I am a few years late and hope Ubrales still available...only difference is that I have an iMac..so Firewire and iMovie presum

[aorangi.logan]

So just in case.. same Sony camera trv103, but using Apple iMac (late 2013) - so presuming it will transfer 8mm/Hi8 tapes using Firewire and iMovie...This iMovie is too modern for my camera perhaps, but it's a work in progress...cheers

 

[kenrivers]

Have you tried cleaning the video heads of the camcorder? It is highly doubtful a Firewire to USB cable will work or at least I have not heard of an instance where it has. You would be better served to try a Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter.
Two things you would need:
6-pin FireWire-400 to 9-pin FireWire-800 Adapter
Thunderbolt To Firewire Adapter

The other option is to get a video capture device and use it with the A/V cable from the camcorder. The capture device would connect to your iMac via a USB cable.

Were the tapes from the TRV355E recorded in the same format as the ones from the TRV103? The TRV103 is NTSC while the TRV355E is PAL which would explain why the tapes from it would not play back on the TRV103

 

[kenrivers]

Firewire and iMovie should do the trick. Let me know if you have any problems and I will connect my Sony TRV-320 to my late 2011 MacBook Pro and see if I can help you figure it out.

 

[aorangi.logan]

Great to hear from you..also am slightly perplexed at approx 12 of my 8mm tapes from 1990's - (from a Sony trv355E) are not playing...the two that are, are showing a broken (horizontally) picture?
Also, and coupled with my original query, I await delivery of a Firewire to USB cable...is this a straightforward transfer, and could go directly to a hard drive?

 

[nzloganz]

I have located a 4pin IEEE 1394 compatible with my Sony DCR-TRV103 ...so as it’s 4 pin to 4 pin..where do I go with T’bolt and FireWire??
So there is a 4 pin out of the camera.......pls advise what next as have too many Thunderbolts etc....

 

[nzloganz]

This is not an answer, as I am still trying to determine where I’m heading.
Strangely I had the PAL TRV355E from 2000-2008 and these are the tapes which are playing on the TRV103.....so contrary to the suggestion previously, the PAL tapes were read...
Basically if one of the members have read my earlier query..feel free to comment.

 

[kenrivers]

You will need a Firewire cable that is 4 pin on end and a full size Firewire 800 connection on the other. You will also need a Thunderbolt to Firewire adapter like this one.

 

[nzloganz]

Thankyou very much Ken Rivers!
For the remaining tapes I will probably send them to a specialist!
Appreciate your help....

 

[kenrivers]

Thankyou very much Ken Rivers!
For the remaining tapes I will probably send them to a specialist!
Appreciate your help....

Glad I could help.