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Full-resolution S-Video capture with time base correction, tracked postage
£7.80 each on orders of 20+ tapes
Rated 5.0 on Trustpilot & Google
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We post you a reinforced Media Box with secure 3-way tracked shipping and a prepaid return label.
Your memories are in safe hands. Four simple steps take them from your door to digital.
Hi8, or High Band 8mm, was Sony's upgraded camcorder format, launched in 1989 as a sharper alternative to the original Video8. It doubled the horizontal resolution to around 400 lines, bringing it close to broadcast quality for the time. Hi8 became hugely popular with keen home videographers and semi-professionals throughout the 1990s, and many families recorded their most important moments on this format.
Hi8 tapes used either metal particle (MP) or metal evaporated (ME) formulations. Metal evaporated tape offered slightly better picture quality but is now notorious for a specific type of degradation: the ultra-thin evaporated layer can delaminate from the base film, causing permanent signal loss. Metal particle tapes are more robust but still suffer from the usual oxide shedding and sticky-shed issues common to all magnetic media. Both types are on borrowed time.
We play Hi8 tapes on professional Sony EVO-series decks that extract every line of resolution the format can offer. Time base correction cleans up the signal, and we capture via S-Video to preserve the full bandwidth of the Hi8 recording. The difference between playing a Hi8 tape on a cheap camcorder versus a calibrated professional deck is striking. You will see detail and colour you did not know was there.
Your digital files are delivered as high-quality MP4s. If the tape has both standard AFM audio and the optional PCM stereo track, we capture both so nothing is lost.
Drag the handle to see how footage leaves our lab - colour revived, detail recovered, ready to watch on any screen.
Original tape on the left · your digital transfer on the right
“Emotional reunion”
In just 9 days from first contact I was reunited with my late husband after 28 years. He had made a video when he was told that he had terminal cancer, in it he left memories and advice to our 4 children. He was a strong and brave man. I had excellent communication for each step along the way, my questions were answered and explained.
“Fantastic company great job and very good price”
Thoroughly researched all options before handing over my old but very precious tapes. Rest assured the price was very reasonable and the service was amazing. I received a progress report on how long the tapes required to be transferred to a digital format and also how the quality was being enhanced too. I received the data via the cloud which was super easy to access and download to my computer. I am so happy with this company and will be recommending them to all my friends! Thank you so much Sam and the team.
“Highly recommended.”
I was very pleased with the service I received from Digital Legacy. Kept up to date at every step of the process and the quality of the digital copies is as good as the original tapes, Very competitive pricing too!
“Fantastic service”
Fantastic service. I can not recommend enough. It was so amazing to watch our wedding video again and see and hear people no longer with us. Digital Legacy are fantastic - thanks guys
“A superb experience”
Having our most precious archive of VHS memories digitised by Digital Legacy was a superb experience. Everything, from the first interaction on the website to ordering and receiving the digitised videos was seamless, immensely reassuring and very professionally done. It’s obviously a little concerning to send off the only copies you have of your memories but the smart pre-packaging sent worked perfectly and the simplicity of accounting for each tape and labelling each before sending off was helpful. The quality of the digitised files is superb. I have more to digitise - video, stills and audio and will feel absolutely secure using Digital Legacy for all of it!
“Would definitely recommend!”
Really happy with this service. Fast and efficient and extremely pleased with the final product. Thank you 😊
Read more verified reviews on TrustpilotGoogle
Check the label on the cassette. Hi8 tapes are clearly marked 'Hi8' or 'Hi-8', often with a distinctive logo. If there is no Hi8 marking and the tape just says '8mm' or 'Video8', it is the standard analogue format. The cassettes are physically identical in size, so the label is the only reliable way to tell.
Metal evaporated (ME) tapes do have a higher failure rate than metal particle (MP) tapes. The ultra-thin evaporated layer can delaminate from the base film over time, causing signal loss. If your Hi8 tapes are ME type, transferring them sooner rather than later is genuinely important. Our professional decks handle these tapes as gently as possible.
Generally, yes. Hi8 records at roughly 400 lines of horizontal resolution compared to Video8's 240-280 lines. The difference is visible, particularly in fine detail and colour accuracy. Both formats benefit significantly from professional transfer equipment, but Hi8 has more to give.
Yes, where the camera originally recorded a PCM track. Not all Hi8 camcorders had this feature, but our decks capture both AFM and PCM audio where present. If both tracks exist, we include them both so you get the best available sound.
The camera model affects the recording quality, since some had better lenses and image processors than others, but it does not affect our ability to transfer the tape. All Hi8 recordings are played back on the same professional decks regardless of which camcorder made them.
Still have questions? Get in touch and we will be happy to help.
From the guides
Written by the people who do the transfers: what it costs, what you get back, and what to check before anything goes in the post.
Video8, Hi8 and Digital8 tapes look almost identical, but they are not the same format. Here is how to identify them, what equipment can play them, and why the difference matters before digitisation.
Read the guideIf you had a camcorder in the 1990s, there is a good chance your tapes are Hi8. Here is what the format is, how to identify it, and what to do with your tapes now.
Read the guideYes. You do not need the original camera to save old camcorder footage, but you do need the right playback equipment for the tape format.
Read the guideYou send us your tapes. We send back digital files. But what actually happens in between? Here is a transparent look at every step of our process, from the moment your parcel arrives to the day your files and originals go back home.
Read the guideYou have pressed the button. Here is exactly what happens next, step by step, so there are no surprises.
Read the guideYour tapes are irreplaceable. Five minutes of careful packing makes sure they arrive in the same condition they left.
Read the guideQuestions about your collection? Reach us whichever way suits you. We usually reply within a few hours.
+44 7757 763 496
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admin@digital-legacy.me
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Unit 3, St Saviours Yard, St Saviours Ln
Norwich, Norfolk NR3 1GQ
Professional digitisation lab
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