Digitise Hi8 analogue video to iMac mini

How many Hi8 tapes do you have?

1) Purchase video capture hardware that works with your Mac and software that is compatible with the macOS version that you are running. (This way is not cheap or easy)

2) Find a DVD recorder. Plug the Hi8 camera into the recorder and burn the tapes to DVDs. Then load the DVDs into iMovie. (This way is easy but time consuming)

3) Send the Hi8 tape(s) out to a professional service and have then put on a Flash Drive.

https://southtree.com/products/hi8-to-dvd-service?

https://memoryfortress.com/hi8-to-digital/

https://www.imemories.com/search?

Many Digital8 camcorders that played Hi8 tapes had the ability to digitize the analog video, and send the digitized video out of their iLink (4-pin Firewire 400) ports.

That was the best way to get digital video out. I rather doubt that any of those camcorders had HDMI ports, since Digital8 and MiniDV were for NTSC and other analog video systems that predated HDTV. Some had USB ports for getting low-resolution video and still photos out, but not for getting full-quality video out that way.

Sadly, most newer docks do not have Firewire ports – and Apple never made an updated version of the TB-to-FW adapter. You have to string together the TB3-to-TB2 adapter and the TB-to-FW800 adapter to get from a TB 3/4 port on a modern Mac, to Firewire 800.

Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter - Apple

Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter - Apple

Then you'd need something like this, with a Firewire 800 and a 4-pin Firewire 400 plug.

https://www.amazon.com/Pasow-FireWire-Cable-IEEE-Firewire/dp/B087RH9JX8/ref=sr_1_3?crid=UUS9FSZLIWZI&keywords=firewire%2B800%2Bto%2Bilink%2Bcable&qid=1686460110&sprefix=firewire%2B800%2Bto%2Bilink%2Bcable%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-3&th=1

Close to $90 in cabling, and then maybe you could import digital video into iMovie.

Maybe…. 21-2234… Sony camcorder used to have a 4 pin FireWire port on it, called Sony iLink… if it did have one, you’d have to enable it on camcorder menu, then get 4 pin FireWire to 8-9 pin FireWire then Apple FireWire to Thunderbolt adapter to Mac mini, then iMovie… click on import/capture … assuming camcorder has a tape loaded in it, is set to playback mode, connected to power and connected to Mac mini, then iMovie takes over after you press “play” on camcorder… then again, I used “old school” Mac Pro with FireWire port for that… or elgato usb to analog video dongle+ capturing software for vhs/usb-c video tapes… paid around $100 for the elgato “kit”… I suppose you could try a generic analog video to usb cable+ usb-c adapter plus video capturing software/application ??

john B

You can look at some of the el gato products.

But unless your Mac has FireWIre, a FireWire based solution might not be possible or require a string of adapters.

My Sony Camcorder still works, so I use that.

If you know someone who has an old Mac with a Firewire port, maybe you ask them to pull in the digital video for you, then transfer the iMovie files to you via a USB drive. Then you wouldn't have the expense of the two Apple adapters.

Intel-based Macs had Firewire 400 or 800 up until 2011. In 2012, Apple started offering USB 3.0 ports, and took Firewire ports away.

RE: "I can get a cheap adapter from Amazon, thanks."

I assume you mean a cheap adapter that attaches to the computer via USB, and to the camcorder via its analog video outputs. Those should work fine, provided that you get one that's compatible with your Mac.

Just in case: if you see a device that claims to be a "USB to Firewire adapter", avoid it like the plague. You can't add a Firewire port using a USB-A adapter. But there are some vendors who have glued a USB-A connector to a Firewire connector anyway!

What that means is that the wires are connected randomly inside – if they are connected at all. At best, it won't work, and possibly it will even fry something. There was a review of one such device on Amazon where the guy said that he should have known it wouldn't work, but he bought it anyway. It concluded with a statement to the effect of "Woe is me, for today I am not engineer." (!!!)

Oh yes, they advertise such things, usually made in Chine, like you say, no way to mix the two, different voltages, different mAs, different protocols... been wondering lately if it was meant to use a FW cable as a USB to USB cable or some such silly thing???

I have heard of one valid use for such "adapters".

Some specialized testing equipment might have a port on the front that can send out USB signals or Firewire ones, depending on how you configure the testing gear. The connector on the test equipment itself would only be right for one of these modes. So in the other, you'd need to adapt the signal to the right connector … with a very non-standard "USB to Firewire" adapter matched to that machine.

Forget to plug in that "adapter" (when necessary), or use that "adapter" with something else, not realizing that all of the work was being done by the non-standard testing equipment, and it sucks to be you…

That's for the ones that are legitimate.

I think a lot of the ones you see advertised aren't legitimate accesssories for specialized testing equipment, being sold out of context. They're just frauds that the vendors should have known were frauds, from the start.

You’re welcome.

Yep, I suspect frauds on most of them.