Hi 8 master with problems - help!!!!

[jan_sebastian]

I digitized an old hi8 master the other day and when I went to

re-digitize the old hi8 master is now super blown out bright. This

is the second old hi8 master to do this. I have ( I think) resolved

that it is not a cable problem, or a camera problem (my first

instinct: an old tape got the head dirty) by inserting a newer hi8

tape and it played fine. I am left to believe that possibly the older

tape played good the first time and then had problems the

second time for a reason such as (i am hoping) the tape needs

cleaning (if that is possible...how) or the tape is old and

stretched. I am praying for one of you guru's to give me the

knowledge. by the way, these masters were unfortunately not

kept in a climate controlled atmosphere. (go ahead...slap my

wrists) please help!!!!!!!!!! jan

[artie_kraemer]

If it were me, I would first pop in the tape you want to digitize in the camcorder then i would run the output directly to the tv. If the quality is good then the problem exists most likely in your software. Make sure all your capture settings are correct and make sure, after digitize, that your chromance (color) and luminance (contrast) are set accordingly within your edit suite. You also have to take into consideration that you are digitizing linear footage into a non linear system. You obviously are not sending the footage via firewire from the camera into the computer, so I imagine you are using another piece of hardware to bring the signal into the computer. Check and see if there is anything labled component and composite. What you want to bring you video through, being it is linear is composite input. What type of software/hardware are you using?