[moss514]

I have never even opened iMovie because I always thought you needed a digital camera for it to work. Is this true? If so, is there a freeware or share ware app to transfer a movie from my 8mm to my Mac?

[twieland]

You'll need a device that converts an analog video/audio signal from your 8mm camcorder to a DV stream (Digital Video).

THe Dazzle Hollywood Bridge and tne Formac Studio DV are two such devices.

Also, if you're in the market for a new DV cvamcorder, many of them will act as an analog-digital "passthrough" device and function the same as the Dazzle and formac devices mentioned above.

I've got a Sony TRV25 than I have used as a converter/pass-through device to transfer a bunch of old Hi-8mm analog tapes to DV on my Mac.

- Tim

[MoparSteve]

You could also buy a Sony Digital 8 camcorder which can play the analog 8 tapes. The Digital 8 cameras save in the same DV format as the miniDV camcorders, they just use the different formfactor magnetic tape. The Digital 8 cameras are cheaper, but bigger (as in bulkier) than the miniDV camcorders.

[itai195]

Just adding that Canopus also makes DV capture devices.

[MickS]

I've used a Sony DCR PC8E as an Analog/DV bridge to allow me to import my Hi-8 footage into iMovie.

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality, though I generally recorded onto new tapes in Hi-8 mode.

Having a DV camera I've not tried going from iMovie out to the Hi-8 camera but as iMovie allows you to give a time needed to get the camera ready when exporting I wouldn't see that as a problem.