Convert Digital8 to digital
& save memories.

Have Digital8 digitised or transfer Digital8 to PC yourself?

Table of contents

Have Digital8 converted or convert to digital by yourself?

How can I convert Digital8 recordings by myself?

What does it cost to convert Digital8 to digital by myself?

Can I convert Digital8 without a camcorder?

How much storage space do I need to convert Digital8?

Where can I have Digital8 tapes converted?

Have Digital8 converted or convert to digital by yourself?

This decision you will have to make. Convert your Digital8 tapes by yourself, if you have the technical knowledge and have enough time and patience. Ideally you still have a functioning camcorder.

The more cassettes you have, the more it makes sense to buy the required equipment. The more tapes you have, the more time you will need to convert your collection to digital, since the digitising process is done in real-time. If you transfer your Digital8 to your computer at home, it also has the advantage that you don’t have to give them out of hand.

You should have your Digital8 tapes converted with the help of a professional provider, if you

• want to spend your free time in another way
• don’t have the required technical knowledge
• have many different cassette types

You will get detailed personal advice, can choose from additional services and receive back your converted Digital8 on video DVD or as MP4 file on a hard disk.

How can I convert Digital8 recordings by myself?

These gadgets, cables and software are required:

• Camcorder
• PC with USB connection (2.0 or higher)
• USB video grabber incl. software
• Sufficient storage space
• Video editing software

You have these options, if you don’t own a camcorder:

• Buy a used camcorder, e.g. on eBay
• Have Digital8 converted at a professional provider

Convert Digital8 with a camcorder and video grabber: How it works

1. Install the video grabber software.
2. Connect the video grabber to the computer via USB.
3. Connect the external hard disk to your computer.
4. Connect your S-Video or Cinch cable to your camcorder.
5. Insert the Digital8 cassette into the camcorder and rewind the tape.
6. Start up the video grabber software.
7. Play the recording on the camcorder.
8. If the Digital8 video is at its end, stop the software.
9. Save the converted video as MP4, AVI or MOV file.
10. Export the file into a video editing program.
11. You can now edit the file or even export single sequences from a cassette.

Which file format do I need for Digital8 digitisation?

The file format depends on your needs concerning the converted Digital8 recordings:

Convert Digital8 to digital by yourself: The expense

Converting Digital8 by yourself is expensive in time and patience

If you intend to transfer Digital8 to your hard disk, you should not only consider the financial aspect, but also the expense in time. Digital8 tapes are digitised in real time. This means that the recordings are converted in a normal playback speed. If you have a large amount of Digital8 tapes, the digitisation process will require a lot of time.

Don’t also forget about post-processing. Installing and setting up editing software can result in a big challenge, especially for beginners. Every converted Digital8 video has to be cut, renamed correctly and saved appropriate. If you want to transfer Digital8 to DVD, you will also have to keep this step in mind.

Can I convert Digital8 without a camcorder?

Yes. There are Digital8 recorders that can play and digitise Digital8 tapes without a camcorder. Unfortunately these gadgets are only available from Sony in a used condition for about 200 to £600. A purchase will not really be worth it, since used camcorders are less expensive. The Digital8 digitisation process with such a recorder and a camcorder is identical. For this a video grabber is required as well in order to transfer your Digital8 tapes to a hard disk. To wrap things up, converting Digital8 without a camcorder is possible, but not practical.

How much storage space do I need to convert Digital8?

For a duration of an hour you should calculate on 15 GB storage space.

Where can I have Digital8 tapes converted?

Have your Digital8 tapes converted to digital at MEDIAFIX. We professionally transfer your Digital8 to video DVD or hard disk, starting at £5.99/tape and with our best-price-guarantee.

Convert Digital8 tapes to digital: This is how it works

1. Start a request, print your order form and sign it
2. Pack up your Digital8 tapes and the order form and bring the package to the post
3. Lean back
4. Get back converted Digital8 on DVD or hard disk
5. Invite family and friends to a movie night
6. Enjoy

Digital8 on DVD

Saving your converted Digital8 tapes on video DVD is included in the price at MEDIAFIX. You can then easily play your Digital8 recordings on your DVD player or the DVD drive of your computer. For every single tape you will get a DVD and a case, which also has the labeling of your original Digital8 cassette.

Digital8 on USB drive or hard disk

If you want to edit your Digital8 recordings and cut them, we recommend saving the converted Digital8 as MP4 files. You can choose this option for an extra charge. The files are saved on an USB drive or hard disk. You can either send us your own storage device or buy one during the order process.

Our condition for converting Digital8 in an overview

Just send your Digital8 tapes to us by post.

Over 204 million digitised memories and more than 1,500 positive customer reviews put in a good word for our service. Plenty satisfied customers send a clear signal. Join all these customers and have your Digital8 tapes converted to digital.

Do you have any questions? Our customer service will gladly give you advice. Just call us at our phone number 020 3904438-0.

Our phone hours:

Mon-Fri 10.00 a.m. - 3.00 p.m.

Image source video grabber: Quelle neurolle – Rolf / pixelio.de