Playing a normal 8mm video cassette tape on camcorder which uses Hi8 tapes

[TgSam1]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to convert all my old video tapes to digital form, however, i have many tapes which are "normal" 8 mm video tapes while the camcorder that i still have takes Hi8 tapes! is there a way to play a normal 8mm video cassette tape on a camcorder which uses Hi8 tapes?

[Peter_S.]

Hi TgSam,

Hi8 camcorders are downward compatible and can play back Video 8 tapes as well.

Cheers

Peter

[TgSam1]

Hi Peter,

Not really, my (newer) camcorder is a Sony DCR-TRV250E (Digital Video Camera Recorder) and it won't play normal 8mm tapes.

As a matter of fact, and since I have an old Sony Video8 AF which of course plays normal 8mm tapes, the same normal 8mm tapes would not play on the newer DCR-TRV250E model, and, vice versa!

I need to play normal 8mm  tapes on the newer one because with the older one, although i can see the normal 8mm tapes being played, but the picture quality is not that good and I see mostly in b/w with a lot of jumping and shaking!

[Win_88]

Hi @TgSam1

According to the manual for your DSC-TRV250Em HI8 tapes are definitely supported:

https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/res/manuals/3079/30794681M.pdf

Have you tried more than one tape? What happens when you try playing a normal Hi8 tape?

Win_88