake stereo for the capture.

[dellsam34]

You can go the DV route by getting a D8 camcorder capable of playing back your analog Video tapes but that's just another rabbit hole since firewire is no longer supported by modern computers and the DV codec itself requires some conversion which will end up in a quality loss, So your best bet get them converted by a reputable and verified by this community conversion service and save the headache, If you think you can get some fun out of this, then be prepared to enter the many rabbit holes ahead of you, it is going to be a steep learning experience.

[Barrythecrab]

The rabbit hole can be fun, and even a little knowledge (and just a few more $) can improve your captures and give you a hobby you might enjoy.

[Alwyn]

Precisely Barry.

[dellsam34]

The rabbit hole can be fun, and even a little knowledge (and just a few more $) can improve your captures and give you a hobby you might enjoy.

My point was not to deter him from having fun, it is to encourage him to have fun, I may have just used a wrong phrasing with English being my third language. Maybe should have used believe instead of think.

[Barrythecrab]

Dellsam you said nothing wrong, at all!
Three languages? Wow!

[Christoc]

Thanks everyone for the input - I will try out the suggestions.

I had 10 tapes converted 'professionally' for about £80. We have another 90 tapes! So, that's why I'm trying it myself, it's going to cost a lot to get them all converted.

[Christoc]

Hi All
I am still trying to get some camcorders working ( I bought 3 on ebay ) and at one point 2 were working but now theyre not....
My question is... if i but a head cleaner e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/389974807868?_trksid=p4375194.c102726.m162918
Then would this give a low/medium/high probability of enabling them to play again?
Thanks!

[GAhere]

Hi All
I am still trying to get some camcorders working ( I bought 3 on ebay ) and at one point 2 were working but now theyre not....
My question is... if i but a head cleaner e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/389974807868?_trksid=p4375194.c102726.m162918
Then would this give a low/medium/high probability of enabling them to play again?
Thanks!

Typical of the low quality Ebay sellers and extremely old outdated used electronics, one should lower their expectations with the understanding that most likely your purchase will require repairs when dealing with used old electronics.

Highly doubtful that a head cleaner will "fix" the problem especially when no information about what you are seeing/getting is not disclosed.

There are a lot of things that cause a VCR or camcorder to not "work"..

Not work as in no picture?

No picture/ no sound?

No Picture and no sound?

Lines or noise in picture with sound?

Is the tape moving?

Does the tape load?

Can you fast forward or rewind?

Fair chance the heads are past being just dirty if the tape mech is moving the tape.

Most likely heads will be wornout or damaged and finding replacement heads is doubtful as VCRs in general haven't been manufactured for more than 10 yrs and OEM and aftermarket parts inventory will have been depleted long, long time a go.

If you have multiple of the same model with different issues then parts swapping starts to be the reality you face.

[Christoc]

The camcorders WERE playing and recording and now they're not - so they did load and now they dont.
No wont FFW or RWD.

[BW37]

What exact makes and models of camcorders are you working with, and what exact problems with each?
Are you getting any error codes on the viewing screens?
With more information we might be able to provide more assistance.

BW

[GAhere]

The camcorders WERE playing and recording and now they're not - so they did load and now they dont.
No wont FFW or RWD.

Has nothing to do with heads or dirty heads and no a headcleaner isn't going to fix it.

You most likely have a "transport" (IE mechanical) issue, this may be a broken/worn/gummy belts issue or it could be a mechanical timing issue with the gears that drive the mechanical portion.

8mm formats also can have issues with the levers that run the tape guides in and out of the tape case jumping timing but with this issue loading and unloading or ejecting a tape becomes problematic to the point of eating/destroying the tape in the process.

This will be a major teardown just to get to the belts and hopefully that is all that is wrong with them.

However getting to the belts in camcorders means you will have to carefully remove any circuit board the is attached to the mech and with 8mm units we are talking a very compact package of circuit boards connected with very fragile ribbon cables. Replacement of belts typically is done from the underside of the mech.. Not to mention everything on a 8mm unit is miniaturized making this a foray for folks not faint of heart..

Even finding a competent repair shop now days is getting pretty difficult and finding one that is willing to torture themselves to work on the tiny highly precision mech in these units is going to be like pushing a boulder uphill with your nose..

I have worked on Hi8mm home decks, they are a walk in the park compared to a 8mm camcorder and I will not do that work for anyone else..

