what is digital 8?

camcorder

Digital8 (or D8) is a consumer digital videotape format developed by Sony, and introduced in 1999.

The Digital8 format is a combination of the older Hi8 tape transport with the DV codec. Digital8 equipment uses the same videocassettes as analog Hi8 equipment, but differs in that the audio/video signal is encoded digitally (using the industry-standard DV codec.) Since Digital8 uses the DV codec, it has identical audio and video specifications.

To facilitate digital recording on existing Hi8 videocassettes, the tape media is moved linearly past the recording heads at higher speed, while the video head drum spins 2.5x faster. For both NTSC and PAL Digital8 equipment, a standard-length cassette will store 60 minutes (at Standard Play). Current Digital8 equipment can also record in Long Play (LP) mode, which increases recording time from 60 minutes to 90 minutes. A few vendors sell long-duration tapes, with an SP recording time of 90 minutes (or 135 minutes in LP.)

Digital8 (SP) recordings can be made on standard-grade Video8 cassettes, but this practice is discouraged. Hi8 metal-particle cassettes are the recommended type for Digital8 recording, and most tapes currently sold are marked for both Hi8 and Digital8 usage.

For more information, and the differences between D8 and Mini-DV, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/digital8... . Digital 8 is a Sony design.....

It's Digital recording on an 8 mm tape...It's noiseless, and pretty rock solid for frame-by-frame editing....good for 8mm to DVD transfers too.