How would I use an old 8mm camcorder to put video's on youtube?

Newbie Forum
#1

[B]I have an old Sharp Hi8 VL-AH50 Camcorder that, of course, uses 8mm tapes. My question is this…is there some way, preferably a cheap way, that I can use this camcorder to put video’s on Youtube? I am pretty illiterate when it comes to electronics/computers/camcorders/wiring, etc., so any help that you all can give me would be totally appreciated. The camcorder only has an audio/video hole and a dc in hole. On my computer I only have a cd writer but my HD TV has a dvd recorder hooked up to it and I can play the movies on the TV. Would there be a way that I could play the video’s on the tv from the camcorder and tape them onto dvd’s with my dvd recorder? Please forgive my stupidity!!

PhotoVirginia[/B]

#2

You may be able to input the video from the Camcorder into your DVD recorder, and then burn onto DVD. You could then extract the mpg from the DVD, edit and then upload.

Otherwise, you will need a capture card on your PC. You would then input the Camcorder into the PC and capture the video onto your HDD. You could then edit and upload.

#3

I really don’t understand any of that. lol I am totally a newbie when it comes to this. I guess I will just end up buying a camcorder with the option to upload to Youtube!!

Thanks for your response!

PhotoVa

#4

You should have an audio/video cable with this camcorder. You connect it to your inputs on your dvd recorder using the rca jacks (composite) connections. The instructions are on page 27 of this manual: http://www.tradenet.sharp.co.uk/files/Consumer_Electronics/Viewcam/VLAH50/VLAH50456.pdf Sorry, I could only find the UK version of the manual, but this part should be the same.

Play the tape on the camcorder and record in real time on the dvd recorder.

#5

Wow, thanks so much for the manual…I can’t find mine and this was a great help. There are a couple things different but I may be able to use the dvd recorder hooked up to my tv to record these tapes. I hope. I am waiting now for batteries to get here. Should be here by next Monday and I can’t wait to try it out. Once I get it onto a DVD…I will probably have to write you and find out what I have to do to actually put it on youtube. I have a friend of mine that is an absolutely awesome singer and I want to tape her and see how it goes. She is definitely better than anyone I have heard on American Idol. LOL
Thanks again for your help!!

PhotoVA

#6

Just to add that if you want the best quality on this analogue camcorder, use Hi8 tapes instead of the ordinary 8mm ones. Hi8 is about twice the resolution…