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One of the main problems everyday people face is that videotape formats change. Sony, wanted to help. So in the 1990's in an effort to bridge the analog to digital gap, Sony created a video format called Digital8. For many, this was a great thing. The Digital8 format allowed people to continue to view their 8mm videotapes and their Hi8 tapes on the camera. In addition, a person could record on those same tapes. Unfortunately, as with many digital video formats things change. We can convert your Digital8 footage to either DVD, MiniDV or upload to your personal hard drive.
Product Summary:
With Digital8 technology beginning to fade now is the perfect time to get your tapes in to us. We are your number 1 option for Digital8 to DVD transfers. We also provide you with a number of additional options for your Digital8 tapes. Make sure to check out our export section for all your options.
Digital8 (or D8) is a consumer digital videotape format introduced in 1999 by Sony. The Digital8 format is a combination of the older Hi8 tape transport with the DV codec. Digital8 equipment uses the same videocassettes as analog Hi8 equipment, but differs in that the audio/video signal is encoded digitally (using the industry-standard DV codec). Since Digital8 uses the DV codec, it has identical audio and video specifications. To facilitate digital recording on existing Hi8 videocassettes the video head drum spins 2.5x faster. For both NTSC and PAL Digital8 equipment, a standard-length 120-minute NTSC or 90-minute PAL Hi8 cassette will store 60 minutes of Digital8 video on standard play or 90 minutes on long play.
Contrary to popular belief, the Digital8 format is not technically inferior to miniDV; both are identical at the bit stream level. From a user standpoint, Digital8 is DV (or rather, equivalent to and compatible with consumer miniDV.) At an application level (for example, in a 1394/Firewire link), a Digital8 camcorder appears and behaves exactly like a Mini DV camcorder. Digital8 and Mini DV use different, non-interchangeable cassette media, with Digital8 cassettes being the physically larger of the two. The two formats may also use different media formulations. The maximum recording time for Digital8 is 135 minutes, respectively, using D-90 tapes. These extra-thin, extra-long tapes are rare and expensive. In addition, Digital8 uses tape at 29mm per second; more like the higher-end DVCAM (28mm/s) and DVCPRO (34mm/s). MiniDV uses tape at 19mm/s. According to Sony's press release of January 7, 1999, for the MiniDV format one frame is recorded onto 10.0 tracks, with the Digital8 format one frame's worth of information is recorded vertically onto 25 tracks. The use of this recording method enables digital images to be recorded on a Hi8 tape. The future of the Digital8 format though is in question as Sony, the format's original backer, is the only company still producing Digital8 equipment, and currently Sony has no plans to develop new Digital8 cameras.
With Digital8 technology fading, it is time to collect your tapes and bring them to us at Canada Home Movies. Our team of experts has a wealth of experience working with a variety of digital formats. We specialize primarily in Digital8 to DVD transfers. To learn how we do this, please see our Re-mastering section. We will transfer everything on your Digital8 tape to DVD and we are capable of providingadditional options.
We can provide professional editing services and personal menu, graphics and chapter customization for your Digital8 to DVD transfers. We can even transfer your Digital8 video into other formats. For all additional options, please see our export section.
VHS tape is by far the most popular video format of all time. Using Professional VHS, SHVS decks we convert your footage at the highest possible quality. Most VHS cassettes are 2 hours in length, however they can be as long as 6 hours if they were recorded in Extended Play (EP) Mode. Depending on you requirements we can provide a high bit-rate DVD that will play in your computer and DVD player or we can do a direct to computer upload. This will allow you to receive either an AVI file for PC or DV for Mac that can be edited into future projects.
Check our videotape section for more information about this format or see our video FAQs for more information on our video transfer services
Video8, Hi8 and Digital8 are all 8mm film formats that were popular in the 1990s. Created as a convenient compact cassette format for camcorders, a person could record 2 hours of footage in SP and up to 6 hours in EP mode. Depending on you requirements we can provide a high bit-rate DVD that will play in your computer and DVD player or we can do a direct to computer upload. This will allow you to receive either an AVI file for PC or DV for Mac that can be edited into future projects.
For more information on these formats, please check the following sections: Video8, Hi8 and Digital8. You can also read our video FAQs for more information on our video transfer services.
The MiniDV format is one of the most commonly used formats for camcorders. Leading manufacturers like Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Sharp, Canon, and many others offer MiniDV camcorders for digital video recording for usually up to 1hr of recording. Depending on you requirements we can provide a high bit-rate DVD that will play in your computer and DVD player or we can do a direct to computer upload. This will allow you to receive either an AVI file for PC or DV for Mac that can be edited into future projects.
Learn more about MiniDV
For over a decade CanadaHomeMovies.com has converted thousands of Beta and Betamax video tapes to DVD, hard drive and MiniDV. We are one of the few companies in Canada with professional Betamax decks in perfect working order. Using the latest analog to digital conversion equipment we can save your Beta and Betamax PAL and NTSC footage before it fades forever. Call us now.
MicroMV is Sony's proprietary digital videotape format. It's the smallest videotape format at about the size of two quarter coins. Each MicroMV cassette holds up to 60min of footage.DVCAM was a professional DV format that came in 2 tapes sizes. 60/90 minute tapes same as MiniDV and 184 minute large cassettes. 
Toronto Home Movies can output your transferred 8mm and 16mm footage to MiniDV Cassette for long term archival storage. We use professional grade Panasonic MiniDV cassettes.
If you have MiniDV tapes that you wish to convert to other format, such as DVD or Blu-Ray, please visit out Video Cassette Transfer section.
To learn more about MiniDV, visit the MiniDV section
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