8mm home video to DVD suggestion

[impmon2]

I have a stack of some 100 home videos that I'd like to transfer to DVD but I could use some advices or suggestions. Each video reel are about 5 minutes long. When searching on this subject, someone suggested using scanner with transparency adapter. That may be OK for one or 2 reels but defiantly not 100 reels!

First up, where could I get a working 8mm projector at a decent price? The last few projectors I've picked up all had burned out bulb that either costs more than its worth to fix or simply aren't fixable. All I have are the personal viewer (baia Ediviewer mark II) and it uses hand crank so getting the proper playback speed would be a challenge. Plus the tiny screen isn't suitable for capturing to DV cam. (see attached image below)



Assuming I can get a hold of 8mm projector that *works*, I plan to use plain white paper rather than the movie screen, the screen tended to scatter lights as it was designed for viewing. This brings another question: is there a recommended way of setting the camera to make decent capture? It's a NTSC Sonycam and I can't remember if it has variable fps setting but if not, it'd be doing 60 fields (30 frames) which means a lot of black frames. The film is (I think) 12 fps.

I'd like to save the video as DVD quality but I'd need a way to edit out quickly all the black frames and duplicate frames in between the black frames, maybe correct for jittery image due to worn film, and make so the final video is 12 fps) I believe there's something that can be used foir VirtalDub but I couldn't find it.

I do have a tripod to use with the camera and I could mount the projector so even a nasty earthquake won't jostle the picture.

Any other suggestions?

[guns1inger]

Personal opinion - even if you found a projector, I think you would be disappointed with the quality you would get using this method. It is certainly the cheapest option, but most DV cams struggle with low lighting, which is the situation you are facing. This is without the frame rate differences you have already mentioned.

If these are really important to you, I would at least price a professional transfer service. They have the kit to overcome most of these issues, and can probably output to DV tape for your archiving/editing needs.

[yodel]

Best is to buy special glass set for this, the special matt glass has no
"hot spot" of the projector's light source, and in this set comes a damped
glass mirror, to back project the beam of the projector, onto that glass plate, which you then record with you camcorder.
I've got a set of "Pieterman hardglas" which is a good one.

[handyguy]

Photography shops should have one for rent. Then project on a white card & use your camcorder to capture it. There are a few topics on this but that seems to be the way to do it or pay a pro shop.