A full overview and demo of the Sony Hi8 XR stereo camcorder, model CCD-TR940, circa 1998. This model basically has all of the goodies Sony ever put into an analog camcorder for the consumer market, except a flip-out LCD screen. The XR system records 440 lines of resolution on Hi8 tapes, and 280 lines on standard grade 8mm tapes (as compared to 400 and 240 lines, respectively, for non-"XR" 8mm camcorders). Sony only offered Hi8 XR camcorders for a few years (around 1998 to 2000) before they eliminated all high-end analog camcorders from their lineup, in favor of their Digital8 series.
There are three ways to get analog Video8 / Hi8 video onto a computer, from least to most expensive:
1. Get an analog video capture device and capture the video from the camcorder into your computer’s USB port. Not always the best quality, but cheap.
2. Get a DVD recorder and record your camcorder videos onto DVD, then put the DVD into your computer and copy the videos.
3. Get a Digital8 camcorder and use it to play back your tapes and stream the video through FireWire to your computer.
@vwest7ife The most expensive yet best quality is the use of a Firestore FS-1 which is a digital drive which then can be used to send the video data to the PC by connecting a Firewire.
Very good video Kevin and that camcorder has pretty good image qaulity.
I’m still trying to sort out and organise my room so I can get all my camcorders back in place then get around to making feature vids on them all like this.
Lee
Wind screen! I’m so glad I have this camera. Nice overview and demo. Now I know much more about my camera and yes, I will use this piece of 1998 equipment over my newer camcorders. Really is a pro camcorder. I wonder what the retail price was?
This camera is a 1998 model. I found a Videomaker article about it and other Video8 and Hi8 offerings from that year. This model originally retailed for $800.
@TheMiz21100 Its a little device that captures footage from your TV, you can plug the camera and record the stuff with the dazzle, then it goes to your computer. I paid 50€ for mine. Its pretty cool, you can also record game footage….
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Sony actually did offer a battery shell which lets you use six AA batteries to power the camera.
Original list price was $799 for this model.
I think I paid about £350 for the 265E and I originally bought it for when I first started to go ghost hunting.
i have this camera, the older kind, how would i put the videos onto my computer? do i need anything?
There are three ways to get analog Video8 / Hi8 video onto a computer, from least to most expensive:
1. Get an analog video capture device and capture the video from the camcorder into your computer’s USB port. Not always the best quality, but cheap.
2. Get a DVD recorder and record your camcorder videos onto DVD, then put the DVD into your computer and copy the videos.
3. Get a Digital8 camcorder and use it to play back your tapes and stream the video through FireWire to your computer.
@vwest7ife The most expensive yet best quality is the use of a Firestore FS-1 which is a digital drive which then can be used to send the video data to the PC by connecting a Firewire.
Very good video Kevin and that camcorder has pretty good image qaulity.
I’m still trying to sort out and organise my room so I can get all my camcorders back in place then get around to making feature vids on them all like this.
Lee
nice ur using a camcorder to record a camcorder
Wind screen! I’m so glad I have this camera.
Nice overview and demo. Now I know much more about my camera and yes, I will use this piece of 1998 equipment over my newer camcorders. Really is a pro camcorder. I wonder what the retail price was?
TAPE!?
who uses tape?
why wud u get this??
people may not use it now I no I dont but people use to years ago and maybey get wants to get is movies from a while ago
does this has firewire?
No, only Digital8 or MiniDV camcorders have Firewire.
That’s great quality from a camera that old.
This camera is a 1998 model. I found a Videomaker article about it and other Video8 and Hi8 offerings from that year. This model originally retailed for $800.
I just got the CCD TR818 NTSC hi 8 with 460 digital zoom and night shot. It’s still cool for an old cam.
does all camcorder models until now still uses tapes just like the sony hi8 camcorder??
@MartzCris No.
Haha. I got that camera at home:) Its actualy a really good camera too be that old. And the nightvision is AMAZING.
what is the difference between the TR940 and the TR917?
@survivor030406 Nothing that I can tell. But I can only ever find the TR940. Maybe the TR917 was the Canadian model or something.
how do you put the tape footage on your computer?
@TheMiz21100 use a dazzle like me, that’s how i get the old footage from this camera to my PC.
@TheDM75 but wats a dazzle?
@TheMiz21100 Its a little device that captures footage from your TV, you can plug the camera and record the stuff with the dazzle, then it goes to your computer. I paid 50€ for mine. Its pretty cool, you can also record game footage….