Digitizing 8mm or Hi8 Directly to MP4?

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Digitizing 8mm or Hi8 Directly to MP4?

I'm attempting to digitize a couple of boxes of 8mm and Hi8 tapes directly to MP4. Typically I've found iMovie opens and then creates a boatload of project files and other bloat that I really don't want. Does anyone know of a way that I can digitize directly to MP4?

In my fantasy I connect to my Mac, connect my camera, hit play. After the tape plays through I have simple MP4 that I can label and save to a hard drive.

So far it seems like there are so many more steps and rendering and project files. I have about 50 or 60 tapes and it just seems like a bit much.

Ultimately I may dive back into these and author them into a movie, but for now I just want to digitize them before they degrade. Any suggestions for the easiest way to do this?

iMovie '08

Posted on Jun 16, 2012 6:17 AM

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Answer 1

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Bengt Wärleby

Level 6

19,458 points

Jun 16, 2012 7:27 AM in response to jlex27

Hi

8mm and Hi-8 - are analog formats (as VHS, C-VHS, Super-VHS etc) and can not be imported directly to any Mac without an Analog/Digital converter - and they are many to chose from.

Due to experience of old tapes (VHS mainly) there are drop-outs and a very few A/D-boxes can handle this. The Cheap ones converts then breaks = iMovie or FinalCut Halts.

And one time now and then might be OK - but 100dreds per 1-10 minutes can be very tiresome.

So I chose a rather expensive solution - which has TimeBase correction meaning

• on drop-outs - it tries to mend picture and audio = plays on

• audio keeps i full Sync. even on pretty bad tapes

It was called Canopus ADVC-300 - later Grass Wally ADVC-300

alt.1 method is to use a miniDV (tape) camera in-between (with Analog in function)

• if it has Video trough - then it will work as an A/D-box

• if not one has to copy one tape at a time (60 minutes) (NEVER USE THE LP-function as this will produce Drop-outs in a lot)

alt.2 method - let a firm do it for You.

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 2

jlex27 Author

Level 1

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Jun 16, 2012 7:30 AM in response to Bengt Wärleby

I'm so sorry. I was actually incorrect. All of these are MiniDVs and Digital8s.

For the old analog stuff I recorded it into these tapes. But now I'm just trying to get to simple mp4 files so they can all neatly be stored on a large external hard drive.

Again, sorry as I know your solution was considering me being in an analog format. Given that I'm digital, do you have any solutions for taking those tapes straight to MP4?

Jason

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Answer 3

Jun 16, 2012 9:36 AM in response to jlex27

OK

miniDV tapes (is the best SD-video I can use - there are DVPRO etc but they are far from my reach)

If I would store this on an external hard disk I would

• Use iMovie HD6 (to get 100% of the interlaced SD-Video) (about 13.5Gb per hour of movie)

(I would not convert this streamingDV .dv to anything else as this will lose quality and the .dv is 100%)

alt. is FinalCut as this too can export 100% interlaced SD-video if needed

• the Extrernal Hard disk - MUST BE - Mac OS Extended - else the files will break beyond repair due to that UNIX/DOS/FAT32/Mac OE Exchange will break it up in 4Gb blocks not to be mended together again.

• And I would keep tapes any way as a last level of security - if the hard disk dropps into the floor - all is lost and the tapes could be the blessing left.

• .mp4 - is no video codec - it's a container that can keep codecs of high quality and of some with a very low (quality losing) sort

Yours Bengt W

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Answer 4

Jun 16, 2012 2:33 PM in response to jlex27

I would suggest that you first use iMovie to import all these files from the tapes and get them on a hard drive. Everything you do will be pretty much manual until you do. These DV files will be located in an iMovie Event. I suggest you import to an external drive, because the files will be large.

Then get a free app called MPEG Streamclip from Squared 5.

Drag one of the .dv files into MPEG Streamclip and use FILE/EXPORT TO MPEG 4 using the setting of your choice.

Once this is working the way you want, you can use the Batch Mode of MPEG Streamclip to queue up all your DV clips and convert them to MPEG4 unattended.

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