Sony did offer a limited selection Home decks in 8mm and Hi8 formats and if you still have a lot of tapes left to do, those may be a better choice. EV-C100 and EV-C200 come to mind, the C200 is an Hi8 editing deck, had no tuner, the 100 is 8mm only and had a tuner.. Yes, they WILL be much more expensive than the camcorders even used today as they were more expensive when new.. I have a C200 in my collection, has a pretty robust transport mech than a camcorder as it was designed for editing purposes and one would have to pry it out of my cold dead hands..

Wish I had better news, but this is what you get with nearly 40 yr old electromechanical equipment.

[Christoc]

It’s a Sony Camcorder CDD-TR50E

Thanks for those responses - seems like buying a head cleaner is a big risk.
It’s just odd that 2 of them were working when I bought them say 8months ago and then only 2 months later they stopped working.

[GAhere]

It’s a Sony Camcorder CDD-TR50E

Thanks for those responses - seems like buying a head cleaner is a big risk.
It’s just odd that 2 of them were working when I bought them say 8months ago and then only 2 months later they stopped working.

Oh, well, you can buy a head cleaner, try it..

But that certainly will never fix a mechanical issue and often doesn't even clean dirty heads.

Head cleaners also can not fix worn or bad heads either..

However you did mention that your units are not fast forwarding or rewinding tapes, most definitely not a sign of dirty heads.

No, it is a sign of mechanical failure which will be anything made of rubber like drive belts and idler tires and at nearly 40 yrs old, you have won the lottery to have made this milestone without ever replacing the rubber parts.. As an added bonus consider yourself super lucky if there is no broken plastic or nylon gears as those tend to get brittle, crack and break with age.

Something else with video tapes, over time, the tape can literally glue it's self together. You can check to see if the tape has done that by manually unlocking the tape hub locks on the cassette and then carefully move the tape manually. 8mm tapes are especially hard to do this trick due to the small size.. VHS tapes are easier to check.

On 8mm there is a small rectangle hole on the underside of the tape cassette (this is near the label end), in normal operation there is a pin that stands proud of the transport surface that the cassette drops on to, that pin pushes the hub lock inside the cassette to unlock the hubs.

If tape cassette does not firmly seat on the transport, the hubs never unlock and you get no play, no rewind, no fast forward..

If for any reason the door on the camcorder does not shut fully, you get the same issue.

For the tape door, you can try pushing and holding the tape door slightly in and see if you get tape operation.. If it works then you may have an issue with the tape door latch to deal with.

The pin can also be damaged (moved, bent or broken) giving same issue..

[Alwyn]

Unless you're prepared to partially disassemble your camcorder to get to the heads (bottom loaders are better than toploaders for that), buying a head-cleaning tape for a camcorder might be your only option, and is the recommended procedure from some of the manuals for head cleaning. Just make sure you buy a sealed head-cleaning tape. They aren't cheap but in two cases for me, they worked.

That said, if your tape won't run properly, then that indicates a mechanical fault which a head-cleaning tape won't fix.

[Christoc]

Thanks both for the comprehensive responses.
I knew it was a risk when I bought them, they cost an average of probably £10- so not much lost.
I’m not willing to tear them apart to get them working…. If there’s no simple fix then so be it….
I’m way at present so unable to give any of the suggestions a go.

[GAhere]

Thanks both for the comprehensive responses.
I knew it was a risk when I bought them, they cost an average of probably £10- so not much lost.
I’m not willing to tear them apart to get them working…. If there’s no simple fix then so be it….
I’m way at present so unable to give any of the suggestions a go.

That is about $12 US, basically more than what it is worth for scrap.. not sure what you expected.

In other words, you bought wornout electronic junk that the seller knew was junk when they put it for sale.

Buying any old (nearly 40 yrs old) used electronic equipment at especially low bargain basement prices is a very large warning sign.. Very few "sellers" are 100% honest about working condition and you should only buy that equipment with the understanding that it IS on it's last leg and IF you manage to get a couple of hrs use out of it you have won the lottery.

Currently on US Ebay, regular 8mm camcorders are starting at $35 asking price and Hi8 camcorders $100 up to $200.. And even then I wouldn't hold my breath that they are going to work or last long.

