[Masters Golf]

I now use a digital camcorder, but in the early 90's I was using a Sony Video8 camcorder.

I have 60+ tapes that I can't play/view, much less copy to a DVD, as my old Sony camcorder is broken. I always used it to playback my video tapes by plugging it directly into the TV. I checked w/ a local repair shop and they want $150 to repair it. All I need it for is to playback the tapes so I can copy them to DVD. After than, I'll toss it.

I can't find "anything" that will play the Video 8 format. Also, It is my understanding that a vcr tape converter does not exist for this type of format. I can't find anything on EBay and I've asked everyone (friends, family, etc.) if they have an old Video8 camcorder and they don't.

Can someone help?

madcow@knology.net

[linskyjack]

YOu need to convert the analog footage to digital. There are breakout boxes and some DV cameras that will allow you to accomplish this. What model digital camcorder do you have--it might just be capable of doing a pass through/conversion.

[Masters Golf]

I understand about converting analog to digital. That is not the issue. The issue is that I don't have anything to play my Video 8 tapes on. My old camera doesn't work. There aren't any vcr converter tapes for Video 8. I cannot locate anyone with a working Video 8 cam that I can borrow. I need to be able to play the tapes.

[buck52]

here's a link... http://search.ebay.com/video-8-playe...sortpropertyZ1

Are there any shop around that will put them on DVD for you?

[Knotbored]

The old 8mm format was (is) a great one-too bad its now been replaced, but tapes are still sold and its not etirely obsolete. Two suggestions-advertise in newspaper classified for someone willing to trade "use of camera" for your camera for spare parts, or in free section give camera to anyone willinng to fix it-with you borrowing it a week to download the films. I am is similar fix and have working Sony 8 but no dvd recorder yet.

[IronMike778]

Go to Walmart and buy a new camera for about $250, use it to play/import your tapes/footage to the computer, then return the camera to Walmart when you're done. No harm, no foul.

[Jack™]

I was exactly in your position some years ago when I upgraded from Video-8 to Hi-8 and last year from Hi-8 to Digital-8.
By checking Sony's Digital-8 cameras, I found that the last batch of cameras that were backward compatible with Video-8 and Hi-8 were the TRV-730 or TRV-740 and if I'm not mistaken, also the simpler TRV-140 and TRV-240.
I can report to you that my oldest Video-8 tapes (1985!!!) look absolutely marvelous on the TRV-740. Much better than on my still working Hi-8 camera!!!
From the TRV-740 it's easy to do digital editing and VCD mastering by either USB or firewire connection....

[linskyjack]

Originally Posted by IronMike778

Go to Walmart and buy a new camera for about $250, use it to play/import your tapes/footage to the computer, then return the camera to Walmart when you're done. No harm, no foul.

Yup--rip off the manufacturer and the retailer--Thats why America is such a great country--there is absolutely no morality.