Video8 import

zozo
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
This is driving me nuts.



in iMovie 4 I had some difficulties but I managed to import a few ancient Video8 tapes. I bought a Sony DCR-TR8000E for cheap a few months ago since it reads Video8 and Hi8 and has an iLink/Firewire connection: Finally, I said to myself, I can import and edit a few hundred hours of memories.



Alas, its driving me nuts.



If I record on a tape, it WILL play it back and import it perfectly.



If I try and playback or import any old footage it doesnt work except for a small "bleep" and a couple frames (in iMovie 5).



I went to a friends place and tried Final Cut Express and it imports the video ok.. but I dont hear any audio (is there a "play through" option or something?)



I haven't the slightest idea how FCP Express works and to be honest I think is way over what I need. I just want to get old footage, cut a little and export to DVD.



Any ideas why the Video8 format doesnt get imported anymore?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    ok.. I think Im understanding..



    Video 8 is "analog"



    it wont go through the iLink in theorey.



    iMovie 5 doesnt like it.



    But then why the hell does FCP Express import it (with no audio)



    And why did iMovie 4 somewhat manage as well???



    Please dont tell me I have to get a video import device with S-Video in or something like that... christ.. do I have to buy yet MORE???



    Any suggestions?



    Any suggestions on good/cheap video-in boxes?
  • Reply 2 of 6
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ZO

    christ.. do I have to buy yet MORE???









    Don't you hate it, when, thinking that you have bought everything needed to do your work - you find out that you need to buy MORE stuff? Damn, I hate that feeling - and for that purpose, and that alone, I don't do much nowadays. It's not that I'm cheap - heck, not even close - but I hate to go back to times when I needed to buy 29 pieces of hardware to do something I wanted to do.



    And I'm sorry, but I can't help you. I just remembered the way I felt when I did similar things...
  • Reply 3 of 6
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    well, thanks for the consolation Gene



    I'm almost sure I'll get one of these two:

    Canopus ADVC-110 (Firewire)

    or

    Elgato EyeTV Wonder USB 2.0



    I loathe USB... but its about 100usd cheaper.



    In the meantime I want to figure the hell out why and what I can try to do with software only. I had it somewhat working in the past, I dont see why the hell it wont work now.



    So, again I ask... any suggestions with iMovie or FCP?



    Thanx
  • Reply 4 of 6
    ipodandimacipodandimac Posts: 3,273member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ZO



    I'm almost sure I'll get one of these two:

    Canopus ADVC-110 (Firewire)



    get it.
  • Reply 5 of 6
    mimacmimac Posts: 872member
    In theory your camcorder should convert the analog video on the tape to a digital signal and send it down firewire to iMovie, though the problem could be either, iMovie can't work with the signal because there is no datacode recorded on the tape OR try fiddling with importing preferences in iMovie. Hope you can find a workaround.



    I have a lot of old footage on Video8 that I haven't gotten round to editing in iMove, though i'm running an old version, so think I'll have to dump it all onto my computer and edit it later when I get the new iLife pack.
  • Reply 6 of 6
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    MiMac if I were you, try importing with iMovie 3, then 4. As I said before I had some success with iMovie 4, and now, iMovie 5 just totally doesnt work



    What import prefs can play around with?? There is basically no control in iMovie...



    Anyway, the one or two radio buttons I can select or not didnt do anything...
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