Hi8 footage in iMovie

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Guy
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Joined: Oct 6 2000

I want to edit Hi8 footage on my G4, with iMovie. Not having a DV cam with analogue in to convert footage to digital, can I use clips in iMovie imported using a capture card, and if so what card would do the job and what might I expect to pay secondhand? Someone offered me one s/h - I believe it could be a 'Miro' board (same as Pinnacle?), but I'm not sure of the model number, or if you need to use it with Premiere.
I was also previously considering getting a USB capture device as a temporary solution but everything I've read about these suggests quality isn't good.
Input appreciated on this topic - quite literally!
Thanks
Guy

s.hood
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Joined: Jun 16 1999

Guy
a probably better solution is the new digital8(also plays hi8/8mm) GV-D200 video walkman VCR. It features both DV in/out and analogue in/out, so you can plonk your hi8 tapes in there and capture from the deck using iMovie it seems.

go: www.sony.co.uk

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regards
Steve

[ O U T L A W : S D G ]

regards
Steven Hood

Motion Forge

bcrabtree
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Joined: Mar 7 1999

Price will be £500, as I understand for the 200, and £800 for the model with 4.5in LCD monitor - the 800.

Bob C (rather irritated that Sony forgot to send anyone in our offices - CV, Cam User, What Camc - the info about this!)

[This message has been edited by bcrabtree (edited 12 October 2000).]

iMike
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Joined: Aug 20 2000

For that money you may as well buy a Dig8 camcorder and enable it - will do all the above and a camera to boot!

Guy
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Joined: Oct 6 2000

Thanks for the information on the video walkman deal. I think I still want to look at the s/h analogue capture card route , as I suspect less dosh. Anyone any recommendations?
Thanks
Guy

s.hood
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Joined: Jun 16 1999

Well Guy your choices around £400 are Pinnacle MiroMotion DC30plus and maybe the Aurora Fuse card (http://www.auroravideosys.com/Pages/index.html).

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regards
Steve

[ O U T L A W : S D G ]

regards
Steven Hood

Motion Forge

bcrabtree
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Joined: Mar 7 1999

The two cards Steve has mentioned are the only two I know of.

Might be worth putting a wanted ad in our Classified forum if you are after second hand. I suspect, though, that the price of the DC30 new will turn out to be quite keen, assuming that it's still available.

Bob C

Guy
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Joined: Oct 6 2000

Thanks for the info. Am I right in thinking, from what I have seen on the web, there are 2 cards, the DC30 and the later DC30plus? What is the difference? And will I be able to use clips imported with these cards in iMovie and FCP? Do you have to use Premiere as the interface with the cards? Am I right in thinking these cards shipped with Premiere?
Guy

s.hood
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Joined: Jun 16 1999

Guy
Premier comes with both the DC30 & DC30plus, altho the lite version ships with the DC30, an upgrade to the full version will cost £99. You may be hardpressed to find a new DC30 nowadays. Basically the difference is the throughput of the card. DC30 can only handle 3.5mb/s but the plus version 8mb/s. If you work with VHS quality footage you only need 1.75-2mb/s throughput.

iMovie will not work with either card for capture, but FCP will - I have used FCP to capture from the DC30 card. In fact FCP comes with the drivers for DC30plus. You can capture with Premier, convert to DV codec using Quicktime Pro and then use the clip in iMovie or FCP (done this also). Tedious. Much better to stay DV or analogue all the way.

A digital8 camcorder or a GVD200 deck will take your analogue tape and allow you to capture it digitally via firewire with iMovie, Premier & FCP. You will be able to work with both analogue & DV tape footage in the same package, and have the benefit of batch capturing your clips - you can't do that with a DC30 or DC30plus card at all. Considering the hassle & relative costs it seems a much better route to go with the digital8 camcorder or a GVD200 deck. But thats up to you.

------------------
regards
Steve

[ O U T L A W : S D G ]

regards
Steven Hood

Motion Forge

Guy
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Joined: Oct 6 2000

quote:Originally posted by s.hood:
Guy
snip
A digital8 camcorder or a GVD200 deck will take your analogue tape and allow you to capture it digitally via firewire with iMovie, Premier & FCP. ..

Thanks for your informative reply. I am hoping eventually to go the mini DV route, and get a cam with analogue input, such as TRV900 or something a bit more modest, when I've saved up the dosh. Particularly like the look of the XM1, except for the crazy omission of analogue in. Having been offered a s/h card wanted to find out more in terms of its value and potential.

Getting the pictures into iMovie does sound a bit long winded however!

Cheers

Guy

Teznewton
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Joined: Oct 31 2000

Hello mate

I am new to computer video also,

Try this; I have an analogue camcorder (Canon UC9Hi) I purchased a Belkin USB Videobus for around £80 and using the free software Strata Videohop from the supporting CD I was able to capture footage save as an mpeg and import into Quicktime Pro then saving as a DV Stream. Open up iMovie and import the image into the Clip Bin - there you have it!

Perfect for mpeg movies, I haven't got a clue what the result would be if the images where then exported to videotape.

Hope this may be some help

Tez