How to Guides:
How to make the connections for different video editing projects.
This handout would help you in making the necessary connections to:
1. Import a VHS tape into the computer.
2. Import a Digital/Hi8 8mm Cassette into the computer.
3. Import a mini DV Cassette into the computer.
4. Archive a digital movie on a VHS tape after making the necessary editing.
5. Archive a digital movie onto a 8mm/mini DV tape.
We need the following depending on the project we are doing.
1. VCR with a S-Video input output (I/O) slots 
or composite video I/O slots. Some VCR’s would have both and it is preferable
to use S-video in that case as the video output would be better 
.
2. A Digital/Hi8 8mm Cassette player or a correspoding camcorder. The Sony
video Hi8 cassette player 
in
room 250 would not play the digital 8mm tapes. For that you would have to
check out the Sony digital camcorder from LRC.
3. A mini DV cassette player 
or
a corresponding camcorder.
4. An Analog/Digital converter box 
5. S-video cable 
.
6. Composite video cable 
.
7. Fire wire Cable 
.
8. A Y-Splitter 
.
9. An external hard drive is preferred, as the movie projects would end up
taking a lot of space 
.
These hard drives can be daisy chained i.e. more than one can be connected
in series. You would need a different type of the fire wire cable, which has
bigger ends at both sides of the cable 
.
Connect one end of this fire wire cable to the hard drive and the other end
to the computer into the fire wire port. You also need to connect the power
supply cable to the hard drive disk.
I Import a VHS tape into the computer.
1. Insert the tape into the VCR and make sure it is fully rewound.
2. Connect one end of the S-Video cable to the VCR into the slot labeled as
“OUT” and the other end of it to the converter box into the slot
labeled as “IN”. The audio ends are color coded ( red and white),
and you would have to use the same corresponding colored slots.This implies
that you are taking the output signal from the VCR and sending it into the
converter box as an input. The converter box would convert the Analog signal
coming in from the VCR into a digital signal to be imported into the computer.
3. Make sure you have the “Analog in” selected on the converter
box as you are sending in an analog signal.
4. Connect one end of another S-Video cable to the converter box into the
slot labeled as “OUT” and the other end of it to the TV into the
input slot. You might have to use a Y-splitter to split the single audio input
on the TV into two audio channels. This helps you to view the movie being
imported on the TV.
5. Take the fire wire cable and insert the small end of it in the “
DV in/out” slot on the converter box. Connect the other end of the fire
wire cable (the bigger end) to the computer or the external hard drive into
the fire wire port with the symbol 
beside
it.
6. Now you are all set to import the VHS tape into the computer.
7. Open the imovie application software and press the import button before
you press the play button on the VCR.
8. After the movie is completely imported save the project.
9. For further information on working with imovie visit http://www.educ.ttu.edu/howto/dv/imovie.html.
II Import a Hi8 8mm Cassette into the computer using the Sony video Hi8 cassette player.
1. Insert the tape into the player and make sure it is fully rewound.
2. Connect one end of the S-Video cable to the player into the slot labeled
as “OUT” and the other end of it to the converter box into the
slot labeled as “IN”. This implies that you are taking the output
signal from the player and sending it into the converter box as an input.
The converter box would convert the Analog signal coming in from the player
into a digital signal to be imported into the computer. You can also use the
composite video cable instead of the S-video cable, but it is preferable to
use the S-video cable.
3. Make sure you have the “Analog in” selected on the converter
box as you are sending in an analog signal.
4. Connect one end of another S-Video cable to the converter box into the
slot labeled as “OUT” and the other end of it to the TV into the
input slot. You might have to use a Y-splitter to split the single audio input
on the TV into two audio channels. This helps you to view the movie being
imported on the TV. The TV in room does not have a composite video slot so
you would have to use only S-video cable.
5. Take the fire wire cable and insert the small end of it in the “
DV in/out” slot on the converter box. Connect the other end of the fire
wire cable (the bigger end) to the computer or the external hard drive into
the fire wire port.
