Help re: my old Sony Hi-8 camcorder

[ChrisK10]

My old Sony Hi-8 camcorder was stolen in a burglary many years ago and I don't have any record of the make. It used the larger cassettes which are 95 x 60mm. I'd like to be able to get hold of an old camcorder which can play these tapes (eg on Ebay) so that I can upload them onto my computer and ultimately to DVD. Can anyone help as to the likely model number of the camcorder so I can try to buy one?    Thanks

[Blencogo · Accepted solution]

All Hi-8 (and Video 😎 cassettes are a standard 95 × 62.5 × 15 mm so any Hi-8 camcorder should suit your needs.

There are several Sony CCD-TR and CCD-TRV models on eBay: -

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=sony+hi8+camera&_sacat=0&_odkw=sony+hi-8+camera&_osacat=0&_trk...

Unfortunately, the EVO-250 Video Player/Recorder Deck is a bit more costly!!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PLAY-Hi8-Video8-Video-8-8mm-Tapes-w-Sony-EVO-250-Player-Recorder-VCR-Deck-...

[ChrisK10]

Hi Glencogo

Can you tell me how the CCD-TR and CCD-TRV differ; ie does one giver a better quality image than the other or will they both fit my requirements to the same extent.

Many thanks

Chris

[Blencogo]

Hi Chris.

Not quite sure of the differences apart from age.

Just make sure you get a Hi8 model as many TRV models are Digital8 or Mini-DV format tapes - these will not be suitable as they use a Digital Video encoder..

[ChrisK10]

Hi Blencogo

I did eventually manage to get hold of a TRV46E  camcorder on ebay and have been busy uploading my old cassettes to my PC. The  first one copied ok but unfortunately I tried to improve the quality of the  second by using an old cleaning tape (probably 18 years old) in the camcorder,  and since then I am getting audio distortion, though the video signal is good. I also  hear this if I replay the tape which originally downloaded ok, so it is not a  problem with the second tape. I assume the problem is due to using the cleaning  tape and that this is deteriorated and depositing particles on the audio head. I  will buy a new cleaning tape and hope this reverses the problem. But also I have  removed the cassette compartment cover on the camcorder to see whether I can see  any muck on the audio head. But I don't know which is the audio head. Is this part of the video  head, and would you advise attempting to clean it, eg with a q tip?  I am  reasonably technically competent.

Thanks again for all your help

Chris