How to Transfer 8mm and Hi8 Video Tapes to DVD or VHS
If the film strip is roughly two pencils wide—and on a reel that looks like the kind you might see in a documentary about the Golden Age of Hollywood—it’s probably 16 mm. If you have old reels of film in the attic packed in iconic yellow Kodak boxes, they’re probably Regular 8 or Super 8 film. Although Kodak released 16 mm Kodachrome film in 1935, then 8 mm film a year later, home movies didn’t really take off until the 1960s, when Kodak released Super 8. As a bonus, we’ve included advice on how to make sure the video you’re capturing today is still easy to read a few years—or decades—from now. The payment for your account couldn’t be processed or you’ve canceled your account with us.
How can I watch the captured video on my phone or tablet?
Read more about convert video tapes to digital here.
UCEC Video Capture Card Device
They’re sold as external boxes that connect to your playback device, or computer cards that can be installed on your PC. Film to digital converter Wolverine makes all-in-one film converters that read film recordings and turn them into digital video files. The converter comes with RCA cables to connect the video source, and it features a play button for video playback on the device itself. You can transfer the digitized videos to your computer using the included USB cable and edit or burn them to DVD. If you’ve realized the importance of converting them into a digital format, and you’re on the hunt for ways to make it happen, you’ve landed in the right spot. We’re about to explore all the avenues available for turning those analog memories into digital treasures, so you can easily enjoy and share them with your circle of friends and family.
That helps immensely when the color on your VHS degrades into being too “red” for your taste. If you want to save lots of time editing, make sure to adjust your unit before every tape. Your tapes likely have different kinds of damage and aging, so you want to tailor your transfer per tape. Color correction units are easy to adjust, so it won’t be a problem, even if you want to go scene-by-scene. (some units only accept one of these formats, so double-check that) into the DVD player, then begin the transfer process. Below, we’ll show you how to save your moments digitally on multiple formats, including by DVD transfer, Blu-ray, or digital file. If you’re just too busy, we’ve also got a list of the various VHS conversion services, including pricing, to help you preserve that 20-year-old home video of you bailing on your first bike.
Some services might even enhance and repair your VHS-C footage, making it shine for modern devices. Do note that not every service offers these options, so it’s best to verify before diving in.
After recording, you can also watch your freshly minted digital content directly on your screen using the play button. Once you have your gear collected, connect the camcorder to the computer using the IEEE 1394 cable and follow the instructions that came with your camcorder. Once the tapes have been transferred, they will be in uncompressed digital video files, which can be huge. Using a program like Handbrake, you’ll be able to compress them with virtually no loss of quality but with significantly smaller file sizes. There are several formats you can convert your VHS tapes to. We recommend choosing the highest quality format your computer can support.
In this article I’m going to cover three popular video formats and explain how to transfer Mini DV, Video 8… Also the post I wrote What is The Best Way To Transfer VHS To DVD?
Our FREE guide to preserving your photos, videos, films and more. Some film lasts about 50 years with proper storage, and magnetic tape only lasts from 10 to 30 years before it starts degrading. Expert video technicians know how to dislodge stuck tapes without harming your media or equipment. Evaluate your media before selecting a video transfer service.
The great thing about this method is that it lets you play the VHS as you record. This means you can save yourself from rewinding your tapes afterward. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on pro-level video editing software just to tweak your videos. Pop the VHS that you are looking to digitize into the VCR and rewind to the spot where you’d like it to start from. Press play on your VCR and hit record from the software on your computer and the VHS will start converting.
To evaluate how good this parameter is, you can check such video detail as pixelization. Options 1 or 2 are the most practical and cost-effective. If you have them transferred to DVD by a service, have them do one, and then test it to make sure it plays on your DVD player. If all goes well, you can then decide whether to have your remaining tapes transferred using this option.