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| Hi 8mm Videotape |
Today, let’s discuss
the 8mm videotape format. 8mm video camcorders came about in the mid-80’s
and were a more compact answer to the much larger VHS format. Sony actually
introduced 8mm with The Sony Handycam
in 1985. The tapes were much smaller than VHS (about the size of a deck of
playing cards), thus the cameras could fit in your palm. This was a big deal!
Plus, the tapes held two hours of recording. Ease of use, compactness, and
longer recording times made 8mm video recorders very popular for nearly the next
two decades. Plus the video quality was pretty darn good for the consumer
market.
We have specialized 8mm decks that handle the vast majority
of 8mm tapes brought in for transfer to a modern media. In our years of video
transfer here are a two topics we face from time to time that are particular to
8mm video:
1. Analog, Hi8, Digital 8 and Digital Hi8
formats. Although the cameras look exactly the same the 8mm format went
through improvements in the years it was popular. Starting with analog the next
generation was called Hi8. Then after that came Digital 8 and then Digital Hi8.
Note: Hi8 was Sony’s answer to or equivalent to SVHS (slightly better picture
and another reason to purchase new gear!). These cameras are what we call “down
compatible” meaning that the previous format can be played on the next
generation, but the next generation cannot be viewed on a previous camera format.
Are you concerned about which, if not all of these formats you used way back
when? We are capable of handling any format of 8mm that exists and transferring
it to a modern medium.
I started doing 8mm transfers (to VHS) in 1991. Actually one of my first clients gave me his 8mm VCR! I was very grateful as I was just starting out in the video transfer business. Before 1991, I was (and still am) a film/Video Producer/Director/Editor. I cut my first films on old 8mm rewinds. But I digress. You can actually learn the entire story at http://www.myhomevideostudio.com/audio.cfm.
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| Sony Handycam |
2. A problem with some 8mm tapes: Tracking,
alignment, and “blue screen.” 8mm video was very successful for many
reasons, including a good image quality and compactness. However, there was one issue that has sprung
up on many an unsuspecting 8mm camera owner – the dreaded blue screen! Here is
what happens sometimes – but hopefully has not happened to you or your 8mm
tapes:
Folks would start taping events with their
camcorders, then play their videos back by connecting the camera to their TV. Most
of the time everything looked great.
Sometimes, unbeknownst to the consumer (usually
the camera person) the actual video image recorded by the camera was out of
kilter because the video image had been recorded by video heads that went of
alignment (as all video heads did.) The out-of-alignment camcorder would both
record the video incorrectly but also play back the video with the same head
alignment, so everything looked fine.
Eventually the video heads would get so out
of alignment that the camera could no longer compensate and the viewer would
see a picture that looked like the “tracking” was off (squiggly lines at the
bottom or top or both). You may be familiar with tracking control from your old
VHS VCR. However, on VHS if you saw tracking errors (from video heads out of alignment)
it was an easy thing to cure – simply adjust your tracking control.
A big problem with the 8mm Format: Now, with all the great new benefits of 8mm there was a little known disadvantage: there was no tracking control, and this sometimes created a problem. It’s not possible to adjust the picture so you are stuck with what you see on the screen. The scenario that usually played out (and still plays out) is: the 8mm camera’s heads drift out of alignment, the cameraperson/viewer does not realize this since the camera compensates for the error during playback, eventually the problem does become visible, and the camera owner would take their camera to the repair shop.
Problem solved? No. Things would get worse. Now the camera is fixed and records video perfectly; however, when the old tapes that were recorded before when the heads went out of alignment are now played back a blue screen appears with perhaps some sound or even no sound. The viewer might press the fast forward view button and would now see video images on the tape but, tragically, that image only plays in the fast forward view setting.
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| The Dreaded Blue-screen! |
We see this problem more often than we would
like to! Sometimes we can help and sometimes we cannot. We make it our business
to have the most professional 8mm decks around, plus back-ups. If you have a
difficult tape we more than likely have the equipment to see the image.
PAL and SECAM are also available in the 8mm
format. At www.homemovietransfer.com we
take pride in preserving old memories and bringing them back – including all
8mm formats (including PAL & SECAM).
For More information on 8mm tape
transfers go to www.Homemovietransfer.com or email info@homevideostudio.com
Note: 8mm tapes can be transferred to Platinum Archival DVD
and also to DVAs (Digital Video Archive) www.DigitalVideoArchive.com
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