I see a lot of variety in Sony video 8 and Hi8 home decks available on US Ebay, $100 - $500 asking price and if you really watch for them you might even find a Digital 8 home deck which can play back analog 8mm and Hi8 tape format.. Home decks are a lot nicer than dealing with a camcorder and unlike a camcorder, a lot easier to service belt wise.

If your project is near and dear to you and you want to get it done, you might want to look at spending a lot more than $12 US.. Although temper your expectations with the understanding that it is old and and may need mechanical maintenance.

[VWestlife]

A combination of an EasyCrap and an early to mid '90s Handycam that's 99.99% guaranteed to be suffering from bad capacitors is just asking for trouble and frustration. Those Handycams love to stay working just long enough for an eBay/FBM seller to proclaim it as "fully tested, working fine!", then the capacitors puke out their guts and by the time the buyer gets it a few days later, it's a non-functional paperweight.

[BW37]

I didn’t realize you’d bought multiple’s of the same camcorder model. I don’t know the specifics of that model, but appears to be from the early 1990s. This era of Sony camcorders is known to have capacitor problems that can be pervasive and not worth the cost of repair. By the late 1990s and into the 2000s, this problem was mostly gone. These are the models most recommended for transferring Video8, Hi8 or possibly Digital8 (D8) tapes. Most of these later models also had fold-out LCD screens which are handy.

Here’s a long thread listing and discussing many of the recommended models:
https://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/video-capture/10257-video8-hi8-digital8.html

This is not an all inclusive list, and is especially weak regarding PAL models, but it’s still a good start. All of the recommended models have a built in line TBC which improves to picture quality. Most of the Hi8 and D8 models will give you an s-video output and many output stereo sound (not needed for your TR50E tapes). Beware that many of these camcorders need the correct AV output cable to give you any output.

As dellsam34 mentioned earlier, the D8 models give you the option to transfer your tapes as DV as well as using something like your USB dongle. This requires a way of making a “FireWire” connection to your PC which most modern PCs no longer have.

If you choose to pursue getting a newer Sony camcorder, be sure to check the manual before you buy to be sure it has all of the functionality you are looking for: TBC, analog output (if D8 model), stereo or mono (models ending in 8 and a couple others are all mono).

Good luck!
BW

[Christoc]

Thanks for all the tips! Really appreciate it.

[timtape]

Re the audio, the above setup will give you audio on only one channel. More capable camcorders have two channels for audio-out. In your case, in software after capture, you can either copy the audio channel to the other side so it comes in "stereo" (really dual-channel mono). The other alternative is to get a audio splitter cable like one of these. You plug the single end into your camcorder's white socket and plug the other ends into the red and white Easycap sockets. That will give you fake stereo for the capture.

Christoc, on many DVD recorders if you plug the audio out from your camcorder (black) into DVD recorder's LEFT audio in (white), the audio will automatically record to both left and right audio channels of the DVD, which is normally what you need.

Are you sure the tapes were recorded on a Video 8 camera? If so the colors should be brlght and full played on a Video 8 camera. If the colors appear rather weak, the tapes may have been recorded on a Hi8 camera and should be played on a Hi 8 camera or suitable Digital 8 camera.

[BW37]

If you choose to pursue getting a newer Sony camcorder, be sure to check the manual before you buy to be sure it has all of the functionality you are looking for: TBC, analog output (if D8 model), stereo or mono (models ending in 8 and a couple others are all mono).

Christoc, I need to correct/clarify what I said above. If you go the D8 camcorder route, you need to make sure that the D8 camcorder can PLAY analog tapes (Video8 and Hi8). Not all D8 models can play analog tapes. I'm pretty sure they all have analog outputs for both video and audio though the physical connection types might vary.

BW

[victoriabears]

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=video+8+vcr&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=706-157308-393...hoCoIQQAvD_BwE

get a deck which will play the tapes?

[VWestlife]

If you go the D8 camcorder route, you need to make sure that the D8 camcorder can PLAY analog tapes (Video8 and Hi8). Not all D8 models can play analog tapes.

Wikipedia has a list of which models support analog playback:
Digital8: Analog recordings - Wikipedia

get a deck which will play the tapes?

Not at those prices!

[dellsam34]

Home decks can look cool but I prefer camcorders over home decks for 8mm format, Camcorders usually have lower hour count and less abused compared to home decks that were used for recording, rewinding and playback, and the price is generally way lower..