Camera Av-Out Port to computer Firewire Port.?

Question

I am digitizing all my old VCR, mini DV and Hi-8 tapes for the family.  My old Hi-8 cam is a Sony CCD-TRV128 and only has a single AV-Out port.  On my computer I have a firewire port in a PCI slot.  How do I get sound and video from my Hi-8 cam to the computer?

Update:

There is also a S-Video Out port.

Update 2:

The VCR and Mini-DV tapes worked beautifully with the Firewire port and my editing software.  I have over 100 Hi-8 tapes to digitize and surely do not wish to make 100 DVDs.  The digital copies: one copy goes on a external hard drive and the other to a private Youtube Channel where family can view. 

Update 3:

Never mind.  I figured it out.  AV-out cable to a Clearclick converter (I used this for my VCR tapes, I just forgot.) to USB port on the computer.  I've heard USB is not the best but my 40 year old tapes came out superb.  ...Hope this helps the next guy.

Answer 1

The firewire port and "DV Link" are firewire ports that were associated with Digital8 and DV tape based camcorders - your camcorder does not have a firewire port (also known as IEEE1394 if you like to know the IEEE standards protocol used).

Hi-8 is analog, so an analog/digital converter is needed. I use one from Elgato that plugs into a USB port - firewire is not needed. I think Blackmagic Design used to make an A/D converter which connected using firewire; they make Thunderbolt and USB connecting converters these days.

Answer 2

S-video doesn't do much for you - it's video only.  If you've got a way of digitising the VCR tapes it should be able to handle the Hi-8 as well.  If you haven't, you'll need an analogue / digital converter. Back in the day the Canopus a/d converters connected via firewire but I don't know what's available now other than the cheap ones sold as VCR to DVD converters.

Answer 3

stop wasting time and get a dvd recorder to do that and put it all on dvd and transfer to computer from dvd. Have to do that anyways for a vcr. And who uses PCI slots anymore, will be a challenge getting video software for that.