Convert Hi8 to Digital and the Whole Hi8 Family

Did you find some videotapes hiding in the closet that you’ve been meaning to digitize Hi8 tapes “forever”? That’s the most common phrase I hear from customers when they drop off their project. Quite often, people don’t know whether they have Hi8 or VHS-C or whatever. Because there were so many and they changed so fast, we all have several options that need to be digitized.

This is especially true for converting Hi8 tapes and all of their variations. While Hi8 became the name for the whole family, actually, it was the 2^nd generation of its type. The three members of the family are:

1. Video8
2. Hi8 – see Hi8 to Digital for conversion information
3. Digital8

Video8 was a format originally conceived by several companies starting in 1982. By 2009, all companies had discontinued production of Digital8, being replaced by DVCam and miniDV technology. (Actually, Digital8 is the same video format as miniDV, just on a smaller media.) Often, the phrase “Digitize hi8” includes Video8 and Digital8 tapes as well.

Video8 was an analog format, Hi8 added digital audio, and Digital8 added digital video (DV) to complete the family.

You may wonder where the “8” came from. If you remember, 8mm film was the predecessor to VHS which was a predecessor to Hi8. Super8 followed 8mm film and people often confuse Hi8 with Super 8 when figuring out their video collections.

See Wikipedia for more detail if you are curious about your videotape history.

Convert Videotape Soon, or Forever Hold Your Peace

Even though Hi8 tapes are newer than VHS or VHS-C tapes, they are still magnetic tapes and subject to the same deterioration and damage. Digitize Hi8 to address these issues:

1. Time. Like everything else, the tapes just decompose (slowly, but…) over time
2. Humidity and temperature. The driver and cooler the better. Mold is an enemy!
3. Exposure to magnetic fields. All information on the tape is magnetic, so any magnetic field can change or erase the tape.
4. Play videotape only on high-quality players in good condition. A poor camera or Hi8 deck can scratch, break, or ‘eat’ the tape.
5. Playing videotapes frequently. Every time a magnetic tape is played, a tiny amount of the tape is worn off. Over time, the quality gets worse and finally won’t play at all.
6. Players for your tapes are not being produced anymore. Not only will the time come that you cannot even find any machine to play your tapes, I will not have any machines that can be used to convert them.

The Benefits are Huge When You Convert Hi8 Videotape

Of course, the BIG benefit to Converting Hi8 to digital is that you get to actually watch your old family videos again! But there are several more:

1. Digital formats will be playable for your lifetime AND easily converted via computer to any new format in the future. Compared to going from analog to digital, I estimate that it is 100 times more difficult than converting from one digital format to another as computers progress.
2. Today’s formats play on virtually all of today’s devices, including Mac, Windows, tablets, laptops, smartphones, and more.
3. Videos in digital format are easily shareable anywhere in the world via email and the cloud. Whether sharing video almost instantly across the globe or sharing an anniversary video with the original wedding party, it is now trivial in comparison to sharing tape cassettes via the mail.
4. Safety. Copy and back up multiple computer hard drives, external hard drives, and virtual hard drives (the Cloud) to drastically improve safety for old videotape in danger of damage and deterioration.
5. Digital files share easily for sharing or editing.

Imagine conveniently watching all of your old videotapes on the devices that you already use every day, backed up and permanently safe, now immune to further deterioration, shared with everybody else who is on the tapes or who cares about them, and even edited so that those people and scenes that they want to see are on their hard drive. Amazing!

The Right Equipment to Convert Hi8 is Important

Regardless of whether you are converting Video8, Hi8, or Digital8 video to digital, the equipment makes a huge difference. While the original Video8 equipment will convert Video8 tape, it will not convert either Hi8 or Digital8. Moreover, the newer equipment does a better job on the old tape than the original equipment. It makes sense to use Digital8 equipment to play and convert your tapes if you have the choice. Details matter.  

Convert Hi8 to Digital – Next Steps:

1. Call or text Jamey (About Jamey) at 720 204-5464
2. Set an appointment (every project receives my individual attention)
3. Drop off your tapes (and records, cassettes, slides, or negatives, too) Check Pricing!
4. In a week or less, pick up your new digitized Hi8! (and other stuff, too)