Hi8 and MiniDV were two of the innovations that transformed home moviemaking, back in the day. Just like today’s cellphone technology, videotapes continued to get progressively smaller, allowing people to use smaller and lighter cameras to record home movies. But the video formats that seemed incredibly groundbreaking one day, inevitably became yesterday’s forgotten medium. Of course, that’s the nature of most technology.
Perhaps you have both of these types of videos stored in the dark corner of a closet or your basement and are thinking about digitizing them. The following is a brief primer on the two formats that once ruled the day, albeit fleetingly. You need to know the difference between Hi8 MiniDV tapes if you wish to relive these memories on a Hi8 player and/or MiniDV equipment.
Hi8 Video Format
Introduced in 1989, Hi8 was a higher-resolution version of Video8 and meant to compete with the VHS-equivalent S-VHS. Hi8 camcorders were a popular choice of amateur hobbyists and also used in television productions that required lightweight portable equipment.
Hi8 Features
- Combination of higher-grade tape and improved recording mechanisms increased the bandwidth
- 400-line video luminance resolution capability
- PCM digital audio and XR capability for slightly increased picture quality (later versions)
- Recording lengths of 30, 60 and 120 minutes
Hi8 vs 8mm
Although Hi8 and 8mm tapes are both 8 millimeters (less than a half-inch) wide, Hi8 is a newer technology featuring better video quality/resolution than 8mm. A good comparison is HD vs. 4k television. Another differentiation is that you could use 8mm film in a Hi8 camera, but couldn’t use the Hi8 film in an 8mm camera. While the Hi8 camcorder wasn’t discontinued until 2007 and tapes were made until 2012, Digital8 knocked Hi8 off the video throne shortly after its release in 1999.
MiniDV Format
Hi8 paved the way for video portability, yet the MiniDV, at a mere 6mm, embodied the true definition of a mini videotape. It also owned the distinction of being the first digital camcorder format, with the Digital8 format riding its coattails, shortly thereafter. The pro versions of MiniDV (DVcam and DVCpro) became the global standard for commercial and broadcast video productions.
Canon, JVC, Panasonic, and Sharp jumped on the MiniDV bandwagon along with Sony, who was the sole manufacturer of Digital8. Because Sony MiniDV tapes and camcorders had competition, this likely equated to savings for savvy shoppers. But a wider assortment of models and features also could be viewed as a disadvantage, since this made selecting the right model more challenging for consumers.
MiniDV Features
- PCM audio recording
- 500-line video resolution capability
- Stronger color reproduction
- 640×480 still-picture resolution
- Recording length up to 90 minutes in LP mode
Digitizing Hi8 and MiniDVs
Tape is an at-risk media because it’s vulnerable to deterioration, and the technology to view it on is becoming scarcer. While MiniDV tapes are still available and you can purchase second-hand camcorders online, Hi8 tapes were discontinued and it’s a longshot finding camcorders in good condition and sealed tapes that still work. To capture your late-20th century memories before it’s too late, we recommend using a professional service like ScanCafe for digitizing videos.