Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best-selling in Camcorders
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Camcorders
The Sony DCR-TRV480 is the last device that Sony produced that would play back analog Video8 tapes. It was released in 2005 and natively supports Digital8 tapes to record and also recording to Sony Memory Stick Pro up to 2GB. The best part about this device is that you can connect it to a modern MacBook with Thunderbolt to FireWire to convert old tapes. The only catch is you have to run Monterey 12.2.1 or lower and depending on your MacBook, you will need either 2 or 3 cables to connect everything properly. The unit I found on eBay was in near perfect condition and there are several others out there. If you have Video8 or Hi8 tapes and need to convert them to digital, this is the perfect device for it. You can also keep the camera as a backup device and record straight to memory stick.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I have owned a Sony DCR-TRV460 digital Hi-8 camcorder for years and it is still works flawlessly. I must have a hundred or more recorded tapes of family events and vacations. I have been wanting to transfer all of them to DVD but have not found the time to do so. I fear that if my TRV-460 should fail, I had better have a backup camera to play my tapes. Having it repaired would most likely cost more that buying a used one, and with my past experience on having electronic equipment repaired, it still would not be right. Sure enough, I found Sony's latest and last digital DCR-TRV480 for a great price. To my surprise it is in almost in new condition. I do have a newer Sony HDR-CX380 digital camera (does not use tape) but I still like the TRV-460/480 better. To my surprise, I was in Walmart last week and the Sony 8mm Hi-8 tapes were selling at $43 for a two pack. Several years ago, i think I paid about $15 for a three pack.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This was the second time I purchased one of these camcorders. I have owned the first one about nine years. I like the compact size along with the good digital tape quality. I use the cameras for taping family events and transferring older VHS tapes to DVD. After two or three years of use I did encounter some operational issues that were expensive to repair, but were repairable. Even with these issues, I still rate the little camcorder a great product for the price. As I stated earlier this is my second purchase of this TRV480 model camcorder so you can see I do like the product.
For my own enjoyment, I video airshows. The vast majority of these events are during daylight hours. This almost makes a viewfinder an absolute necessity. By adding an eyecup to the viewfinder of the TRV480, I have a nice setup for recording airshows. The camcorder is a bit heavier than I would like, but it is better than my previous viewfinder-equipped camcorder, a lightweight Sony TRV33, in terms of zoom and controls. I easily transfer the tapes for this camcorder onto DVDs. I own 2 TRV480 camcorders as I plan to be taping airshows for many years.
Verified purchase: Yes
I purchased this camcorder to transfer some old VHS and 8mm tapes to my computer. Using a firewire cable, I was able to transfer all my 8mm tapes directly to my computer. I was able to use Windows Movie Maker to capture the footage via firewire, and the software was able to control the camera. This was great because I could skip segments that I did not want to transfer. I also hooked up a VCR to the camcorder and recorded those onto a digital Hi8 tape. From there I could transfer the video to the computer the same way I did with the 8mm tapes. I have no interest in recording new footage, but the Hi8 tapes should give you pretty good results. You won't get HD quality like on more modern camcorders, but if you just plan to share videos via the internet, HD is probably overkill for most users. My only complaint is that when I transferred analog video to a memory card, the resolution of the video was very small. You are much better off just transferring to a Hi8 digital tape for the best video quality. If you are like me and are looking for a way to transfer old analog tapes to your computer, this is an excellent choice.Read full review