Need help capturing from a Hi-8 camera

GWinston wrote on 3/12/2006, 5:45 PM

Let me start by saying I have success with my own mini-DV camera.
I am borrowing my brother-in-law's Sony Hi-8 (CCD-TRV608) camera and I can't capture with Vegas. This camera has streaming USB and when I try to capture I get a "the device SOMA capture could not be opened". I downloaded the USB capture driver (though I have read this may be an unnecessary step with Windows XP) and still no go. Can anyone suggest what is my best course of action from here? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Comments

Former user wrote on 3/12/2006, 5:47 PM

Try doing a pass through using your camera. If you have analog in/out and a firewire on your MiniDV, then hook up the Hi8 camera and capture though it.

USB camera connections are normally only good for stills. Not really suggested for video.

Dave T2

B.Verlik wrote on 3/12/2006, 8:26 PM

Most of those USB ports on these cameras, allow you to use the cam as a webcam. Some will make mpeg recordings that will transfer that way too. I don't know any that will transfer Hi8 through USB.
Like the above post stated about pass-thru, or an outside A/D converter using analog connections or a Sony Digital 8 camcorder w/Hi-8 playback can be firewired out to PC.
Firewire is still the way to go for transfers.

GWinston wrote on 3/14/2006, 6:07 PM

Thanks for the tips. I used the S-Vid out from the Hi-8 cam to my mini-DV for the video and used mini - headphone jack cable for the audio and it seemed to have worked. Is there a better way than this or is this what you guys are referring to.
Thanks again for the replies and help.
Greg

B.Verlik wrote on 3/14/2006, 6:45 PM

If you are capturing with a video card and an audio card from your mini DV, it can be done, but you usually end up working at it. There can be video/audio sync problems after a few minutes. Some folks have gone thru the problem of figuring it out.
Most digital DV cameras have a firewire jack and that is the best way to capture your AVIs. (audio/video Interlocked) using a firewire cable. You get the sound and video locked together in one cable.
The Sony Digital 8, I mentioned above, can play back 8/Hi-8 tapes and will automatically convert to digital and send that signal thru a firewire to your PC. (only a few models do this)
You need a decent firewire card and if your camera does not have firewire output, you can use an outside analog to digital converter that has firewire in/outs.
Or ask somebody here to explain how to use composite inputs on a video card and audio inputs on an audio card. I could never get them to work.
If you're using your mini-DV and it does have firewire, and that's what you're using, forget about what I wrote. That will work. but, the Sony Digital 8 and certain A/D converters (ADVC 300) have Time Base Correctors and Noise Reduction which help with old tape playback problems and frame dropping.