I have 60 that's Sixty Hi8mm tapes some over 10 years old. I have 40 Digital 8 tapes also. In order to preserve these videos, I would like to copy these tapes to DVD at the best quality. I have two stand alone DVD+R recorders. The newest recorder (an ILO DVDRO4) has a DV-Link or IEE1394 input. My Digital 8 camcorder has the DV-Link/IEE1394 output also. My laptop a Dell Inspiron XPS has a IEE1394 input. # 1 Question: Editing not being an issue -What would obtain the BEST Quality Copy - An IEE1394 cable running from my camcorder directly to the DVD+R recorder and simply pressing record OR Connecting the Camcorder to the laptop and recording using a program such as Windows Movie Maker? #2 Question: As far as I know the Sony Digital 8 camcorder will playback, but not record Hi8mm tapes. That being so, I assume that the Hi8mm playback will also transmit thru the IEE1394 output. I have not tried doing this with the Hi8mm tapes yet. Assuming it will, these Hi8mm tapes are 2 hours long, while the Digital 8 tapes are 1 hour long. So, when recording the 2 hour Hi8mm tapes is it feasiable to record to dual layer dvd's? The laptop has this capability, the stand alone DVD+R recorder does not. Thank you for your time.
Going straight to here DVD+R recorder. Is going to be better than going to windows movie maker. Putting 2 hours on dvd should not be a problem. Your set top recorder is going to have diffrent recording speeds for quality pupposes the less compression you have the better the video. For example when you try to put 4 to 6 hours on dvd that's going to be much more compression and your quality will go down. I use hi 8 tapes with sony camcorder as well they will play threw firewire cable just fine. Good Luck Spacedust
So, to obtain the highest quality when copying the 2 hour Hi8mm tapes, I should use two DVD+R's instead of compressing to one DVD+R? So, other than for editing purposes the PC burners & movie editing software do not provide as good a quality copy than stand alone DVD recorders? I could burn the 2 hour Hi8mm onto a dual layer DVD+R via the laptop and the copy WOULD or WOULD NOT be as could as recording the 2 hour Hi8mm tape onto 2 single layer disc using the stand alone recorder? This an effort to preseve family video for generations to come.
Compressing the movie is not going to have an affect on how long the dvd media lasts. You say This an effort to preseve family video for generations to come. Generations in the future will probally not even know what dvd is kinda like 8 track and cassette tapes. By then it will be something totally new. Doing it all on the laptop is an option but it will take much more effort and time to do so. It will not make a diffrence in quality and how long the media last. Buy name brand media like verbatum,Tiyo Yuden store in cool dark place. Good Luck Spacedust
