Video8/Hi8 playback/capture options

[HDClown]

What's the best option for me to use in terms of playback/capture for Videp8 and Hi8 content? I have a Sony DCR-TRV120 with built in DNR and TBC. I can use in 1 of two pays:

1) Connected via FireWire, which will end up capturing the source into a DV file
2) Connected via RCA L/R and S-Video connected to my ATI TV Wonder 750 USB capturing HuffYUV

I've done some capture using #1 from a Hi8 source and have an interest result. Here's the MediaInfo for the video section

Video
ID                               : 0
Format                           : Digital Video
Codec ID                         : dvsd
Codec ID/Hint                    : Sony
Duration                         : 8mn 22s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 24.4 Mbps
Width                            : 720 pixels
Height                           : 480 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 3:2
Original display aspect ratio    : 4:3
Frame rate mode                  : Constant
Frame rate                       : 29.970 fps
Standard                         : NTSC
Resolution                       : 8 bits
Colorimetry                      : 4:1:1
Scan type                        : Interlaced
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 2.360
Stream size                      : 1.68 GiB (95%)

The DV file is 720x480 with a 3:2 display ratio, but it's tagged as a 4:3 original aspect ratio, and WMP/QuickTime will size the window as 640x480 for playback. VLC will size as 720x480. QuickTime also shows "720x480 (640x480)" in the video inspector.

I capture my VHS using method #1 (but from a S-VHS deck source instead of the camcorder). The MediaInfo on those files doesn't have 2 different aspect ratios, and the file always shows as 720x480 sized, regardless of what player I use.

I want to capture in whatever method means the best quality capture. I would think DV would be better in this case, be cause it eliminations extra A/D conversions, but I need someone to confirm for me.

I'm also a little confused on the different aspect ratio/resolution things that I am seeing when I playback the .AVI creaetd on DV import. Could someone explain this? My assumption here is that since the original content was Hi8, which is "full NTSC resolution", or essentialliy 640x480i, but the import through a D8 camcorder and D8 uses 720x480i, this is why there is the difference in the AVI file with display ratios and resolutions.

[lordsmurf]

There's actually a similar conversation here: http://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/showthread.php/advice-preserve-svhs-2254.html
This may be good reading for you, too: http://www.digitalFAQ.com/forum/showthread.php/aspect-ratios-editing-2128.html

For best quality, I prefer analog capture of 8mm and Hi8, to HuffYUV or even straight to MPEG-2 (15Mbps for editing, or less than 9Mbps for DVD-Video).

[HDClown]

If you find MPEG-2 acceptable at 15Mbps, what do you have against DV at 24Mbps, aside from the colorspace difference? What do you recommend as the MPEG-2 encoder for import?

I will have to do a side-by-side comparison of my equipment options, but if there is no visible difference between bringing this 8mm/Hi8 in as DV vs HuffYUV, I'm not sure I see the benefit to all the extra HDD space. I've been passing my W808 S-VHS VCR through a Panasonic DMR-ES10. Now that I know the TRV120 has built in TBC, I can try pass-through with that, but the device only has 1 s-video port, so I can input s-video/output composite, or vice-versa. I suspect it would be ideal to stick with s-video in/out like I can with the W808/ES10. Based on the source material I've looked at currently, none of it is in bad need of time based correction.

I'm not willing to purchase any additional equipment at this point, so this is what I have to work with. I was originally fine with HuffYUV for all my VHS, but this is going to entail a minimum of 6TB to capture everything I have, and that's space I simply do not have, and nor am I in a financial situation to acquire it right now. So I need to find a good alternative.

Where I'm confused on PAR/DAR/AR and SAR is with this DV material I've been working with an re-encoding it. To simplify my life, I've been using Handbrake and the recommend high profile preset. This defaults to anamorphic loose sizing and ends up spitting out 712x480. I can make it none or strict and keep it at 720x480 like the DV. The MP4's made from Handbrake only show as 720x480 and display this way by WMP/QT/VLC, which is different than the DV file which shows in WMP/QT at 640x80 but in VLC as 720x480. All I ultimately want to know is if, in the process of encoding, I'm doing something to distort the actual image as it was originally shot and intended to be viewed.