How do I turn a analog video camera into a webcam?

[Pemolis]

I have been looking at guides for turning digital videocamera's into webcams but I have not found one that states how to turn a analog (Hi-8) Video camera into a webcam.

Anybody have some advice towards this. I have looked up some info but it does not say that it could turn a analog video camera into a webcam.

If you know what products to buy, where to get it, names, costs, etc etc... Again any help would be welcome.

[zippyjuan]

Does it have any sort of a connection where you can feed the video image directly out without it necessarily being recorded on the video tape? Look for a video out. It may only work on playback rather than recording though but try it. Perhaps you could hotwire a video out using the monitor conection inside the camera. Or is it an optical viewfinder on the camera- if so that will not work. If it will only work with a tape in the camera, you could either stick in a dummy tape or jam the "Tape In" sensor. Otherwise it may be easier and cheaper just to buy a webcam.

[billxp]

Well the analog camcorder has a svideo out or a rca out. You will just need to have a video capture card to capture or view the video coming from the camcorder. My old sony Hi8 does this fine as long as you leave the tape out. If you leave the tape in it goes into standby mode after a few minutes.

From there its just a matter of picking the correct source in you webcam software.

[DarkFury]

Simple... just add a "TV card" to your PC

Then plug the analog video out to the video in on the TV card...

Your webcam programs.... like "Netmeeting" will see that you have a video capture device and will use that for conferencing.

[SmokeyDP]

Honestly, I just picked up a Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000 USB for $52 shipped on ebay. It supports around 640x480 at 30fps and goes up to a megapixel. The quality of it is EXCELLENT and its very quick. It supports USB 2.0 and has a mic on it. For what you are going to spend getting a camcorder to work you might wanna look into this as an option.

If not... Tomshardware wrote up a guide on how to do this if you search their site.

[DarkFury]

Since he already has a camcorder... he won't have to spend much. Most camcorders already have a mic on them and you can plug the video and audio inputs into the Capture card.

The Asus TV/FM Video Capture card is only $49 plus $1.99 shipping from NewEgg.com

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=15-116-509&depa=0


Plus he'd be able to watch TV and capture video with it... Try that with your lil "eyeball cam" :hihi: