Convert Hi8 to digital
& save your memories

Table of contents

Have your Hi8 tapes converted or digitise them yourself?

How can I convert Hi8 tapes to digital by myself?

What does it cost to transfer Hi8 to digital by myself?

Can I convert Hi8 to digital without a camcorder?

How much storage space do I need to convert Hi8 to digital?

Where can I have Hi8 tapes converted?

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Have Hi8 converted or convert to digital by yourself?

Converting Hi8 to DVD or transferring them to your computer is expensive in time and money. The more cassettes you have, the more it makes sense to buy the required equipment. But also you will be busy even longer with converting, since it is done in real time. If you choose to convert your Hi8 tapes at a professional digitising service, you won’t have to deal with technical issues and you will save much time.

How can I convert Hi8 tapes to digital by myself?

In order to transfer Hi8 videos to your computer, you need both hardware and software:

• Camcorder or a playback device for Hi8 tapes
• PC with USB connection (2.0 or higher)
• USB video grabber incl. software
• Enough storage space (internal or external, 15GB/h)
• Free video editing software
• Time (converting is done in real time)

If you don’t have a functioning camcorder, you have two options:

1. Buy a used camcorder, e.g. on eBay
2. Transfer Hi8 to digital at a professional provider like MEDIAFIX

How to transfer Hi8 tapes to a hard disk easily

1. Install a video grabber software.
2. Connect the video grabber to your computer via USB.
3. Connect your external hard drive to your computer.
4. Connect your S-Video or Cinch cable to your camcorder.
5. Insert the Hi8 cassette into the camcorder and rewind the tape.
6. First, start the video grabber software, and then turn on the camcorder.
7. If the Hi8 video is at its end, stop the recording and save the converted video as MP4, AVI or MOV file.
8. With a video editing program you can edit the file or even export single sequences.

Which file format do I need for Hi8 digitisation?

The file format depends on your needs:

How much does it cost to convert Hi8 to digital by yourself?

Converting Hi8 by yourself is expensive in time and patience

If you intend to transfer Hi8 to your hard disk, you should not only consider the financial aspect, but also the expense in time. Hi8 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 Hi8 tapes, the digitisation process will require a lot of time.

Don’t forget about post-processing. Installing and setting up editing software can result in a big challenge, especially for beginners. Every converted Hi8 video has to be cut, renamed, and saved. If you want to transfer Hi8 to DVD, you will also have to keep this step in mind.

Can I convert Hi8 to digital without a camcorder?

Yes. There are Hi8 recorders that can play and digitise Hi8 tapes without a camcorder. Unfortunately, the only available recorders are from Sony. You can buy them secondhand for about £400. Buying them may not be worth it, as used camcorders are less expensive. The Hi8 digitisation process with such a recorder and a camcorder is identical. In this case, you will still require a video grabber to transfer your Hi8 tapes to a hard disk. To wrap things up, converting Hi8 to digital without a camcorder is possible, but not practical.

How much storage space do I need to convert Hi8 to digital?

For a video length of one hour, you need at least 15 GB of storage space.

Where can I get Hi8 tapes converted?

You can convert Hi8 to digital at MEDIAFIX. We professionally convert your Hi8 starting at £5.99/tape to DVD or hard disk. In this way you can save valuable free time and also the expense for a camcorder and further accessories.

Just send us your Hi8 tapes by post and we will digitise them according to your wishes.

Convert Hi8 tapes to digital: how it works

1. Start a request, print your order form and sign it
2. Pack up your Hi8 tapes and the order form and bring the package to the post
3. Lean back
4. Convert Hi8 to DVD, MP4, or hard disk
5. Invite your family and friends to a movie night
6. Enjoy your digitised Hi8 tapes!

Over 217 million digitised memories and more than 1,500 positive customer reviews put in a good word for our service. Plenty of satisfied customers send a clear signal. Join all these customers and have your Hi8 tapes converted to digital.

Any questions? Our customer service is happy to help you at any time. Just call us at 020 3904438-0.

Our phone hours:

Mon-Fri 09.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.

Transfer Hi8 to digital now!

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