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James5FBE
Participating Frequently
November 23, 2020
Answered

Importing digital 8 video into PE 2020

  • November 23, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 1181 views

Hello, I'm a bit of a novice working with video files.  I just purchased PE 2020 and I'm looking for a way to import video from Sony Digital 8 tapes into PE 2020 for editing and storage on my Windows 10 PC.  I still have the camera to play the tapes, but I have no firewire port in my PC, nor an open expansion slot to install a firewire card.  I tried using the camera's USB cable, but the Sony USB drivers apparently won't install on Windows 10.  I was hoping someone might be able to relay another method of doing this.  Thanks in advance. 

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Correct answer Steve Grisetti

Digital 8, like miniDV, was captured to your computer only via an IEEE-1394 FireWire connection. But Premiere Elements hasn't included a tool for capturing digital tape-based video since version 12.

 

Do you have a FireWire connection on your computer? If so, you can still capture the video with a program like WinDV and edit it in Premiere Elements.

 

If not, you'll need to use a USB-based digitizer like the Diamond VC500.

3 replies

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James5FBEAuthor
Participating Frequently
November 23, 2020

Thanks to all for your input.  Since the cost of the USB based digitizers aren't that much, I think I'll go that route for now.  I think my daughter has one of my old computers that no one is using, so I think I'll check if that has a Firewire port, or put one in.  That should work better for the long run.

    B
    Community Expert
    Bill SpragueCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 23, 2020

    It can be a sensitive subject....  Now that we are all used to HD and even 4K, anything left over from the days of DVD and tube TVs can be dissapointing.   The processing shouldn't make it worse, but it won't be up to the standards we expect now.

      S
      Steve Grisetti
      Legend
      November 23, 2020

      I agree. If you use the settings I recommend in the tutorial you'll get virtually-as-good-as-the-original.

        S
        Steve GrisettiCorrect answer
        Legend
        November 23, 2020

        Digital 8, like miniDV, was captured to your computer only via an IEEE-1394 FireWire connection. But Premiere Elements hasn't included a tool for capturing digital tape-based video since version 12.

         

        Do you have a FireWire connection on your computer? If so, you can still capture the video with a program like WinDV and edit it in Premiere Elements.

         

        If not, you'll need to use a USB-based digitizer like the Diamond VC500.

          J
          James5FBEAuthor
          Participating Frequently
          November 23, 2020

          No, no Firewire connection, and I don't have an empty slot to put a card in.  If I go with the USB based digitizer, would there be any measurable loss of quality when I transfer the video from the tapes to the PC?  

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