6. Now you are all set to import the tape into the computer.
7. Open the imovie application software and press the import button before
you press the play button on the player.
8. After the movie is completely imported save the project.
9. For further information on working with imovie visit http://www.educ.ttu.edu/howto/dv/imovie.html.
III. Import a Digital 8mm tape or a mini DV into the computer using a camcorder.
1. These instructions are the same for working with both Digital 8mm cassette
and a mini DV cassette, only difference being that you would have to use the
corresponding camcorder.
2. Insert the cassette into the camcorder and completely rewind the cassette.
3. It is preferable to use the AC power supply instead of using the battery.
4. Connect the smaller end of the fire wire cable to the camcorder into the
“DV in/out” slot 
.
5. Connect the other bigger end to the computer or the hard drive into the
fire wire port.
6. You need not use the converter box, as the signal coming out of the camcorder
is digital signal.
7. Now you are all set to import the cassette into the computer.
8. Open the imovie application software and press the import button before
you press the play button on the player.
9. After the movie is completely imported save the project.
10. For further information on working with imovie visit http://www.educ.ttu.edu/howto/dv/imovie.html.
IV Import a mini DV cassette into the computer using the mini DV player in
room 250
1. Make sure the tape is completely rewound.
2. Connect the smaller end of the fire wire cable to the mini DV player into
the slot labeled as “DV IN/OUT” in the front side of the player.
Connect the other bigger end to the computer or the external hard drive into
the fire wire port.
3. You need not use the converter box, as the signal coming out of the camcorder
is digital signal.
4. Now you are all set to import the cassette into the computer.
5. Open the imovie application software and press the import button before
you press the play button on the player.
6. After the movie is completely imported save the project.
7. For further information on working with imovie visit http://www.educ.ttu.edu/howto/dv/imovie.html.
V Archiving a edited digital movie to a VHS tape.
1. Connect the smaller end of the fire wire cable to the converter box into
the “DV IN/OUT” slot and the bigger end to the computer into the
fire wire port.
2. Connect one end of the S-video cable into the “OUT” slot on
the converter and the other end to the “IN” slot on the VCR. Make
sure the “DV in” button is selected on the converter box as the
signal coming from the computer is digital and we need it to be converted
to an analog signal so that we can put onto a VHS tape using the VCR.
3. Connect another S-Video cable to the “OUT” slot on the VCR
and the other end to the “IN” slot on TV. This is not required
for our archiving purpose but it helps us in viewing the movie being archived
on the TV.
4. If you are using the SONY VCR in room 250 make sure you have the same input
line selected as you have the S-Video cable connected to. For instance if
you are connecting to “IN Line 1” on the VCR push the “input
select” button on the front panel until the display shows “L1”
at the right corner on the display.
5. When you are in the imovie application go to iMovie -> Preferences and
check the box that says “ Play Video Through to Camera” 
.
Make sure you uncheck the box after your archiving project, as you
would not be able to listen to the audio later on if this box is checked.
6. Now you are all set to archive your project onto a VHS tape.
7. Make sure the play head is in the beginning of the movie in the imovie
window.
8. Press the record button on the VCR and wait for a few seconds before you
play the imovie file.
9. After you are done, stop the VCR and check the recording. It is always
better to check the tape after recording for about a minute. And then you
can rewind the tape and rerecord from the beginning.
NOTE: The above instructions are NOT working for the Magnavox
VCR in room 250. Part of the reason maybe using a composite video cable
as that VCR does not have a S-Video input.
VI Archiving a digital movie back to a 8mm tape/mini DV tape using a camcorder.
1. Connect the smaller end of the fire wire cable to the camcorder and the bigger end to the computer.
2. Rewind the tape to the position where you want to start to archive.
3. Go to File-> Export and select "To Camera" option.
4. You can control the camcorder frm the computer itself. Once you hit enter on the computer you will observe taht the movie is being exported back to the tape.
5. Make sure the tab on the tape is not closed.
