Best Hi8 MPEG -1 or-2 Capture Device? PLEASE HELP!!

[CMP1223]

I have been roaming around this forum for 2 weeks and I am confused as ever. Here is what I am looking for (in a perfect world): a device that will capture From my Hi8 Sony camcorder, and if possible a VHS player, converted into MPEG 1 in real time (so I can edit it on my PC) and then create a high quality VHS (maybe VCD too). I really don't care about software, as long as the hardware is compatible w/ 3rd party stuff. If I must capture in MPEG-2 and then convert, so be it. I don't have room for DV AVI and I don't have a firewire port (nor do i want to buy them), even though I know they are probably the best way. I was looking at the Dazzle DVC and DVCII and ADS Instant DVD, but have found mixed reviews for all of them. I have XP and a PIII 850Mgz, so Hardware compression would be the best. I would really like an input AND output device. Any Hi8 users out there with experience with a device like this? I don't care about DVD capture. Just want a great, edited VHS in the end!

Thanks for any information

Chris

[kinneera]

I have done Hi8 conversion, and I do not recommend capturing directly to MPEG. You will not be satisfied with the quality and it will make editing far more complicated. I suggest some form of AVI compression (I'm partial to Huffyuv, or there's MJPEG) as the intermediary format for editing and then encode to MPEG.

[bachkhoa]

I use StudioDV (came with a firewire card) to record into AVI
Then edit and "MakeMovie" to another AVI. This is my "original source". I save these files so I can later remake these clips. Since AVI editor is easier to find than MPEG, therefore, I save as AVI. I also burned these clips to CDs for archiving purpose.
I then use TMGEnc to "convert/encode" to MPEG2 (SVCD)
Finally, burn it with Nero.
The result is "acceptable" for me.

Have fun!

[loveturtle]

I suggest getting a good MJPEG card like miro dc30+ or dc10 with win98SE or winME(I capture from Hi8 all the time and the dc30+ is great for this purpose)
and use AVIIO instead of virtual dub
my capturing rig:
ASUS A7V motherboard modified bios from www.tweakhardware.com that turned the onboard promise controller into a RAID controller
to that I got 2 diamond max 30GB harddrives RAID0 the harddrives have the silient feature disabled
I also got a 30GB system drive and a 80GB HD that I use for editing after capture
Tbird 1GHz
enermax 430 watt power supply
aluminum case
WinME(I wont move to win XP or win2000 because they dont allow you to disable virtual memory)
512MB cas2 ram @133MHZ
baycooler 3 for my RAID drives
soundbasterd live(original)
netgear nic
pioneer 16xDVD
cornerstone f1200 17.5" LCD monitor(CRT are just too hard on my eyes)
ASUS V7000 delux with GeForce 2
virtual memory disabled(always) havent had a crash in 2 months at least
and then it was media player trying to play an asf
miro dc30+ and AVIIO full version(yes I bought this software it is much better then virtual dud at capturing)
I use virtual dub to frame serve to TMPEG to encode my captures to vcd