Analog to DV ?
 

I have a friend who has a bunch of old 8mm video and he wants to make it digital of course. What is the most cost effective way of converting it into digital. Can he just record it to DV from a VCR or straight from the 8mm cam to a DV cam. I don't think a converter would be cost effective. What is the best way.

Some DV cameras have analog inputs -- for example, my Panasonic DVC80. Many consumer/cheaper DV cams do not -- for example, my Panny DV53.

If your DV camera has analog inputs, then it is as simple as plugging a VCR or analog video camera into those inputs. Then you can either record to miniDV tape or output directly to your computer (if the camera allows for "pass-through" conversion of the analog signal to digital -- the DVC80 and the Sony PD150/170 allow for this, as do some other cams).

The last time I asked, the cheapest I could find a new DV camera w/ analog inputs was $500-$600 -- although that was well over 2 years ago and that may have been a special/sale price. An external converter (Canopus, ADS, etc) can cost around $200-$300.

Find someone with a digital 8 camera. The old analog 8's will play and you will have DV output through the firewire.

Digital8 cams (except the low-end model) can read Video8 and Hi8 tapes, transcode them into DV signal through their FireWire (iLink) output or record it on D8 tape. While doing this, the D8 cam can also run the analog signal through a built-in Time-Base-Corrector and a noise filter. Those 2 options will give you a more stable DV output with a little less video noise (grain). But your digital copy will either be a D8 tape (in near-extinction) or an AVI document on your computer's hard drive.
If you want a MiniDV tape in the end, you're better off borrowing a MiniDV camcorder or deck with analog inputs, but then you won't have the signal corrections a D8 can do.

Or play the 8 through the D8 via firewire to a mini-DV

Right Mike!
I for one have transfered many old Video8 recordings to my computer with my D8 cam, edited and color-corrected them to make nice DVDs that can be played on anyone's home DVD player.
The final DVDs are nicer than the analog originals and they should last for a while...

Canopus has a great analogue to digital device that is independent hardware. Ala AVDC 110.
http://www.canopus.us/US/products/ADVC110/pm_advc110.asp

I have an ADVC-100; slightly older model I believe. It is fabulous. Does a great job of digitizing and never loses frames or sync.

There's also a 300 which has more features. I don't recall what they are but a visit ot the Canopus site will describe that and all their A to D units.

Good luck.

Dennis