How can I capture video from a Hi8 to iMovie?

[WhoSaidJames]

I have been looking all over the internet to find something to help me capture video from a Hi8 MP 8mm Video Cassette to digital video. I have the new up to date iMovie on my laptop. I am using a Sony Handycam DCR-TRV260 to record and capture. I have tried to connect my camcorder to my computer and use the capturing option in iMovie. When I look on my camcorder and it has an error on it. The error says "Check the connected device." I have used different cable to see if it's the cable but I still have the same error. Is there anything I can do or use to get the footage off of the cassette? I am a video student and in class in high school we used a cassette external capture device. Before I go out and buy one of those, is there anything I can do to bypass this error or fix this error?

[Baldrick]

I'm moving you to our mac section.

How do you connect it? firewire/ilink, usb? The usb connection might not work for video.

[rumplestiltskin]

Your camcorder -does- have a Firewire (iLink) port so that is what you will have to use. You can't transfer video over USB.

It is probable your camcorder is no longer on the supported list for iMovie. Two possibilities:

1. iMovie HD (v6) should work with that older camcorder. If you need the manual for the camcorder, look here:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/p/model-home.pl?mdl=DCRTRV260&template_id=1&region_id=1&ta...ls#/manualsTab

2. It is possible that 10.8.x is no longer compatible with that old camcorder and the new version of iMovie. You might try an app called "RecDV" which speaks to the Firewire port in a slightly more direct method. There's no "control" over the camcorder from the Mac; rather, you press the play button on the camcorder and click the record button in the RecDV software. If you hear the audio coming from your Mac's speakers, then it's working (as there's no video preview in the app). I've used RecDV with an old Sony DVMC-DA1 and a VCR when I just needed to get DV-Stream into my Mac. By the way, DV-Stream is what you want as that is what is coming over the Firewire cable. Worry about converting to another format later, after you edit.

[aedipuss]

as far as sonys go that cam can not convert analog hi8 to digital. it's too low a model(they didn't keep that feature in the 260).

[smrpix]

as far as sonys go that cam can not convert analog hi8 to digital. it's too low a model(they didn't keep that feature in the 260).

Going solely on intuition, I'm betting OP has a digital 8 recording on a "Hi8" tape.

WhoSaidJames -- you've been able to play this tape in the camera, right?

[crjackson]

I have the same camera and 10.8.4 and iMovie's latest version. It all works just fine. If you are using Firewire it's fine, but in my case I had to buy a 400/800 cable for it to work.