How to capture Hi8 Sony tapes on Premiere Pro 2023, with Mac Silicon (USB-C)

[Guest]

Hi,

I need your help. I'm trying to capture Hi8 tapes via Premiere Pro on a Macbook Pro Silicon (M1 chip).

Last time I captured tapes, computers still had firewire 400 and 800, so it wasn't an issue.

For my Sony Hi8 camcorder, I have a mini-DV to firewire 400 cable, which is useless.

I naively bought a mini-DV to USB-A cable on amazon, with a USB-A to USB-C converter. But that doesn't work. It's like plugging my camera to air.

A mini-DV is also called firewire IEEE 1394.

Recent Macbooks only have USB-C. Would a USB-C video capture cards work?

How would it work if through firewire?

I will also be capturing DV tapes and VHS in the near future, so happy to invest.

What has worked for you? 

OSx solutions please. Thank you so much!!!

[Guest]

I'm on OSx Ventura 13.5.2

[Richard M Knight]

All tape capture has been removed from Premiere, have a look at the bottom of this link:

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/premiere-pro/using/whats-new/2024.html

[Guest]

: ( which explains why I couldnt even find it on the interface.

Is there any alternate solution to capture Hi8 and DV on macbook pro via USB-C? and then convert my files for editing on Premiere.

[Richard M Knight]

Also look at:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-ideas/bring-back-video-capture/idi-p/14185678

[Guest]

Thank you. I will be following that post. I do archival work so that sucks. I switched from Final Cut to Adobe Premiere back in the day when Final Cut dropped the Pro version for X. It changed the industry. Now I guess I will revert back. 

Now, Im still not set on my technical cable flow to recognise my Sony camcorder on a software that allow dv capture.

[John T Smith]

I'm on Windows but I have an OLD link from a previous discussion http://www.lifeflix.com/

If that program is still available I don't know if it will work with your new Mac

[Guest]

Thank you!! I guess I will find a software, but my cable workflow ? What are you using to get it to work ?

[John T Smith]

What I do on my Windows computer won't help you on a Mac

The last time I converted Analog to Digital (VHS tapes from an EARLY camera) I used an external Grass Valley ADVC 110 (no longer made) to do the conversion and then send the signal to my computer via Firewire cable

[Guest]

So it seems Im gonna ask that same question to the OBS , Final Cut and iMovie community.

[John T Smith]

I will start by saying that I don't know IF the Mac program I linked to will work with the DV to USB cable you bought (if that program is even still available and will run on your new Mac)
.
So I see 3 possibilities
.
ONE
If you can find a Mac program buy an old Mac with a Firewire port and then copy the files to your editing computer via USB flash drive
.
TWO
Buy an inexpensive Windows computer with a Firewire port and use a free program
I have NOT used either, but many say to try these for SD capture http://windv.mourek.cz/ or http://www.exsate.com/products/dvcapture/
I HAVE used http://www.scenalyzer.com/ and it works well, do change the default Fat32 to NTFS setting
-I have NOT used the scene detect function in scenalyzer, so don't know how well it works
.
http://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/kb/cant-capture-dv-hdv-video.html
-Legacy driver http://www.studio1productions.com/Articles/Firewire-1.htm
--ALL versions of Windows from 7 through 10 (and 11 ?) need the legacy driver!
I have NOT used it, but many say to try this for HDV capture
-archived at http://www.videohelp.com/tools/HDVSplit
-Click the 1st link under "Download sites:" for the latest version
.
THREE
Find a service that will do the work... be sure the service creates files that will edit well