Remember, you should probably try this process with a test tape first, ensuring you don’t lose anything in the event that your equipment malfunctions. Connect the USB output of the video capture device to a USB port on the PC. The type of camcorder, the connections it has, and the supporting software on the PC determine how videos can be uploaded and saved.
How to Convert Film and VHS to Digital
Read more about mini dv conversion here.
After the transfer, you can now export the data into different digital formats. Some of the digital formats you can export include MP4, MOV, WMV, AVI, AVCHD, WebM, etc.
Vintage Film Rolls: 16 mm, 8 mm, and Super 8
Like the others, the Elgato package includes software that lets you save video from VHS to DVD or your hard drive. Aside from the ability to trim the beginning and end of the video, though, there are no editing capabilities here. You also get all the cables you need—both USB and RCA analog audio. (If you want to use the slightly higher-quality S-video connection, you’ll need your own S-video cable, though).
With alternatives dwindling, the best way to preserve old camcorder videos, exclusive of having it done professionally, is enlisting the aid of your PC. The upload quality depends on how much RAM is on your PC, the processor, and the hard drive speed. Also, think of the convenience of having an 8mm cassette viewer. You get to directly play your 8mm tapes to TV just like you would with a VHS VCR. Get this player if you have a mix of Video8, Hi8 and Digital8 8mm video cassettes. Feel free to read the reviews before committing to an 8mm video cassette player purchase.
If you’re interested, check out Walmart Photo and Costco Photo Center. Both of these accept tapes in formats including VHS, S-VHS, Betamax, VHS-C, Hi-8, MiniDV and more. The best way to convert 8mm tapes to DVD is by playing them back from your Video8 orHi-8 camcorder with a video capture device connected to a computer. Sending your MiniDV tapes to a digitization service will take the burden of editing off your shoulders.